Pushing As a Technique In Martial Arts

Z

Zenjael

Purple Belt
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
355
Reaction score
6
Location
Fairfax Virginia
It occurred to me the other day that pushes (where you push someone) are conspicuously absent from most martial arts (I can't think of any which utilize or specialize in it) and I am curious if anyone can think of any which do utilize a pushing technique. I ask because I was speaking with a fellow bagua practioner I know in the area, and he found it curious that the style I use utilizes pushes. And I don't mean in the kind where one pushes one over, but ones which generate the force to effectively force the person to stumble backward quite a few feet, or slam into the ground.

Defined techniques in the sense that there are defined throwing techniques in judo and jiujitsu, and defined joint-lock techniques in Hapkido.

I am curious also why pushing hasn't been more utilized in martial arts. I'm not calling for a revolution in martial arts or anything to include it, lol, but I just find it odd that people have focused far more one grabbing and bringing a person in and down, rather than the opposite and out.

Please, your thoughts. I may be grossly mistaken and many martial arts exist which utilize it. But I also think all martial arts utilize some kind of push, but how TKD is largely specializing in kicking techniques, I am unaware of any arts which are the same, but for pushing.

If anyone has any insight, I would be grateful.

Thank you for your time.
 
"A person's unbalance is the same as a weight." Whatever you do to achieve this is good.

Did they fail to teach you this?

Isshin-Ryu also contains push strikes and kicks. Guess they didn't teach you that when you were learning Isshin-Ryu either. How strange.
 
We utilize it. Quite a bit, actually. Its by all means a secondary method, but its there, and has its uses.
Im not aware of any that specialize in it, and really, I dont see why You would need an entire MA for pushing. Thats overkill. As an aspect of a pre-existing one? Thats sound.

I like to think of it more as an alternate use of a Palm Strike though, as I prefer to do Palms without bending the fingers in.
 
As does Wado. We use it in MMA as well.
 
We push all over the place in the different CMA's I practice. Up, down, left, right, front, back... they're everywhere!!!

Granted, pounding is preferred, but a good push is always welcomed when available.
 
In TSD we have some nice shoulder shoves as well, they were also in Wado, I'd imagine most martial artists know them.
 
clfsean said:
We push all over the place in the different CMA's I practice. Up, down, left, right, front, back... they're everywhere!!!

Granted, pounding is preferred, but a good push is always welcomed when available.
Click to expand...

Pushes with the body are all over the place in CMAs. You see it as a commonly demonstrated application in tai chi, baji, baqua, etc. It's a little strange that the OP's baqua friend isn't somewhat familiar with the idea.
 
dancingalone said:
Pushes with the body are all over the place in CMAs. You see it as a commonly demonstrated application in tai chi, baji, baqua, etc. It's a little strange that the OP's baqua friend isn't somewhat familiar with the idea.
Click to expand...

Isn't it though?

And I mean the idea of using a push period is great... and basic. Just like an introductory ***** slap across the mouth to get the ball rolling. Basic... elementary... effective.

I have yet to find a CMA that doesn't use bumps, nudges, pushes, shoves, checks, etc... with the body & without, in it's repertoire of goodies/ways to hit.
 
dancingalone said:
Pushes with the body are all over the place in CMAs. You see it as a commonly demonstrated application in tai chi, baji, baqua, etc. It's a little strange that the OP's baqua friend isn't somewhat familiar with the idea.
Click to expand...

According to the O/P, he's the last remaining student of a particular style, leaving him the reigning grandmaster of it. Perhaps it will come to him in a dream, or the next time he has tea with the Dalai Lama.
 
There are some techs in our Arnis curriculum that include pushes. The push is done as a whole body push with the forearm.
 
Pushes are also in Shorin-Ryu and Shuri-Ryu. My Shorin-Ryu sensei also thoroughly enjoys White Crane techniques and teaches them periodically, and they include pushes as well. I am confused as to why OP's fellow bagua practitioner was confused.
 
Zenjael said:
It occurred to me the other day that pushes (where you push someone) are conspicuously absent from most martial arts (I can't think of any which utilize or specialize in it) and I am curious if anyone can think of any which do utilize a pushing technique. I ask because I was speaking with a fellow bagua practioner I know in the area, and he found it curious that the style I use utilizes pushes. And I don't mean in the kind where one pushes one over, but ones which generate the force to effectively force the person to stumble backward quite a few feet, or slam into the ground.

Defined techniques in the sense that there are defined throwing techniques in judo and jiujitsu, and defined joint-lock techniques in Hapkido.

I am curious also why pushing hasn't been more utilized in martial arts. I'm not calling for a revolution in martial arts or anything to include it, lol, but I just find it odd that people have focused far more one grabbing and bringing a person in and down, rather than the opposite and out.

Please, your thoughts. I may be grossly mistaken and many martial arts exist which utilize it. But I also think all martial arts utilize some kind of push, but how TKD is largely specializing in kicking techniques, I am unaware of any arts which are the same, but for pushing.

If anyone has any insight, I would be grateful.

Thank you for your time.
Click to expand...

OK.... just about ALL Baguazhang styles utilize pushing, all Taijiquan styles I know of do as well (see An, Ji and Kao) and so does Xingyiquan and even my short lived training in Changquan tells me Changquan uses pushes too. And my Jujutsu from almost 40 years ago did and I even saw some in my pre-Olympic TKD...so yes you are grossly mistaken
 
Hi ZenJael
what school of Baguazhang does your friend practice?

Being that Bagua uses open palm mostly Tui Zhang or pushing palm exist. You also have Ta Zhang which is a stamp type of hitting similar to pushing.
Baguazhang doesn't just use palms it uses the whole body to push. In Baguazhang pushing can be done with the shoulders, forearm, and back. There really is no hard set rule that I know of that says you can not use it to push with. Alot of time pushing is used to uproot someone, you can use it as a strike guess it depends on the circumstance of the encounter.

Here is some Yin Baguazhang using Lion application which is what your Shi Shi Baguazhang should look like:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
So it appears that just about every form of martial arts offers various 'push' techniques?

How odd that makes the initial post seem. To me, anyway...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

How To Tell When Really Ready to Study

Previous Thread

'Okinawan Karate'

Next Thread

Latest Discussions

Back
Top