Fa Jin - A Viable combat skill?

[TaoJoannes]

The best reason for pushing that I can think of is Newton's Third Law.

A "strike" involves moving one object at another quickly, at the point of impact, an equal amount of force is delivered to both objects and both are in danger of being damaged.

A "push" involves moving one object towards another, at the point of impact, an equal amount of force is delivered to both objects, and neither are in danger of being damaged, unless the one being pushed is caused to strike something else.

There is inherently less risk of damage to the giver in a successful push than a successful strike.

[johnwang]

the simple truth is most taichi players push because that's what they train to do and they don't have any alternatives.

There are striking all over the 108 moves Taiji form such as:

- step out, deflect, grab, and punch,
- turn around hammer,
- vital punch,
- fetching arm,
- striking tiger,
- twin peaks to the ear,
- ...

It's not because Taiji does not have punches. It's because some Taiji masters made people to believe that punching is "low level".

[Walk the Torque]

Sprint,

Thanks for that clip. Really nice movement from this guy.

Conn

[Ian]

the simple truth is most taichi players push because that's what they train to do and they don't have any alternatives.

There are striking all over the 108 moves Taiji form such as:

- step out, deflect, grab, and punch,
- turn around hammer,
- vital punch,
- fetching arm,
- striking tiger,
- twin peaks to the ear,
- ...

It's not because Taiji does not have punches. It's because some Taiji masters made people to believe that punching is "low level".

That's true. Personally I like to view single whip as

-grab and elbow to the face
-grab and palm smash to the face
-grab and forearm smash to the face
or a number of elbow breaks

but as long as you train it as 'push the opponent away', that's all you'll know how to do.