SEVEN MOUNTAINS TAI CHI Wu-Tang Arts of Centre County

THE WUDANG WIKI

Push Hands (Tuishou)

Push Hands, or Tuishou (推手), is a practice deeply integrated into the study of internal martial arts such as Taijiquan (Tai Chi), Xingyiquan, and Baguazhang. It is one of the most iconic and important training methods in these systems, focusing on the principles of balance, sensitivity, and yielding. Tuishou is a partner exercise designed to cultivate the ability to sense and respond to an opponent's movements, employing softness and yielding to control or neutralize their force. Far from being simply a method of combat, Push Hands is also a spiritual and philosophical practice, providing profound insight into the inner workings of martial strategy and personal growth.

History and Evolution of Push Hands

The practice of Push Hands has its origins in the ancient martial arts of China, evolving alongside the development of Taijiquan and other internal systems. Taiji (Tai Chi), with its emphasis on softness, relaxation, and internal energy (Qi), was not initially focused on combat. However, as martial arts developed, it became essential to test these principles against a live, resisting opponent. Thus, Push Hands emerged as a way to practice these concepts in a controlled, cooperative manner.

Historically, Push Hands was a method of testing martial principles and increasing the awareness of energy and balance in real-time interactions. The earliest documented records of Push Hands practice date back to the 18th century in the Chen Village, where it was used as a way to develop martial skill without injury. With the spread of Taijiquan, Push Hands practice expanded to other internal martial arts, gaining popularity as an essential tool for developing combat effectiveness, while also fostering mindfulness, meditation, and self-awareness.

The Purpose of Push Hands

The primary goal of Push Hands is to enhance the practitioner’s sensitivity and ability to respond to the energy or force applied by an opponent. Through continuous practice, individuals refine their ability to “feel” and “listen” to an opponent’s intentions and movements, without relying on brute strength or aggressive force. By doing so, Push Hands trains the martial artist in key principles such as:

• Balance and Alignment: A practitioner must maintain their own balance while also influencing their opponent’s balance.
• Softness and Yielding: One of the core concepts in Push Hands is using softness to counteract force. The practitioner yields to the opponent’s movement and uses their energy to redirect it, rather than directly resisting it.
• Rooting and Connection to the Ground: Practitioners develop a deep connection to the ground, which is fundamental for maintaining balance and executing effective techniques.
• Internal Energy (Qi): The practice helps to cultivate the flow of Qi within the body, leading to a more effective martial presence and a more peaceful mind.

Push Hands is not about defeating your opponent but about understanding and responding to their energy. It teaches how to be calm under pressure and how to maintain control over one’s own body and energy flow.

The Mechanics of Push Hands

In its most basic form, Push Hands involves two practitioners engaging in a flowing exchange of energy. The primary movements revolve around pushes, pulls, and circular motions, with each partner using a variety of grips, holds, and subtle adjustments to maintain their balance and control.

There are two main types of Push Hands:

• Fixed-Step Push Hands (Dingbu Tuishou): In this version, both practitioners maintain a fixed stance, and the primary focus is on sensitivity, balance, and subtle adjustments in the hands and body. The movements remain relatively stationary, with the emphasis on controlling and neutralizing the opponent’s force.
• Moving-Step Push Hands (Liu Bu Tuishou): Here, the practitioners engage in a more fluid movement, using their footwork to follow their opponent’s actions and create opportunities for evasion, redirection, or control. The moving-step version is generally seen as more dynamic and closer to real-world combat situations.

Practical Application and Strategy

The true value of Push Hands lies in its application to real combat situations. While the practice itself is done slowly and with mutual respect, the principles learned in Push Hands can be adapted for more intense situations. In real combat, the sensitivity gained from Push Hands allows a practitioner to feel the opponent’s intentions, making it easier to respond to attacks, whether by yielding or counterattacking.

In practice, Push Hands teaches several key strategic concepts:

• Yielding and Redirecting Force: Rather than resisting an attack head-on, Push Hands practitioners learn to absorb the incoming force and use it to their advantage, guiding it away from their center.
• Taking Advantage of an Opening: Through sensitivity, a practitioner can feel when the opponent has lost balance or when they are vulnerable. This is the moment to strike or control.
• Controlling the Center: Keeping control of your own center while disrupting your opponent’s center is a central principle in Push Hands. This is often referred to as “leading the opponent’s energy away from their center.”

Rulesets in Push Hands

While there are no universal rules for Push Hands, certain common guidelines exist across various schools and competitions. These include:

• No excessive force: Push Hands is about balance and sensitivity, not overpowering the opponent.
• Maintain balance: Losing one’s balance or being forced out of a defined area is often considered a loss or failure.
• No striking or grappling: Push Hands focuses solely on the application of force through subtle pushes and redirections, not on strikes, kicks, or joint locks.
• No sudden movements: The practice is slow and deliberate, allowing both practitioners to feel each other’s movements clearly.

In competitive Push Hands, points may be awarded for demonstrating control over the opponent’s balance, superior positioning, and successful redirections of force. However, the practice is still seen as a cooperative effort to improve one’s martial sensitivity rather than a combat sport with a clear winner and loser.

Push Hands in Different Martial Arts Contexts

Although Push Hands is most closely associated with Taijiquan, similar practices can be found in other internal martial arts, such as Xingyiquan and Baguazhang. In each case, Push Hands serves a slightly different role but maintains the core principles of sensitivity, balance, and yielding.

• Taijiquan: In Taiji, Push Hands is a core part of the training and is used to teach the core principles of Tai Chi. Taiji Push Hands can range from slow and meditative practices to fast-paced, energetic exchanges.
• Xingyiquan: While Xingyi Push Hands may emphasize more linear movements and explosive power compared to Taiji, the core idea of yielding and using the opponent’s energy against them remains the same.
• Baguazhang: In Baguazhang, Push Hands is typically more dynamic, emphasizing circular footwork and evasiveness. The interaction often reflects the characteristic circular movements of the art.

Despite the differences in approach and emphasis, Push Hands in all of these martial arts shares a common purpose: to cultivate internal awareness, sensitivity, and adaptability.

Conclusion: A Gateway to Internal Mastery

Push Hands is a fundamental practice for anyone pursuing mastery in internal martial arts. It teaches the essential skills of balance, sensitivity, and flow, forming the basis for both martial proficiency and personal cultivation. Whether practiced as a method for self-defense, a path to inner peace, or a way to explore deeper philosophical questions, Tuishou remains a crucial aspect of the internal martial arts tradition. Through its integration of physical movement, mental focus, and energy cultivation, Push Hands offers practitioners a profound way to connect with themselves, their partner, and the world around them.

For those interested in exploring the depths of Chinese martial arts, mastering the principles of Push Hands is not only a pathway to improving your combat skills but also a journey into the heart of internal energy, yielding, and spiritual balance.