Training With A Partner

Points To Keep In Mind

– by Allen Pittman

These tips can easily be applied to those training in Ba gua, Hsing I, Tai Chi, or any other martial art.

• Go slowly and be clear who is initiating and who is responding.
• Give each other time to understand what is happening.
• Once understood – duplicate the action till you get a sense of it.
• Once you have a sense of it – vary it.
• Vary it by pointing to different targets.
• Be sure your strike follows through so your partner can understand the significance of distance.
• Do some drills with rhythm then break the rhythm.
• Watch your partner -be sure they are not tired or distracted.
• If one of you starts to feel emotionally hurt, stop. Do some breathing or walk around and relax a little while. Let your attention go to your Tan T’ien (four of your finger-widths below your naval), but breathe easy and let your eyes gaze at the ground for awhile – then raise them.
• Be aware that some people have had very little touch in their life and it could make them begin processing emotional aspects of themselves – and the two of you may be unfamiliar with this process.
• Also be aware that some people have been physically abused in one way or another and they may not tell you. If we as a class find this out, there are two ways we (as a class) can deal with this:
  • Send them away so they are not a liability
  • Work with them with care and sensitivity until they feel comfortable with being touched while working on self-defense tactics.
• If anyone has any issues or problems with this please let me know. I am aware, as most of you are, about the many issues and liabilities (particularly sexual harassment) due to touching each other. At the same time there is no other way to get a sense of timing for self-defense. Also remember that it’s a very significant part of our development – physically, emotionally and spiritually. In the experiments of Harlow (with monkeys), years back, the baby monkeys pushed the button for “touch” rather than food! I recall that some that did not get touched – actually died.
• Please be clear and respectful with one another about this. Take your time, notice how you feel emotionally and notice how easily you forget where your feet are!
• Keep some of your attention in your feet!