Invest in loss.
- Professor Zheng Manqing
* * *
Warrior extraordinaire Vladimir Vasiliev teaches a fun little game (this is one among his thousands such, I'm calling it out for a reason). Students A and B face each other on the floor in raise push-up position. At the signal, A and B try, without moving their feet, each to somehow take down the other, by hooking the guy's arm or neck, pushing him over, or plain outlasting him in the position. First one to touch a body part other than hands and feet to the mat "loses".
But really nobody loses because it's just a fucking attribute drill. Got that? Do I have to review yet again the difference between attributes vs fight skills? Jeeeeez. So. I'll assume you have enough brain cells to make the distinction.
(There are many variations of the above pushup game, such as starting side-by-side, etc.)
Notice how this is a game for attribute development. I doubt that many real fight scenarios will involve precisely this configuration. Since its an attribute thing, you don't have to worry about the guy pulling a knife (oops, actually there is a knife version of this drill but). Or protecting your head or feet, or wearing a plastic faceguard in case your partner is HIV positive and spits on you, etc. This isn't boxing. Anyway, in a fight, I'm gonna scream and shout, run about, throw things, and generally act feral. Fight has little to do with push hands, so don't act like and amateur, mixing the two up please. Or else just stop reading this post right now as you ain't gonna like it.
Puah hands: A Tai Chi-based cooperative but non-compliant drill to develop attributes of balance, sensitivity, and energy issuance. Plus, to have fun.
With all the above said, I have a fantasy game in mind for push hands. Yeah it's just fantasy so don't rag me with all the usual adversarial bullshit, thanks.
This is the Push Hands LIP (Loss Investment Prize) Game.
First of all, what's the Prize? Well, it involves money (yes as a human your endocrine glands should be secreting now). But only in a small scale playful sense. Keep it fun nothing too serious.
It's a non-symmetrical game, with a designated Defender and Challenger. Basically it involves keeping track of foot movements and paying out according. But there are a lot of details, to wit:
The LIP Game Rules:
1. Challenger can move feet freely - but for setup/offense only (not to save his balance in defense).
2. Defender may not move feet at all, beyond minor comfort adjustment.
3. Every time Challenger is able, via push, or via movement generated from a lock or hold, to "force" Defender to move one or both foot involuntarily, unbalancing him, that's PLUS ONE point for Challenger.
4. Every time Challenger "forced" to move feet, involuntarily, due to unbalancing by Defender, that's MINUS ONE point for Challenger.
5. After 30 mins or total 50 Challenger points (whichever first) Defender will pay out money equal to 2 USD for every Challenger point. Players reset after every exchange (one or two attempted moves) whether a point is scored or not. If a point was scored or decremented, that is recorded on a paper and next exchange begins from neutral facing Tai Chi bow step position as in normal push hands practice.
6. If Challenger points less than or equal to zero after 30 mins, Defender makes no payment.
7. Points will be written on a sideline paper after every PLUS or MINUS point event. Point only recorded PLUS or MINUS if both Challenger and Defender agree it was a true and clean point.
8. To avoid strength jams, either Defender or Challenger can at any point in an exchange before a point-scoring foot movement is made call "JAM" and then the players reset to neutral start position witih no points added or debited for that exchange.
9. In first pure version of the game, no throws, sweeps, or tackles/shoots allowed, but maybe in enhanced versions later. Arm locks and arm/upper-body oriented submissions only allowed as a setup for getting a foot move, not trying to force a tapout per se.
While at first glance it may look like a weirded up version of a fixed step push hands tournament ruleset, so why bother with this? Ah, but that's because you are blind to some innovative nuances here. First of all, this game is asymmetric. The Defender has to pay out for his losses, s/he cannot "win" anything. Second, the direct use of MONEY helps to keep it psychologically real yet phsycially non-injurious. Third, notice that no ref is required, unlike a tournametn. Two people alone can play this game, and the point agreement rule helps to keep it friendly and peaceful, unlike t he agressive atmosphere of a tournament.
Of course this game won't work if either player is an asshole etc. I take that as a given, that you are starting with quality people (of whatever actual Tai Chi level).
The reason at least this first version is focused on fixed step is that
(a) foot movment gives a pretty clear scoring criterion - again avoiding the need for a ref, and arguments about who did what supported by instant replay. Moving step can have clear scoring if you allow throws and sweeps, but also more complex, dangerous, needs more room, possibly mats, etc. Just doesn't fit the lite spirit of the LIP Game. Also, more importantly,
(b) believe it or not (most people don't), fixed step push hands allows for the development of energetic skills that simply can't be developed any other way. Most people don't understsand its purpose or practice at all.