Push Hands

Push Hands isn’t. It isn’t about boxing or wrestling, or combat. It isn’t competitive. It IS a two-person exercise, but it’s not about pushing. It is about sensing. The description in Wikipedia (slightly paraphrased) says: “Push Hands works to undo a person’s natural instinct to resist force with force, teaching the body to yield to force and redirect it. Push hands allows students to learn to generate, coordinate, and deliver power to another person and effectively neutralize incoming force in a safe environment. ”

This is a gentle, slow system where you stand without moving your feet and learn to sense how another person is moving. If you discover a weakness in their posture, you can gently move in that direction and force them to take a step.

You need to know a Tai Chi form before you begin the Push Hands class. If you aren’t in one of the Blue Heron Tai Chi classes, please contact Steve to make sure you’re ready.