Pushing hands

Have you ever stood in front of a friend or family member and playfully tried to push them over? That's kind of what pushing hands is like, except it's a martial arts exercise.

In pushing hands, two people stand facing each other with their hands lightly touching, and they take turns trying to push the other person off balance. The goal is to use your body's structure and movement to stay balanced and redirect your opponent's energy.

To start, each person stands with their feet shoulder-width apart and their knees slightly bent. They keep their center of gravity low and centered, and their arms are relaxed, with their hands lightly touching their partner's.

When one person pushes, their partner tries to maintain their balance and not get pushed over. They might shift their weight or turn their body to redirect the energy of the push. The two partners keep pushing and resisting each other in a give-and-take exercise, kind of like a game of tug-of-war.

Pushing hands is not about brute strength, but about sensitivity to your partner's movements and understanding how to use your own body's structure and energy. It helps martial artists develop their balance, coordination, and ability to respond quickly to an opponent's attacks.

So, pushing hands is like a playful game of pushing and resisting with a friend, but it's also a serious martial arts exercise that helps with balance, coordination, and energy redirection.