Push Hands

[daniel pfister]

The point of my question is to understand why push hands doesn't incorporate strikes in Tai Chi, and how push hands is sufficient to prepare one even though you never are punched or kicked at.

I studied cmc tai chi with zero emphasis on sparring and while push hands was taught, I was only a beginner and didn't learn further.

Push hands should eventually incorporate strikes, throws etc if those opportunities are presented. It's a different learning process though that most people (including teachers) don't get into for a variety of reasons.

[Steve James]

Imo, one could argue that no form of applications should be attempted during push hands. But, imo, that'd be missing the point. It's absolutely true that push hands is an exercise to develop ting. It's also true that there are many forms of push hands. All forms of tcc utilize strikes, however, whether punches, palms, slaps, chops, etc. They're all in every long form. So, I don't think the question is whether strikes are used or not. The question is one of context: i.e., push hands is training and not designed to be "free." Attacks are supposed to happen, but they're made to train the other guy, not to win the bout. Now, personally, I'm totally against push hands "competitions."

Anyway, from a practical perspective, it's better not to expect one's partner to follow rules.

[shoebox55]

Hi LaoDan,

Thanks for the article. Can you please provide a video demonstrating "bridging". This is the first time I've heard of this.

From article:
"However, if one wants to use Taijiquan martially, many practitioners would need to supplement their regular from-contact push-hands training with “bridging” training.

Bridging is the skill of going from non-contact to contact in the middle range where push-hands skills can be used."

[Giles]

If I may chime in again here…

Bridging as an idea is pretty much self-explanatory. It can happen when you go to the opponent or when the opponent comes to you. What’s more of an issue is developing ways to do it effectively, so that you maintain the initiative – through the ability to change, transform and gain the advantage. Instead of handing yourself to the opponent on a plate…

In tai chi, the bridging gives you the opportunity to let your tuishou skills come into play (tactile contact, creating and exploiting gaps, controlling balance etc.). Obviously that doesn’t mean you bridge to an attacker in order to then have a nice round of tuishou with him. Unless he's willing to oblige, ha ha... And bridging is not the only possibility, sometimes it’s better to strike without previous contact for instance. But it puts you in a position where you can use some specific skills and qualities that tai chi, in principle, helps you develop. You then have the chance to use these skills for finishing actions.

Here’s a Bagua clip pulled from YouTube with some clear bridging from around 2.10 onwards (I have no affiliation with any of the people shown here). The ‘bridger’ moves to the opponent in this case. Good to look at in 0.25 speed as well. There are surely better illustrations of bridging in tai chi but this was just a quick search.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txzxHKWYYs8

Tai chi bridging can tend to be softer, and to incorporate more (rolling) peng and/or lu qualities and ideally can unbalance the attacker at the first touch.

And in a self-defence situation the attacker would probably be coming to you instead of you moving to him, certainly if the attack is unexpected. Unless you’re someone who just loves to fight (which would certainly rule me out…). Part of the training for such situations is to transform an instinctive block, which tends to be hard and accompanied by a freeze, into an adequate bridging move that opens the path to further effective action.

[LaoDan]

Hi LaoDan,

...Can you please provide a video demonstrating "bridging". This is the first time I've heard of this...

I only have internet at work, and I do not have any examples of TJQ bridging bookmarked, so I’ll need to leave it to others to find good examples since I do not have the time to search. Unfortunately, most TJQ push-hands videos on the web are from-contact practice only.

Wu Yuxiang (Brennan translation) writes “If an opportunity comes from yourself, go ahead and shoot, but when force comes from your opponent, borrow it.” This reflects what Giles posted.

Interactions that begin from non-contact are more common when practicing sparring with weapons, although some schools have controlled weapons sparring that looks very similar to from-contact push-hands training. I have experienced more TJQ bridging practice when practicing sparring with weapons than is typical for training when using bare hands.

[LaoDan]

In my TJQ push-hands class I have borrowed two games from other styles in order to practice bridging. The following comes from I Liq Chuan and is, in my opinion, completely compatible with TJQ.


