How essential really is push hands? Can we not
learn or advance in tai chi without it? Are we
not doing real tai chi without knowledge of push
hands?
Push hands is a defining characteristic of
taijiquan. Along with qigong, forms and
application practice, push hands contributes to
the physical, mental, spiritual and psychological
development of a taiji player. It is seen as a
continuation of the practical development that
begins with the solo routine and qigong.
Few schools teach tuishou to beginners.
Most schools have optional tuishou classes so
that students who do not wish to engage in the
practice are not required to do so. There is so
much to be gained from the solo practice that
most student of taijiquan do very little if any
tuishou practice. Even among those who do, few
approach the depth or intensity of practice that
is possible.
If you are seeking high level martial skill in
taiji, it is pretty safe to say that push hands
is essential. But push hands is useful even if
your purpose for learning taiji is more health
and fitness related, or you practice as a means
of achieving peace of mind.
Martial arts in general are often practised more
for their benefits to mental and physical
well-being than for pure combat skill. The
reasons for this are deep and complex.
One thing that I tell my students is that push
hands - like sanshou, suaijiao, and fencing - is
an excellent form of biofeedback. If you want to
know if your posture is correct, or to know if
you mind is clear, or to know if you are in
harmony with the universe then play push hands.
If you lose your balance, use force, or get
knocked over, then you will know that you have
some work to do. Push hands can teach you what
your mistakes are and help you to correct them,
especially if you have a patient training
partner.
If you don't have the opportunity to practice
tuishou very often, then occasional practice will
inform your solo practice. You can take the
lessons learned in push hands and use them to
refine your understanding of the forms and your
qigong practice.
My teacher once told me that he doubted there
were many high level qigong masters who were not
also martial artists. I think this may be because
martial study is a very efficient way of exposing
the delusions, illusions and misperceptions of
the ego.
Every thought carries an emotion, every emotion
affects the physical body. Refining these things
on our own is very difficult. It is like wearing
a lamp on our foreheads and looking for our
shadow. Solo practice just doesn't give us an
objective point of view of ourselves the way push
hands does.
There are many stages in push hands practice. And
there are many ways to approach it. Beginners
should practise in a co-operative and non
competitive manner at least until they understand
the basics of listening and following. Later it
can be quite vigourous.
Having a good teacher, patience, and an open mind
are most important.
