|
Push Hands
Push Hands is a relaxed,
two-person sparring exercise that one may begin upon completion the Tai
Chi Short Form. It may be considered as the bridge between the Form and
fighting practice. Three specific techniques are emphasized: sticking--maintaining
light contact with an opponent; listening--sensing the magnitude and direction
of an opponent's force; and yielding--responding to an opponent's force
partially by giving way, and partially by controlling or guiding its direction.
The ultimate goal of the training is to reduce the amount of force needed
to neutralize attacks, so that one may defeat speed and strength with skill.
Students begin with Fixed Stance Push-Hands and progress
to Walking Push-Hands after approximately six months of twice-weekly practice.
Ta Lu is available for more advanced students.
Fixed Stance
Ward off, roll back, press, and push. The two yielding and two attacking
moves of beginning Push-Hands emphasize a strong root for shifting the
weight forward and back, and flexibility in the waist for twisting left
and right. As mentioned above, all Push-Hands practice is two-person.
Pre-requisite: Tai Chi Short Form. Classes
are on-going and can be joined at any time.
Walking
Back-and-forth mobility added to the same four Fixed Stance movements.
Pre-requisites: Tai Chi Short Form and
Fixed Stance Push-Hands. Classes are on-going and can be joined at any
time.
Ta Lu
Sometimes
called the "four corners technique" because corner movements replace the
back-and-forth motion of Push-Hands, with use of the shoulders and elbows
and wider footwork. Pre-requisites: Tai Chi
Short Form, Fixed Stance, and Walking Push-Hands. Classes are on-going
and can be joined at any time.
|
