01/09/2024
What's A Push Got To Do Wit' It?:
Being a Taijiquan practitioner and coming from a competitive pushing hands/tui shou background, I have an affinity for, well, pushes. In regards to self-defense, as well as competitively. I find great value in them.
*** Circa 1998-99, out with friends in a nightclub in Harrogate, England & hanging in a raised area where the DJ was playing; a friend of mine [about a 12-inch step up from the dance floor]. Another patron, a fairly big dude, about half a foot taller than me, 200+ lbs [me, about 160, at the time] started giving grief to my friend and few others in our collective. He became more aggressive with threats of immediate violence - standing a few steps back from the step-up! I stepped down, preceding to give him a quick, powerful doubled-handed push to the chest; it lifted him off his feet about step, causing him to land & stumble back quickly, hitting his back on a wall, dropping slightly. He stood up straightening himself up,,giving me about a 3 second stare, then cut left down the stairs, not to be seen the rest of the night --- not sure if it was embarrassment, thought of escalation or just shock of getting shoved like that by a little guy - either way, a strong message was sent! ***
Pushes don't replace punches in regards of impact in the amount of damage, in most cases. Yet there is value & shouldn't be discounted as useless or insignificant. That's my perspective; let's discuss!
Being a Taijiquan practitioner and coming from a competitive pushing hands/tui shou background, I have an affinity for, well, pushes. In regards to self-defe...
