Tai Chi Push Hands

When I was given permission to learn the snake style of Yang family tai chi chuan, the first thing Master Ip demanded of me was to forget everything I had learned previously about tai chi (tiger style) – including my practice methods and habits. He wanted me to “empty my cup” so he could fill it with fresh tea.

Before becoming Master Ip’s Disciple, I had done years and years of push hands with my students. One style was to have my students push on my shoulder while I stood firmly in my tiger stance. No student could ever break my stance. In turn, I could never break the stance of my teacher.  Today some call this “dynamic pushing hands.” Master Ip would later say that this was a “waste of time.”

I also did a push hands style called ‘think style.” This was a contest with an opponent where each tried to upset the balance of the other. I wrestled this way with my students daily, and again – I never lost – except when I had a match with my teacher.

Since learning the snake style I have emptied my cup of both of these exercises.

Why?

Because I have learned that the true skill of tai chi self-defense lies within tai chi movement, and that the eight fundamentals of Yang tai chi (ward off, pull, press, push, pull down abruptly, thrash, shoulder stroke and elbow stroke) are based on movement. Only strikes and kicks are done from a fixed stance.

Why would anyone feel that the measure of their tai chi skills lies in fixed stance practice? Does anyone really think that they can find the “center” of a fast moving opponent by practicing a fixed stance push hands?

Master Ip taught me a push hands form based on lively steps. This is the basis for the push hands I now teach my students. The push hands that I used to do (and see everyone in tai chi doing these days) is really hard style practice disguised as tai chi chuan.