I’ve been going to the free Push Hands in the park sessions for over 12 months now and pushed hands with many players; from beginner level to very experienced players.
And it’s fascinating to experience and observe the many different styles of Push Hands.
Here are some of my observations;
- Fixed feet is a preference for most players, though I also like moving feet push hands
- Some like to keep their weight on the front foot when practicing free style push hands. I tend to keep my weight on the back foot and occasionally experiment with a front weight stance.
- Some like to keep their hands in the dominant position (on top of the other persons hands)
- Most like to nudge a person off balance
- Some test to see how rooted the opponents stance is and apply gentle pressure
There is an option, if agreed to by both players, for the use of foot sweeps, locks and throws. But I haven’t seen it applied and it’s something I prefer not to practice (not first thing on a Sunday morning :).
The Sunday morning Push Hands sessions is a great way of testing my skills against a variety of Push Hands players. Because it’s open to the general public you never know who you will meet; Tai Chi players of all styles, other martial artists and those who are interested in the concept of Push Hands.
The next session is on 28th July, 10.00am – 12 noon at Fawkner Park, South Yarra.
Why not come along and test your skills in a friendly and co-operative environment?
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