day 180: a different push hands

forms:

• push hands, tai chi

this is a super short post.

we focused on push hands today, but a different variation. Master Chow was visiting from Hong Kong, and had decided to pay a visit to the class. Sifu decided that since we were working on the Chen-style push hands that in the lineage of Du Yu-ze, it would be useful to compare with the push hands used in Master Chow's Yang tai chi. this was meant to provide a comparative analysis, and thereby provide some perspective as to the nature of push hands and how it is used by differing schools of tai chi.

we spent this Sunday working with Master Chow. after warming up with several repeitions of the Chen long form, Sifu had Master Chow show us the very basic 2-person push hands he teaches in his school.

i have to say it is dramatically different from the push hands Sifu teaches (either the Chen or Yang), even though the purpose is the same: teaching ting jing. Master Chow's version remains largely in a horizontal plane, and has both partners remain stationary, with the only movements coming from changes in stances, turning of the waist and hips, and the adjustments of the upper body. having said that, i should note that some of the applications involved in his push hands are still the same, and so still consistent with what we're learning.

we consumed the class with this, and then joined Master Chow and his family for lunch.