Tui Shou Push Hands

This is Tai Chi awareness energy training, developing sensitivity to changing levels of intensity and angles of attack. The student learns the art of sticking to their partner whilst negating, deflecting and opening their partner's line of attack. This section is trained slowly to ensure that the body alignment and rooting is understood. Sensitivity can only come about by the softening of the arms - the idea being to lose all tension so that the opponent can be read through feel rather than by sight.

This is the basic push hands method used to develop the primary hands - that part of the arm employed from the below the elbow to the fingers.

Primary and Corner Hands

In Fig 2 the corner hands are shown. In this section the student learns the idea of guarding against the elbow and the use of the elbow in naturalization techniques through defense or by attack. When the lower arms are engaged with the attacker the corner hands are then used. The student learns the art of using the elbows almost like a second set of hands, hence the name corner hands. The skills employed in this section are supported by the skills in the first section, developing more complex manoeuvres to override the opponent's attack. Again, the training is slow to build on good responses with the correct body skills. The students learn to react by what feels right rather than by freezing in the moment of change. It is this freezing of the mind and body which the student must overcome if the push hands skills are to be achieved.

Structure Testing

In fig 3 the idea of structure testing is introduced, this being the the art of rooting whilst using the skills learnt in section one and two. The use of sensitivity is of no use if when touched you are pushed back, or you lose your balance, or worst of all fall. The idea of soft is not a weak posture but a strong one, where the attacker is lead into a false impression as to what is really happening. In order to make yourself soft you first have to make yourself strong this is Tai Chi paradox training methods. Through the structure test method the student not only begins to understand the concept of rooting, he also is now introduced to channelling. Channelling is where the student attains the concept of letting the force of the attacker pass through them, simultaneously grounding and projecting another force back towards the attacker. Tai Chi's methods of partnered work differ considerably from other Marital Arts - this has to be felt rather than seen. This section builds power into the student whilst developing Peng Jing energy - the art of expanding into the attacker to uproot them and take control of their centre. Once this has been achieved any technique should work.

Needle from Sea Bottom

In Fig 4 a posture taken from the Tai Chi form, fig 5 shows an application to the posture. This is only an idea not a definitive application - to give an absolute application would completely miss the point of Tai Chi Chuan. The opponent's posture is broken by the angle and pressure of the arm in relationship to the body dropping and expanding into the attacker's body. This not only causes intense pain in the arm joint of the attacker but also weakens his posture enabling you to take control of his centre. From this weakened position any following up technique could work. Take time to study fig 5 picture, in particular the attacker's position in relationship to the defender. You can see there is not much option for the attacker, his posture is completely broken. He is unable to offer any resistance from the next move, which is the posture needle from sea bottom. The right hand is positioned over the sternum notch, in between the two collar bones in the centre, just under the trachea. To access this point the strike is descending down into this cavity, the left hand monitors the attacker's arm and assists in this application. The defender's right hand descends as if striking the floor with the finger tips this is powered by the hips and the sinking of the body. Hence needle from sea bottom - touch the floor as if touching the sea bed.

Ward Off

Fig 6 shows the posture ward off which is an interesting structure in the Tai Chi method of defense. Ward off could mean to keep an attacker away from you by means of controlling his body mechanics tipping him off balance and throwing him away, but this is only one idea. By studying fig 7 the posture of the attacker is clearly brought under control by shifting the weight into the attacker's body. At the same time the defender's right arm is placed under the attacker's arm. From this position the defender projects outwardly and slightly up whilst pulling slightly down with the left arm. This expanding and pulling energy coupled with tipping breaks the attacker's centre. From the static picture it may seem that the defender could be hit at any time by the attacker. Remember this is performed within a flow of movement with pressure put on the attackers arm in and around the elbow and wrist joints. These joints could be jarred or broken within the flow at any time if the attacker tries to carry his attack forwards. The attacker could be manipulated sharply causing the attacker's left side to move away from the defender's line of attack. This is known as extensor reflex action, where the sharp pull on the attacker's right arm causes the attacker's left arm to fly back. The defender's knee is also used to pin the attacker or to throw the attacker. In Tai Chi the three pronged attack is used to neutralize the upper, middle and lower lines whilst leaving an opening in the attacker for the defender to exploit, as in fig 7.

Fan through back

Fig 8 shows another form of arm control - note all of these posture where shot on the move. Notice again the use of the three pronged attack. Both arms are employed onto the attacker's arm to control the wrist and elbow joint as well as the knee which is pinning the attacker's leg. With the arm locked the elbow can be broken at any time; the shoulder joint is also locked which enables the defender to control the attacker's whole body. Look at the attacker's body. You can clearly see the use of extensor reflex action. The ever present energy of peng jing, the expansion of the defender's body, coupled with the rooting is the real success in achieving control of the attacker.

Double Ward Off

Fig 9 shows the open posture of double ward off, where the hands are held in front of the face, whilst fig 10 indicates a possible application, based again on the three pronged attack. The defender's left hand has pinned the attacker's left elbow - take note that the defender's left arm has a circular shape pressed against the attacker's body. The defender's arm position is in ward off, keeping the attacker not just at bay but off balance, unable to change their position. The defender's right hand gives pain to the attacker's wrist while the defender's left knee is again used to pin the attacker's leg. From this position a number of opportunities now arise. The attacker could be bounced back, struck in the chest from the elbow or thrown left or right. The defender could use all these methods in a flow which would take only a fraction of a second to complete. As the attacker is bounced back the attacker's left arm is pulled (wrenched) back. This stretching jolts the elbow and shoulder joint causing intense pain. At the same time the defender's left elbow strikes the chest causing one side of the attacker's body to go back - the stretched left arm is moving in the opposite direction to the body. The attacker's left knee is also being attacked through the side, causing the leg to buckle followed by the throw.

These jolts on the joints send a very powerful shock through the body's system. Extreme care must be taken in all circumstances when applications are being trained with a partner.

Tai Chi's method is that the soft attacks the hard and the hard attacks the soft, which means the soft negates the hard (the attack towards you) and the hard attacks the soft (your attack to their weak points) Fig 10 clearly demonstrates this.

Please take care when training as damaging your partner is the most irresponsible thing a martial artist can do.