Flow Like Water: Push Hands Workshop

Tai Chi push hands puts into action, the practical application of the tai chi principles. Discover strength within softness by using correct alignment and body mechanics, learn simple ways to flow out of stuck spots. Develop flexibility & calmness by listening, and learn how to neutralize to gain an advantage.

        In tai chi push hands, softness overcomes hardness, and doing less is more; as we use minimum effort to attain maximum effect. Push hands emphasizes the value of yielding and relaxing, and the disadvantage of resisting and using tension. Push hands trains the ability to read and interpret external force. Proper neutralization takes little physical upper body force and has its foundation in correct alignment, timing, and body positions. Adhering means sticking, blending, and following your opponents’ movements. In tai chi push hands we adhere and listen to be able to read the opponents’ attack through the point of contact. The ability to listen comes from being able to stay energetically connected to your root, keep body joints open but don’t tense up, and have correct leg alignment. Then the upper body can become motivated by your center. When your own body can move as one piece, it is easy to detect the distortions in your partner's movement.

Secret of Effortless Push

 The secret of the effortless push is to first neutralize properly. Use your whole body to root the opponents force through proper body alignment. Allowing the opponent to push into your root can make you stronger if you can absorb the force rather than deflect it away. Use the opponents force, rather than your own effort; to uproot them. Less is more when you use less effort and have more effect.

Understanding how to use correct body alignment to neutralize the opponents force allows tai chi players to use the opponents force against them. Learn how to use the shape of your own body to allow the opponents force to naturally drop into your root. When you are being pushed on, absorb the force into your root, don’t just deflect the force away. Neutralizing is not simply evading an attack, but is simultaneously emptying out and filling up, absorbing and returning the attackers energy back onto themselves. Proper neutralization of your partner’s force will present an effortless push.

Learn and practice specific and effective push hands techniques.

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