I hate it when people play rough during pushing hands. After all, the purpose of pushing hands is to learn how to discern force and redirect it. But people play rough because they see pushing hands as a competition, in which the objective is to push and win. That is so... misguided.
Today, I managed to lock my pushing hands opponent's arm. So I told him, "Your arm will break if you keep doing this (using so much force)." To my surprise, he replied, "Try and break my arm if you can." Wow! So fierce! I mean, I don't come and practise pushing hands so that I can have someone break my arm, so I don't go around breaking other people's arms too. But it goes to show his mentality, that pushing hands is about winning and losing, about who is better than the other. That, to me, is the wrong way to approach training.
Things got quite out of hand, with him using lots of force, and me trying my best not to. I elbowed him a few times because that was the only way to use his force against him (he was pulling my arm away to the side, and inadvertently drawing my elbow into his chest). There were times when I put my hand on his chest, and he pulled back at my elbow, causing my hand to move up to his throat and choking him. And he asked me, why do I keep choking him? I had to tell him that he needs to stop pulling at my elbow because he is choking himself, not me.
Still, in all, it was a good experience. At least I know I can stand my ground against someone who plays rough, and that I can still control my force (and his) so that no one really ended up getting seriously hurt.
Today, I managed to lock my pushing hands opponent's arm. So I told him, "Your arm will break if you keep doing this (using so much force)." To my surprise, he replied, "Try and break my arm if you can." Wow! So fierce! I mean, I don't come and practise pushing hands so that I can have someone break my arm, so I don't go around breaking other people's arms too. But it goes to show his mentality, that pushing hands is about winning and losing, about who is better than the other. That, to me, is the wrong way to approach training.
Things got quite out of hand, with him using lots of force, and me trying my best not to. I elbowed him a few times because that was the only way to use his force against him (he was pulling my arm away to the side, and inadvertently drawing my elbow into his chest). There were times when I put my hand on his chest, and he pulled back at my elbow, causing my hand to move up to his throat and choking him. And he asked me, why do I keep choking him? I had to tell him that he needs to stop pulling at my elbow because he is choking himself, not me.
Still, in all, it was a good experience. At least I know I can stand my ground against someone who plays rough, and that I can still control my force (and his) so that no one really ended up getting seriously hurt.
1 comment:
My master used to say "those whom do not learn to lose will never learn taiji"
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