The second comes from BQZ, and since I do not have a link to any example, I will need to describe it. Start at a distance from your partner that you would use for typical from-contact push-hands practice, but turn your backs to each other (stand in a parallel stance, mabu). On a signal, both participants pivot on their feet without moving their feet (ending in a coiled stance more familiar to BQZ practitioners than to those who only study TJQ). They then have several seconds to connect with, and control, their partner before starting over.

[daniel pfister]

If I may chime in again here…

Bridging as an idea is pretty much self-explanatory. It can happen when you go to the opponent or when the opponent comes to you. What’s more of an issue is developing ways to do it effectively, so that you maintain the initiative – through the ability to change, transform and gain the advantage. Instead of handing yourself to the opponent on a plate…

In tai chi, the bridging gives you the opportunity to let your tuishou skills come into play (tactile contact, creating and exploiting gaps, controlling balance etc.). Obviously that doesn’t mean you bridge to an attacker in order to then have a nice round of tuishou with him. Unless he's willing to oblige, ha ha... And bridging is not the only possibility, sometimes it’s better to strike without previous contact for instance. But it puts you in a position where you can use some specific skills and qualities that tai chi, in principle, helps you develop. You then have the chance to use these skills for finishing actions.

Here’s a Bagua clip pulled from YouTube with some clear bridging from around 2.10 onwards (I have no affiliation with any of the people shown here). The ‘bridger’ moves to the opponent in this case. Good to look at in 0.25 speed as well. There are surely better illustrations of bridging in tai chi but this was just a quick search.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txzxHKWYYs8

Tai chi bridging can tend to be softer, and to incorporate more (rolling) peng and/or lu qualities and ideally can unbalance the attacker at the first touch.

And in a self-defence situation the attacker would probably be coming to you instead of you moving to him, certainly if the attack is unexpected. Unless you’re someone who just loves to fight (which would certainly rule me out…). Part of the training for such situations is to transform an instinctive block, which tends to be hard and accompanied by a freeze, into an adequate bridging move that opens the path to further effective action.

+1 well put

People seem to make a lot of so-called bridging techniques when they're pretty straight forward. You throw your hand out to make contact and to see how your opponent will react. Once you have contact then all your push hands skills come into play. Simple.

[Dmitri]

You throw your hand out to make contact and to see how your opponent will react. Once you have contact then all your push hands skills come into play. Simple.

Heh... Yes, the idea is simple. Putting it to practice is not.

One of those "simple, but not easy" cases.

[willie]

It's called walk, humans can walk better then a robot in a fixed stance.
They are Wood or fire, You are Metal or Water.

[Steve James]

I dunno. In terms of theory, (imho) bridging in tcc is simply how one makes contact, or, more precisely what one does when the opponent makes or tries to make contact. I.e., tcc is theoretically more reactive than many other arts. One's response depends on the opponent's actions. Of course, in practice, you can just punch the other guy in the nose or sweep or use whatever attack one wants. But, then we get back to the idea that punches or sweeps in "push hands" should not be used.

Personally, I feel that defense is more important than offense. Yeah, offense can be the best defense, too. But, my point is that, when facing the 300lb gorilla, depending on being able to overpower him with an attack (if you're 150lbs) is a stretch. Easily disproved by those who disagree. In fact, bjj guys might say that it's their bread and butter: i.e., that the theory of their art doesn't change because of the size of the opponent.

This is all just my opinion, not an attempt to define tcc for everyone.

One thing that's interesting is that in some push hands tournaments, the opponents start in a pattern for a few rounds, and then they essentially stand up grapple. Was the bridging done in the pattern, or did it matter at all?

[Bao]

"Bridging" is a southern style concept, as in Hunggar "12 bridges" which means 12 different ways to create or take advantage of physical contact in order to enter and attack. It's all about entering and attacking, it's not about being passive, feeling what's happening upon touch or waiting for your opponent to move first.

It's IMHO both pointless and ridiculous to use a term from a completely different tradition of both martial arts and terminology and use it for Tai Chi. In Tai Chi, the mind set is very different and there is nothing in the light initial touch in tai chi, push hands or in application's practice, that could be translated into "bridging". Touching the opponent in Tai Chi is about leading away the opponent's energy or about using tingjing to feel your opponent"s movements/energy and let your tingjin decide for you what your next step will be. In Tai Chi there is never a bridge, there's only the presence of tingjin or not.

