Push Hands

Tonight in Tai Chi class we worked onPush Hand techniques.  I like working on these skills for many reasons.  For one, you get to work with a partner.  Sometimes you just need to compare your skills to others in order to understand what you have to work on.  We practiced something called "Sticky Hands". It is a technique that makes you listen and feel your partner's movements.  This is an interesting exercise because it really forces you to have a connection with your partner in order to follow their movements without any tension.  It is easy with some and hard with others.  I had one person today just fight the technique the entire time we worked together.  I am not really sure why, but you could certainly feel it in his energy.  The last thing we did in class was apparently a light form of Push Hands called Chun Yi (spelling optional).  This is where you try to knock your partner off balance while you face each other in the forward bow stance.  I had two partners with this.  One was a guy in his 20's that gave me a run for my money.  I had to resort to pulling him off balance, which I am not sure was what I was suppose to do, but worked non-the-less.  If I was not suppose to do this, I apologize now.  However, I will take Age and Treachery over Youth and Skill any day.

The last partner I had was our own Boot Camp Buddy Diane.  Unfortunately Diane and I were not an equal match.  She did get me off balance once or twice while we tried to find our rhythm, but I am afraid I won the round by pushing her to the ground.  Now she says that I pushed her launched her across the room, but that is not entirely true.  I just pushed her enough that it was hard for her to catch her balance.  On a good note, she fell well, which is something not everyone can do without injury.  Anyway, I know my days are numbered.  Diane will get me back eventually.  I will just have to make sure that it isn't any time soon. :oP