What is Pushing Hands?

It is a rhythmical, non-competitive exercise between two people, keeping constant contact with your partner. It is therefore non-physical with no power-to-power techniques being used. The chance is given for each partner to utilise techniques from the Tai Chi Chuan Form. The exercise teaches a student to be submissive (invest in loss) and is a passive form of combat, teaching the subtle and more sensitive areas of the Martial Arts. To "invest in loss" means to be willing to lose balance, in order to acquire it. To be prepared to yield.

Philosophy of Pushing Hands

The aim is to feel the sensitivity of your partner's energy, intention and movements. You then redirect and borrow their strength to your advantage. To do this you must harmonise with them until both of you fuse into one. You must give to every ounce of pressure exerted toward you and offer no resistance. Thought has no part in the action of Pushing Hands, the action only comes from feeling. The movements should relate to a figure eight -being continuous and flowing in action. There should be no jagged motion, no starting and stopping - like the figure four.

A person's skin, muscles, bones, joints and spine all relay information to you. Listen to your partner's body movement - teach yourself to read subtle body signs and sensations. Your partner's eyes may deceive you but their feelings cannot. Pushing Hands becomes an exchange of energy between two people. Try to anticipate by feeling the movements before they happen. Do not interfere with the other person's will. The force is channelled through the body and then neutralized or returned to your partner. Do not concentrate solely on technique, i.e. moving the other persons arm out of the way, but focus attention on the empty space (yin) made by the incoming attack (punch, kick, etc.) . These are the unprotected areas.

The skill of paying attention and adapting is taught in Pushing Hands, it blends the attentions of two people together until individual boundaries are meaningless. A simple imagery is to image any yang aspect of Pushing Hands (pressure, force coming up from the ground, moving forward - black) , and any yin aspect (lightness, force being grounded and neutralized, moving backward - white). Pushing Hands should be played by concentrating on this moving pattern of black and white. The criteria of imagery must be understood in pictorial terms of black and white. Power comes from the relationship of the balance between yin and yang - this is internal power. External power is yang as opposed to yin. There is a limit to the amount of yang power you may have, but there is no limit to the perfection of the balance between yin and yang.

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