Taiji Push Hands Tournament 2019

Additional video footage from the Seattle International Martial Arts Championship. This is a restricted-step Tai Chi push hands tournament -- striking and footwork are not allowed.

#taijiquan #tuishou #pushinghands

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The great Daoist master Laozi reminded us to prize calamities. To understand our hardships as the fair cost of living in a human body. I reflected on his advice last month, while considering registration in the Seattle International Martial Arts Championship.

The timing was less than ideal. Earlier in the year, I had suffered a debilitating back injury. Constant pain limited my ability to teach and train, sleep and walk upright.

On the other hand, I had already encouraged my own students to participate in this upcoming event. Moving step push hands is a wonderful exercise, I said. It will improve your speed and balance, increase your strength and endurance, and sharpen your mind.

I believe in leadership by example. I've never asked my students to do something I haven't already done myself. And since I had never actually entered a tournament... I'm in. Nevermind the back injury. Carpe diem. Prize calamities.

As my fellow competitors and I lined up to begin, the judge informed us it would not be a moving-step tournament after all. Instead, we would be playing a restricted-step tournament, where open footwork is not allowed.

I had never played this restricted-step game even once, in my entire life. Not even in casual practice. And forget any plans for using footwork to minimize lower back strain.

Oh well. Prize calamities.

I sat down in a comfortable chair on the sidelines, waiting for my turn. Everyone played their first rounds, and took their rest breaks. My name was never called. Midway through the second round, I approached the judges' table in confusion.

I've been waiting seven hours for this competition. Why hasn't my name been called?

Sorry, they said, your name wasn't in the competition bracket. We can still fit you in, if you play double rounds with no rest breaks in between...

Prize calamities! 😅