Partner work

Traditional teaching
All tai chi classes feature 3 main areas of study: qigong, form and pushing hands. If you are not undertaking partner work, you are not really training tai chi.

Biofeedback
Physical contact is necessary in order to receive feedback (tense/relaxed/connected etc) and to practice the tai chi skills.

Pushing hands
Pushing hands enables a student to train a wide variety of tai chi skills without the dangers associated with actual combat.

Variety
There are many different kinds of pushing hands exercises, including:
1. Single pushing hands
2. Double pushing hands
3. Da lu
4. Monkey paws
5. Pushing legs
All of these exercises are variations on a theme; teaching similar yet different skills.

Partnered exercises
Apart from pushing hands there are dozens of other partnered exercises. They vary considerably in purpose and difficulty. Many of the exercises are concerned with yielding, alignment, footwork and sensitivity.

Looks aren't everything
A tai chi student may perform aesthetically pleasing solo movements yet be massively tense. Their muscles may never soften. Movements that should be powerful and connected are in fact flimsy and weak.

Proof
How can we determine substance? By feedback. By touching. By physically feeling what is taking place. Partner work is vital in tai chi. It offers you proof.

Contact
In tai chi we consider touch to be very important. By working with somebody else we can help them to feel how their own body operates and help ourselves as well.

Relax
We encourage people to become accustomed to physical proximity from the start of their training, to relax, soften and be receptive to other people.

Not for you?
Some tai chi schools may offer non-contact classes, but this isn't traditional. If you are not comfortable with physical contact, we recommend that you consider an alternative class or a different form of exercise such as Pilates.