chillzATL

Any interesting theory, no doubt. I'm not sure if what we're seeing in any of these samples is quite as high level as your theory though, but who knows. I think what you're describing, at least how you're describing it in relation to the videos, can only exist looking like that with someone not invested in keeping their centers or completely unskilled in doing so. Someone with some skill would feel that connection moving and adjust to it, internal or external, and not get taken so easily. Like push hands or something, but in the flow of a single technique. anyway, that's obviously not the type of scenario these videos are about.

I think the general gist of what you're describing is like an exercise I draft my wife to do with me arounc the house. I'll get in a natural stance, arms out, palms forward and have her push me. She can brace out, do whatever, push as hard as you can to push me over with my feet not moving. So as she pushes i'll connect to her push and just let it pass through me. I'm supporting the force, but by letting it settle through me I can hold it and kind of move the angle of my response and my center and just very slightly push back from different angles. It throws off the connection that she feels to be able to get her force into me and push me over. Eventually she will get me over, as my elbows to collapse over time, but it takes some time. Of course she just using muscular force as her body wants to generate it. Though she's already commented that I'm somehow cheating, as she's starting to feel connection herself without me ever talking about what i'm doing with her. Anyway, again, someone with skill themselves would be actively be doing the same thing in reverse, moving the angles of the force. I've done some more active drills in the same vein and it's very complex and active, but getting under the person and then keeping up with their center is the entire point. I've never experienced it as done in the technique at that subtle a level, but I may be a bad uke.

Great post!