Practical Pushing Hands

The Tai Chi Chuan Ching by Wang Tsung Yueh has been a source of inspiration for me in my understanding in all aspects of the art of Tai Chi Chuan. In this article I shall attempt to illustrate my understanding with reference to practical pushing hands skills that I use in fixed step competition. I shall deal with these same concepts in terms of self defence applications in a later article.

Suddenly conceal, suddenly reveal,
When the left feels heavy then empty the left,

When the right feels heavy then make the right distant,

When the opponent looks up, I raise him higher

When he looks down, I am lower still.

In the above set of pictures I am demonstrating the basics of body diversion whereby the body moves in the same direction as the application of the force. I am not attempting to use the arms to divert the attacks, where they do move it is as a consequence of the movement of the rest of the body. The important aspects are the coordination of the legs, waist and body. The passage in the Ching is a direct reference to moving with the applied force. Neigung training has given me sufficient lower body strength to be able to sink to a sufficient level to maintain my balance. Relaxation of the waist enables the body to rotate laterally and bend backwards and forwards with the application of force.

When he advances, the distance seems surpassingly long,
When he retreats, the distance seems exceedingly short.

Emptying the left

Making the right distant

Raising him higher

Making him lower still

In the second set of pictures above I am demonstrating exactly the same concepts but this time using the arms to draw the attack into the Void so that I can counterattack. Turning the body and diverting the attack into emptiness makes the distance seem surpassingly long as he cannot reach me. Similarly as I am moving in exact coordination with him he cannot escape my counterattack and so the distance seems surpassingly short. The arms supply extra distance so that I do not need to move the body as far to avoid the attacks and also enable me to transform defence into attack.

A feather cannot be added,
A fly cannot land,
Nobody knows me,
I alone know them,
A hero thus becomes invincible.

To be able to move with force one has to be sensitive to the direction and magnitude of that force. Thus even if the smallest force is applied one can detect it and move with it. This requires the fundamental skills of softness and relaxation of the waist and legs. One should be able to detect the opponent’s force but disguise one’s own. In the above picture sequence after diverting the attack to the void I immediately trap my opponent’s arms and use my entire body pushing up from the feet, through the legs , coordinated by the waist and issued through the hands to uproot my opponent.

Stand like a level scale,
Move like a wheel.
When the weight is sunk deeply on one side then we can follow,

In the above sequence I am using sinking to absorb and neutralise the attack. At the same time I take the opportunity to trap my opponent’s arms by pulling them into my body even further. I can then easily uproot him by straightening my legs.

When there is Double Weightedness then our movements will be hindered.
You can often see people who have practised their skills for several years,
But who still cannot change and turn.
This leads to their being entirely regulated by others.
They are not aware of their sickness of Double Weightedness.
If we wish to be free from this sickness,
We must know Yin and Yang.