AikiWeb Aikido Forums - View Single Post - Interesting Video: San Shou Tuishou with Chen Ziqiang

Thomas Campbell · 05-13-2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Eric Joyce wrote:

Interesting article Mike. Thanks for posting. I thought his explanation of spliting energies was interesting.

I liked this part:

"Pushing hands," he says, "was designed to practice one's skill and taiji strategy. This involves learning both attacking and defending skills. Most beginners just want to attack, however, because attacking is easier, and it takes less skill. Defending is always much harder to learn how to master. But against another trained martial artist, one's ability to defend is what will determine the outcome of the fight. So people should practice more learning how to dissolve an opponent's energy than think about attacking."

I ask Chen Ziqiang what he concentrates on when he is pushing hands with someone. He says, "I completely forget about the form. I only concentrate on where my opponent's energy is, and my position in relationship to that energy. That tells me where I have to be, or move to, in order to control the situation. When I am no longer feeling threatened by my opponent's energy, I then determine what application is best to utilize."

I ask Chen Ziqiang what he means by forgetting the form. He says, "Each movement in the form incorporates many different energies. Pulling, pushing, turning, deflecting, dissolving, cranking, squeezing, pounding, and many more. In pushing hands, the situation is constantly changing, so you can never use a movement just like it is done in the form. You have to be able to adjust instantly to any new incoming force, so you are constantly changing your position in relationship with your opponent.