THE PRACTICE OF RECOVERY AND POSITION IN PUSH HANDS

The Single Hand Fixed Foot Push Hands Drill teaches the methods of recovery as well as concepts of positioning . It is important that when training , the Pushing practitioner focuses his push to the right target and that he changes from Yang to Yin as soon as he is diverted . If the pusher stays Yang he will be easily pulled out of center by the defending practitioner . When pulled, it is important that you yield to the pull with your arm, but you must retain a still and spirited crown point . It is also important for the pusher to not overturn past 45 degrees off of center when pulled . The crown point is stabilized via the use of the eyes which must look out slightly above the horizon ( ” Slantingly Upward” in BP Chan’s terminology ) . This opens the spine and when combined with releasing the lower back , makes the spine taut but not tight . This allows me to give up my arm, but not my posture. i can defect my partner’s posture by making him try to pull my arm while the upward expression of my crown point transfers my partner’s downward pull into my root using my spine as a connection . i can follow my partner’s pulling elbow past side center and trap my partner in his own defect . If i give him my arm and coil in , i can hook him on my connection , receive him into my root and follow his resistant subconscious counter turn to coil out. This is recovery and is a valuable skill . If i pull my elbow past side center and get trapped, then i can turn my navel to my wrist and recover my attacking position . These are some of the skills developed by training the Single Hand Fixed Foot Push Hands Drill.