Competitive Pushing Hands

In our martial classes, we use Pushing Hands (Tui Shou) training in a live, free-style manner to train grappling skills, controlling the arms in close quarters, and setting up throwing and locking techniques. Throughout we train to employ Tai Chi principles of Yin and Yang, softness, following, adhering, continuity, and rejecting brute force in favour of skilled technique – tactics which are difficult to maintain when in a competitive situation.

The photo set below (photography by Steve Musselwhite) illustrates a session involving Pushing Hands training, capturing some moments where the class members are both searching for and exploiting weaknesses in their opponents’ defence.

Fixed Step Pushing Hands – University Class

Video clip and image gallery of students practising Fixed Step Pushing Hands during the University Class. This exercise trains useful grappling skills, such as a rooted stance, flexible upper body and fast, responsive arms. Martially, this translates into more skill in Moving Step Pushing Hands (wrestling) – each “step” can be thought of as a Fixed Step bout, where one opponent is off-balanced by the other setting up throws etc. As skill develops, the practitioner also learns to move with less tension, and this relaxation translates into the hand form movements to allow greater relaxation and health benefits.