Tui Shou

What is Tui Shou?

There comes a point in the study of Taijiquan when the student encounters the concept of pushing hands, or Tui Shou in the Chinese. For some this is a very exciting moment and ushers in a whole new dimension to their art. For others the idea of pushing hands can be a little daunting. The purpose of this piece is to offer some thoughts on what Tui shou is, what it involves, and the value this practice has to offer.

Taiji solo form work (long form, short form, etc) begins with the study of our own structure as it relates to gravity. It evolves to include the more subtle aspects of our relationship with ourselves on the mental, emotional, and spiritual levels. I think it fair to say that this study alone is enough to occupy a lifetime.  The many benefits of solo form work are sufficient unto themselves and the practitioner can gain much without going further. That said, we can realize profound progress in our Taiji through the addition of two person work. The practice of pushing hands continues the study of our own structure within gravity and adds the element of another human being. So now we are looking at our relationship with gravity, ourselves, and others. Adding this variable creates enormous opportunity for progress on every level. I’ll have more to say about this a little later.

So what does Tui shou actually involve? Having studied several martial arts in my life, I am continually impressed with the intelligence built into the system of Taiji partner work. The curriculum is quite brilliantly structured beginning with the simplest of concepts and movement dynamics and becoming progressively more complicated, integrated, and challenging. The beginning student will first encounter some simple exercises which teach qualities of sticking, listening, and following. These are the fundamental skills upon which all else is built. The exercises are fun, low key, and quite rewarding as they are learned. Next the student will study 8 core drills designed to train specific sensitivities and qualities of response. Again, these begin quite simple and then progress as each new exercise builds upon the understanding of the prior drill. From these 8 exercises we move on to what is called 4 Hands. This is the study of Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail (or ward off, roll back, press, and push from the solo form.) It is one thing to perform these movements to the air and quite another thing to apply them in context with another person. In 4 Hands we begin to see how these four energies interact with one another and how they form the core of all Taiji movements. This level of study ushers in a whole new level of understanding and practice.

The 4 Hands practice begins in a stationary bow stance and contains many interesting variations and subtleties. As the student becomes more comfortable with this, walking 4 Hands is studied. There are several types of walking practice, again moving from very simple to more complex. An extension of walking 4 Hands is a practice called Da Lu (large roll back) which studies how to deal with angled or very strong forces. This is generally followed by a two person choreographed form called the 88 Application form. This is quite a bit more complicated, but by the time a person reaches this stage, all the building blocks are well in place and the learning curve is pretty comfortable.

It is very important to note that all of the above exercises are, by nature, non-competitive. In fact, to make good progress, it is essential to cultivate healthy relationships with your training partners. Both individuals are seeking to develop very specific qualities of movement, energy and awareness. It is in both peoples best interest to be good partners. This means being clear, focused, and present with the drill at hand. It means not trying to “get” the other guy or be king of the hill. It means sincerely studying the material so that everyone can progress as well as possible. Because of this, Taiji pushing hands is a great way to build a strong sense of community. Some of my closest friends are my pushing hands buddies whom I love and appreciate deeply. 

So what about the martial art aspect? There is another component to Tui Shou. At some point along the way, usually some time after learning 4 Hands, a student can elect to explore free play. In free play, one of the objectives is to allow yourself to be tested by your partner and to test them in return. At the most basic level, the game is to see if you can destabilize the other. I heard it put this way once: You are trying to get as comfortable as possible while making the other guy as uncomfortable as possible. Remember this is a martial art after all. But as true as this is on a certain level, the same rule of maintaining high levels of control, skill, and centeredness still apply. At no time are we ever interested in harming our partner. We are simply taking the study to a higher level so that all can improve. If I find myself moved off center by my partner, I get to learn where my mistake was so that I can do better next time. Most people who study Tui Shou really enjoy free play. I think it is a blast and it has taught me a lot about myself and how I can become a more centered and effective human being.

So that’s a little for you to chew on. Understand that this is just a brief look into the world of pushing hands. If any specific questions come up for you, feel free to email them to me and I might use them for a little addendum to this article some time in the future. In the mean time, I would just like to encourage you to explore this aspect of Taijiquan practice. I believe that you will find it as rewarding as I do. Happy practicing!