Bridging in an art as HG is not only about contact, it symbolize the whole art's approach to enter and attack. IMHO, HG and similar arts can keep "bridging" as one of their main terms and we can leave it alone. IMHO, we understand other arts better if we treat their systems with respect and trying to understand the differences. Why respect? Because if we keep a respectful approach we'll beat them more easily through understanding about their strengths and weaknesses.

[RobP3]

My question does push hands develop the listening energy even before connection? If so, how? If not, what is the training method to develop this.

A very good method for developing this is slow sparring - slow, but with intent. It gives you time to pick up on subtle or not so subtle pre-contact body movements and allows your body to develop "feel" post-contact

[Trip]

In tai chi, the bridging gives you the opportunity to let your tuishou skills come into play (tactile contact, creating and exploiting gaps, controlling balance etc.).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txzxHKWYYs8

The video example is cool. But seems to show a very subtle opposite of some of the things learned in Taiji Push Hands exercises.

And in a self-defence situation the attacker would probably be coming to you instead of you moving to him, certainly if the attack is unexpected. Unless you’re someone who just loves to fight (which would certainly rule me out…). Part of the training for such situations is to transform an instinctive block, which tends to be hard and accompanied by a freeze, into an adequate bridging move that opens the path to further effective action.

I totally get what you’re saying with the above.
I’ve seen lots of people put blocking, bridging to good use.
But it is not what the exercise of push hand is trying to develop.

Push hands is not blocking the opponent.
It’s taking the lead in the direction the opponent is moving in,
umm...using his intended direction for our own use.

The other problem you raised is freeze.
In Taiji push hands one of things you learn is to "flow" by "drawing in" an opponent's strike.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with blocking or bridging,
or momentarily freezing to take control.
Obviously, blocking a strike is way better than getting hit by it.

No matter how practical blocking is, it is the exact opposite of a skill you ultimately would like to develop in push hands exercises.

From a Push Hands POV
Blocking would be an error of timing, yin yang, --it shows that you’re not centered in the Taiji sense.
Without being centered in your timing,
sensing the direction the opponent is attacking from
and other skills learned in Taiji push hands
I wouldn't advise moving to the next stage of free sparring and fighting with Taiji.

But like Dmitri said:

One of those "simple, but not easy" cases.

Just sharing thoughts.
☮☮☮

[Giles]

Nice debate

The video example is cool. But seems to show a very subtle opposite of some of the things learned in Taiji Push Hands exercises.

I agree. I used this video because the OP was asking 'what is bridging?' and that was the first clear example of the action itself, in an art at least related to tai chi, that I could find. The teacher (who seems to be pretty good at what he does) is not using the more softness and yielding-based approach I would at least aim for. I guess it's sound bagua, but I'm not qualified to judge.

..........................................

I totally get what you’re saying with the above.
I’ve seen lots of people put blocking, bridging to good use.
But it is not what the exercise of push hand is trying to develop.

Push hands is not blocking the opponent.
It’s taking the lead in the direction the opponent is moving in,
umm...using his intended direction for our own use.

The other problem you raised is freeze.
In Taiji push hands one of things you learn is to "flow" by "drawing in" an opponent's strike.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with blocking or bridging,
or momentarily freezing to take control.
Obviously, blocking a strike is way better than getting hit by it.

No matter how practical blocking is, it is the exact opposite of a skill you ultimately would like to develop in push hands exercises.

From a Push Hands POV
Blocking would be an error of timing, yin yang, --it shows that you’re not centered in the Taiji sense.
Without being centered in your timing,
sensing the direction the opponent is attacking from
and other skills learned in Taiji push hands
I wouldn't advise moving to the next stage of free sparring and fighting with Taiji.

Once again, I agree! What I aim for in my own training is NOT to block or to freeze. If I manage to get an arm/hand in the way of an attack then I try to make it a 'meeting' arm and also a 'questioning' arm. An arm (and a body) that has the minimum of tension but still sufficient substance and connection, an arm that has already has innate potential for both peng and lu and will react together with the whole body in an appropriate manner. Peng will tend more to absorb and roll like a big flexible ball and maybe create bounce, lu will tend to disappear and create larger emptiness, but both are essentially passive and each in its own way is yielding to and following the opponent, not creating a block (or a dodge).
--- I know this sounds a bit highfalutin - it's a training goal, not something I can consistently achieve...

