Hao Taiji Quan: The basic methods of practicing Hand Fighting (Push Hands)

There are two basic ways of practicing Hand Fighting in Wu style Taiji Quan: one is stationary and the other includes movements. Wu Yu Xiang and Li Yi Yu taught us the dynamic Hand Fighting with steps. You and your partner move in a straight line - each partner alternates between moving forward and backward. Your arms apply ward-off, roll back, press, and push; these four movements are practiced repeatedly back and forth.
[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Hao style Taiji Quan: Theories of Hand-Fighting

Practitioners should acquire a complete understanding of the theories of Taiji Quan. You appear very collected and comfortable, but inside you are filled with ‘Qi’, which is ready to be transferred and circulated throughout your entire body. Your entire body is like a balloon filled with ‘Qi’ and it does not matter if you attack, defend, turn, or change movements, there are no hollows and projections, no severances and protuberances, and your ‘Qi’ will never be dispersed. From the beginning to the end of a fight, you neutralize one attack after another. You become one with the universe; this is why Taiji is refined and ingenious.

[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Hao Taiji Quan: Hao Yue Ru's third rule regarding Hand-Fighting

Transfer means three things: first, ‘Mind’; second, ‘Qi’ (concentration/mind); third, 'Spirit'. The entire body should be filled with 'mind', ‘Qi’, and ‘spirit’, and equally distributed throughout the entire body. ‘Stationary’ means emptiness. ‘Activity’ means mindfulness or mind. The mind is quicker than physical strength. “Borrow your opponent's force to attack him back and four ounces draw out a thousand pounds”. Always strive to use 'mind' to cultivate and circulate the 'Qi', never use real physical force to circulate the 'Qi', and never let go of your ‘Qi’.

[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Hao style Taiji Quan: Hao Yue Ru's second Hand-Fighting (Push hands) rule

You should acquire a precise understanding of the concept of fullness and emptiness and how they relate to the center of gravity. Emptiness does not mean absence of strength. Fullness does not mean being heavy and stationary. You should always remember that when you bend your knees and push off on your heels not to become double-weighted. You should always know which leg is more “full” and which is “empty”. Study this diligently, especially when you are learning the Form. 

[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Hao style Taiji Quan: Hao Yue Ru's first Hand-Fighting (Push hands) rule

Keep your body straight - from your tailbone to your face. You will become very stable once your upper body becomes straight, and you will be able to move freely at will. This means that you will be able to support the eight directions, and you will become very agile.

[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Hao style advice for Hand-Fighting (Hao Yue Ru)

The heart and soul of Taiji Quan does not depend on how beautiful it looks externally, but, rather, on its internal applications. When you practice Taiji Quan on a regular basis, you should strive to understand its pliancy and agility. Agility is everything. When you move your feet, you feel as though you are floating, suspended, through the air; you feel like you are floating in the air like a balloon. As your skill increases, you become very pliant and it seems as though you are dancing but unaware of it. You have reached a stage where you can do as you please with your movements. Understanding the Taiji Quan principles, becoming proficient in the 96-movement Form and the Body Methods, studying diligently, and generating Qi - once you attain these four steps, then you will be able to master the coordination of your body. There is nothing that says that you are not practicing properly if you follow this advice.

[Note: The blogs on this site are greatly abbreviated versions of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer, follow this link: http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Hao style Taiji Quan - Push Hands and the 96 Form

The Walking Frames (Form) and Hand-Fighting (Push Hands) should be practiced diligently to improve your skills. Ultimately, the goal in Hand-Fighting should be when you control your opponent, but he will not control you. An integral part of becoming proficient in Taiji Quan is by practicing foot work. You can start practicing Hand Fighting after you have mastered the basic principles of Taiji Quan and achieved a solid foundation of the Walking Frames (the 96 movement Form). Practicing Hand-Fighting means mastering the ability to immediately adapt to changing conditions. If you ignore the solid foundation of Walking Frames then you will never reach the level of becoming a master and you will never really understand why Taiji Quan is an amazing martial art.

Hao Shao Ru explains: “If there is nobody fighting you, imagine that you are fighting someone; if there is someone fighting you, imagine that nobody is fighting you; Walking Frames equal Hand Fighting, Hand Fighting equals Walking Frames, they are tied up with each other.” Both are used to improve their respective skills, and neither should be neglected.

There are nine basic Hand-Fighting techniques in Hao style Taiji Quan. Refer to this Hao Hand-Fighting video to see the applications in real time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Num-zFlfY4 

[Note: The blogs on this site are greatly abbreviated versions of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer, follow this link: http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]