My partner and I face each other and he puts both hands on my shoulders. He then begins to push me backward. I accept his push and walk backward as he continues to push. At some point I stop and from natural stance, with him still pushing, begin to walk forward. When pushing I should maintain an even, continuous push throughout. It's not a contest, my aim is to use the appropriate amount of force to maximize the benefit of my partner.
Points for me to work on while practicing this exercise:
- Connect with his center before contact is made and maintain that connection throughout the duration of the exercise (Keep One Point),
- Keep my body erect, don't lean in from the shoulders (Correct Posture),
- Slow down to a stop; this enables me to absorb the force of his push gradually instead of having to take it all on at once (Progressive Relaxation),
- When starting to move forward be aware of the primary direction of the force of his push and connect with it at an angle as I begin to move forward. Not directly engaging his power allows me to move forward with relative ease (Positive Mind).
With continued practice I will be able to:
- Strengthen my connection with his center,
- Improve my posture,
- Shorten the time it takes to slow to a stop,
- Improve my ability to ascertain the primary direction of the force of his push.
