I just taught a rai chi lesson and all we did was ward off right, the move at the start after you raise and lower hands.
In a lot of forms people move left, hold a ball, sink their weight then move right into the ward off. ( this is followed by a ward off with the left arm, but I'm on the move before that)
The way I was taught to do it you go from a neutral stance , raise the arm into a ward off but go straight onto the right leg with your weight and twist the body. The arm movement spirals upward and forward - there is no moving back or away or to the side first. You're 'all in' committed to moving forward into the attack, meeting it, bouncing it, without hesitation. Joining.
There was so much in this one simple move that it filled a whole lesson. Just thought I'd share