The essence of Tai Chi push hand kung fu

[windwalker099]

In the many parks, local meeting places push hands is practiced..in Beijing

The audio seems to be bad...recommend muting it
enable cc for English subtitles
Note the leg skill some claim to never see being used.

In China, and Taiwan, what is shown is pretty much common for the practice.

For those who claim this is not push hands or taiji skill sets, ect.
the best way to show this is to meet up with the locals and demo
your skill..

A good way to test one's own skill ..among what may be considered as taiji
peers...

The commentator mentions push hands has become the default for taiji combat. If so, a sad commentary for taiji as a combat method

IMO not a good practice method for those wanting to learn
Taiji skill sets that can be used outside of push hands contexts.

 

[windwalker099]

what happens when push hands is used outside of a training device.

The man in red, a teacher, was demonstrating push hands. As often happens, someone from the crowd asked if they could try.

In this case, the man in the black coat gave it a go, and you can see the results.

Push hands has become the default method for what some consider Taiji sparring. Among certain teachers, when they lose, they may claim the other person doesn’t understand push hands; when they win, they might say it exemplifies how push hands works.

IMO a risky outlook should one expect to use taiji as a martial art.

Nevertheless, push hands has become the common way for Taiji skill sets to be tested within the Taiji community.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

what happens when push hands is used outside of a training device.

The man in red, a teacher, was demonstrating push hands. As often happens, someone from the crowd asked if they could try.

In this case, the man in the black coat gave it a go, and you can see the results.

Push hands has become the default method for what some consider Taiji sparring. Among certain teachers, when they lose, they may claim the other person doesn’t understand push hands; when they win, they might say it exemplifies how push hands works.

IMO a risky outlook should one expect to use taiji as a martial art.

Nevertheless, push hands has become the common way for Taiji skill sets to be tested within the Taiji community.

Nothing wrong with push hands per se. This contributes to the myth that tai chi is not a martial art. Playing in public attracts attention. Public players should not be surprised when people want to try. No one should be surprised to find out that an exercise is not a contest. “Can you do it while I hit you?” That doesn’t apply to an exercise, but that’s how most people will view it. Outside of the form and the teaching, it’s out of context. It is important, but it’s just an exercise. Someone who does the form correctly with good instruction may not gain much benefit from push hands. The fighting sets are a better test because the feet move. The opportunity is the same. Losing balance or root is gentle compared to a missed block in the fighting sets.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Nothing wrong with push hands per se. This contributes to the myth that tai chi is not a martial art. Playing in public attracts attention. Public players should not be surprised when people want to try. No one should be surprised to find out that an exercise is not a contest. “Can you do it while I hit you?” That doesn’t apply to an exercise, but that’s how most people will view it. Outside of the form and the teaching, it’s out of context. It is important, but it’s just an exercise. Someone who does the form correctly with good instruction may not gain much benefit from push hands. The fighting sets are a better test because the feet move. The opportunity is the same. Losing balance or root is gentle compared to a missed block in the fighting sets.

agree, except for one thing, push hands is trained with some foot work, at least in my lineage.