Pushing hands

Pushing hands, Push hands or tuishou (alternately spelled tuei shou or tuei sho) is a two-person training routine practiced in internal Chinese martial arts such as Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, Taijiquan (tài jí quán), and Yiquan. It is also played as an international sport akin to Judo, Sumo and wrestling, such as in Taiwan, where the biannual Tai Chi World Cup is held. Pushing hands is said to be the gateway for students to experientially understand the martial aspects of the internal martial arts (內家 nèijiā): leverage, reflex, sensitivity, timing, coordination and positioning. Pushing hands works to undo a person's natural instinct to resist force with force, teaching the body to yield to force and redirect it. Some t'ai chi schools teach push hands to complement the physical conditioning of performing solo routines. Push hands allows students to learn how to respond to external stimuli using techniques from their forms practice. Among other things, training with a partner allows a student to develop ting jing (listening power), the sensitivity to feel the direction and strength of a partner's intention. In that sense pushing hands is a contract between students to train in the defensive and offensive movement principles of their martial art: learning to generate, coordinate and deliver power to another and also how to effectively neutralize incoming forces in a safe environment. Pushing hands is said by t'ai chi's Chen family to have been created by Chen Wangting (1600–1680), the founder of the Chen-style t'ai chi ch'uan, and was originally known as hitting hands (da shou) or crossing hands (ke shou). Chen was said to have devised pushing hands methods for both empty hands and when armed with a spear. Other Tai Chi schools attribute the invention of pushing hands to mythical Zhang Sanfeng. In t'ai chi ch'uan, pushing hands is used to acquaint students with the principles of what are known as the "Eight Gates and Five Steps," eight different leverage applications in the arms accompanied by footwork in a range of motion, intended to allow students to defend themselves calmly and competently if attacked.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related concepts (11)

Xingyiquan

Xingyiquan is classified as one of the internal styles of Chinese martial arts. The name of the art translates approximately to "Form-Intention Fist", or "Shape-Will Fist". Also known as "Xingyi", it is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements and explosive power that's most often applied from a short range. A practitioner of Xingyi uses coordinated movements to generate bursts of power intended to overwhelm the opponent, simultaneously attacking and defending.

Pushing hands

Chinese martial arts

Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (ˈkʌŋ_ˈfuː; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Ancient China . These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" of martial arts. Examples of such traits include Shaolinquan () physical exercises involving All Other Animals () mimicry or training methods inspired by Old Chinese philosophies, religions and legends.