This body quality, which in my understanding is identical to what should be trained in tuishou as well, also helps to avoid a freeze because before and at the moment of contact the body is already sinking, loosening and opening. And can thus it be moved by and to some extent shaped by the opponent while retaining structural integrity. For me, the fractions of a second when two tuishou training partners (!) first come into contact to begin practice is also an act of bridging. I mean, if you're training properly then even in formal tuishou training you don't just stick out your hand or crash it into your partner's, then relax arm and body and start training... The tuishou mode in mind and body should already begin as you approach each other and move to establish contact.

So it's about NOT blocking, NOT freezing. Though as you say, better a block than eating the fist...
(Marginal note: although Nathan Menaged once showed me a 'block to the spot' technique, which I think was from William CC Chen, that was pretty cool - both very solid and relaxed at the same time)

As various experts, far more experienced than me, also remark: it's an instinctive response to throw up one or both arms in response to an incoming attack, especially if there is (no longer) time to move the body out of the way, and it's better to take this response and mould it into a more productive and flexible reaction than to ignore it.

Just sharing thoughts.
☮☮☮

Indeed, as we all are

[Giles]

"Bridging" is a southern style concept, as in Hunggar "12 bridges" which means 12 different ways to create or take advantage of physical contact in order to enter and attack. It's all about entering and attacking, it's not about being passive, feeling what's happening upon touch or waiting for your opponent to move first.

It's IMHO both pointless and ridiculous to use a term from a completely different tradition of both martial arts and terminology and use it for Tai Chi. In Tai Chi, the mind set is very different and there is nothing in the light initial touch in tai chi, push hands or in application's practice, that could be translated into "bridging". Touching the opponent in Tai Chi is about leading away the opponent's energy or about using tingjing to feel your opponent"s movements/energy and let your tingjin decide for you what your next step will be. In Tai Chi there is never a bridge, there's only the presence of tingjin or not.

Bridging in an art as HG is not only about contact, it symbolize the whole art's approach to enter and attack. IMHO, HG and similar arts can keep "bridging" as one of their main terms and we can leave it alone. IMHO, we understand other arts better if we treat their systems with respect and trying to understand the differences. Why respect? Because if we keep a respectful approach we'll beat them more easily through understanding about their strengths and weaknesses.

I fully agree with you in what you say about the tai chi qualities themselves, especially about tingjin. And about the difference between this and other 'harder' arts (with all due respect for them). My hands-on experience of hunggar is minimal but I have felt various practitioners of not-too-dissimilar arts.

Apart from this, I feel it's more a question of labelling or semantics than of any essential disagreement. Personally I use the term 'bridging' as a broad description of any moment where you bring your arm/hand (or indeed any part of your body) in a more or less volitional manner into contact with an ‘attacker’ in order to establish a sensitive but nonetheless structurally integral contact, and then to let the body respond appropriately in a tai chi manner. Usually in practice this will simultaneously be a defence against an attack, putting your arm in the way of an incoming strike (or a grapple). I wouldn’t restrict the term ‘bridging’ to particular arts and tactics.
Otherwise, please refer to my response to Trip, if you have a moment.

Maybe this example will illuminate what I’m trying to say:
Sometimes in a class or seminar I’ll ask the participants to walk around ‘chaotically’ in the room and every time they meet someone else, to shake hands with them immediately. Maybe looking at the other person as well, maybe not. And then we examine the handshakes: do hand and arm become rigid at the moment of contact? Does the neck become stiff, does the whole body become tight – does the ‘qi rise’? – In very many cases, yes, it does… Or is it possible to enter into mind and body contact during this handshake and still retain tai chi body organization? With hand, arm and body soft and responsive – in clear contact (shaking hands is about being in contact, being friendly!) but without any excess tension. Upright, not floppy, not stiff.
Then the handshakes can come in from unexpected angles, and the people don’t stop walking as they shake hands but instead remain in motion. This exercise can be lots of fun, but also good preparatory training for tuishou, applications, sparring and self-defence.

For me this a first-stage bridging exercise.