Push Hands
Wu Style Push Hands (吳式推手)
The Wu style push hands curriculum includes single hand drills, double hand drills, and moving step drills. The double hand drills can be divided into five groups - short hand methods, long hand methods, lower coiling hand methods, middle coiling hand methods, and upper coiling hand methods. Hong Zhongnan's order of teaching the double hand drills has been prepended to the names listed below.
It's impossible to learn these methods by only reading written descriptions of them, so the comments here are really directed at people who've already learned the methods. For a more detailed description of these drills in english, try finding the book, "Wu Style Taichichuan Push-hands (Tuishou)" by Ma Yueliang and Zee Wen. The 2nd edition was published in 1990 by the Shanghai Book Company.
Short Hand Methods (短手法)
(1) Outside Sticky Elbow (wai nian zhou, 外黏肘)
Description: This method is basically the same as the standard beginner's "4-sides" pattern.
Important Points: The focus is on sticking to your partner's elbow as you rotate outside his arm.
(2) Inside Sticky Elbow (li nian zhou, 裡黏肘)
Description: Also known as "wrapping sticky elbow" (guo nian zhou, 裹黏肘). There are two methods of performing this drill. It's initially done with one hand grasping your partner's wrist (effecting a type of wrist lock). In this method, the movement also looks rather like a rolling backfist (rolling the outside of your forearm around your partner's to backfist him). In the second method, you cover his elbow rather hand holding onto his hand. When doing it this second way, it becomes much more apparent that the body method in this drill is the same as the "outside sticky elbow" drill. The difference becomes only whether you roll your arm to the outside or to the inside.
Important Points: Focus on sticking to the contact point on partner's forearm as you rotate your own forearm around it.
(13) Pour While Raising the Teapot (dao ti hu, 倒提壺)
Description: In Ma Yueliang's push hands book, the description for this method looks more like the execution of the "standing elbow" (li zhou, 立肘) method. While an outside observer may think that this method is a technique for lifting your partner's elbow, the actual focus is the raising of your own wrist after your own elbow has been lifted. Think of the motion of finishing pouring a teapot (the kind that has a handle over the top of the pot).
Important Points: Raise the wrist by connecting to the dantian and moving it in a miniscule circle. Don't just resist directly into your partner's force.
Long Hand Methods (長手法)
(5) Small Winding Wrist (xiao chan wan, 小纏腕)
Description: One hand wraps completely around your partner's wrist while the other controls his elbow. If you were to trap your partner's wrist on your own, then this technique would be similar to Aikido's nikkyo wrist lock. Xiao chan (小纏) refers to this wrapping of the wrist.
Important Points: Another method that is easily misunderstood, the focus is on the the motion after your hand has coiled around your opponent's. The method learned is not wrapping around his hand, but controlling the hand afterwards. Make sure that the dantian drives the entire movement.
(6) Big Winding Wrist (da chan wan, 大纏腕)
Description: As your partner pushes on your shoulder, take it off from the inside and lead his hand downwards. Your other hand then hooks above his elbow and swings his arm past your centerline. Your partner continues the circle and you then push on his shoulder. Da chan (大纏) refers to initial take off of your partner's hand - you bring his wrist around in a large semi-circle in front of your body.
Important Points: Don't grab your partner's triceps - just lightly light hook it as you swing his arm around. This allows you to transfer control of his arm to your inner forearm if necessary.
(7) Piercing/Crossing Hand Lean (chuan shou kao, 穿手靠)
Description: Insert your wrist above his elbow and "fold" his arm over his centerline.
Important Points: Bring his arm over your own centerline (above your head) before taking across his centerline. "Fold" him like you're putting him in an envelope. When your partner is folding you, use a circular neutralization to get out and take control.
(10) Up to the Heavens Hand (tong tian shou, 通天手)
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Lower Level/Coiling Hand Methods (下盤手法)
(9) Brush Knee Form (lou xi shi, 摟膝式)
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(4) Cross Hands (shi zi shou, 十字手)
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Middle Level/Coiling Hand Methods (中盤手法)
(3) Flat Elbow (zhong ping zhou, 中平肘)
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(8) Standing Elbow (li zhou, 立肘)
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Upper Level/Coiling Hand Methods (上盤手法)
(12) Winding to Head Form (chan tou shi, 纏頭式)
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(11) Wrapping Head Form (guo tou shi, 裹頭式)
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Hong Zhongnan teaches the drills in the following order:
- outside sticky elbow (short)
- inside sticky elbow (short)
- flat elbow (middle)
- cross hands (lower)
- small winding wrist (long)
- big winding wrist (long)
- crossing hand lean (long)
- standing elbow (middle)
- brush knee form (lower)
- through heaven hands (long)
- winding to the head (upper)
- winding above the head (upper)
- raise the teapot (short)