by Gringorn on Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:29 pm
Let me give it another go.
When I met Mike laoshi, he was very strict with that during partner training (applications and so on), the attacker always had to commit to the attack. Even if you trained slow motion, the attack had to be realistick in the sense that you followed the punch all the way through, with intent. (Not pulling or stopping the punch two inches from the face, etc.) If you pushed, you had to really push. Mike would check this, and in no uncertain terms let you know if you didn't commit.
You can see it in these clips of Mike. He sometimes stops and just lets the partner push him etc, to check that he is really pushing.
Look at the clip above. Already at the beginning, he first demonstrates how they push - then they do a drill where they push and roll back alternatively. They then commit to the push. (If you don't commit, the excercise is pointless.) Then, when the partner pushes and the timing/force is correct, Mike leads/redirects the force.
That is basically what is going on in these clips. Different drills and excercises to lead, direct, redirect force, etc.
Liokult, you write that "... all that is really warranted from the stimulus is a slight adjustment of arm position and minor change in stance."
Sure. But first of all, you'd need to be at a level where you are able to change without being led or set up, etc. So if your partner is better than you he could still do these kinds of things. Like Wang Chieh does in the clip.
But you are missing the point a bit. If you adjust and change you would not be training what is intended with the excercises shown in the clip. Rather, you would be a step on the way to free push hands - or, basically, doing free push hands.
It's simple, really. Different ecxercises develop different skills. If you don't stick to the excercise, then you are doing something different entirely - and probably wont get the results you are looking for.
Of course, to be able to do this sort of leading and redirecting etc. more freely, you need to be of a much higher level than your partner - hence what you see in the clips of Wang Chieh. But even that is still training specific things. All real.