Forces cannot be seen, but the effects that they have on objects can be seen. For example, the earth’s gravitational force cannot be seen, but its effect that causes everything to fall down on the ground, can be seen. There are many types of forces like gravitational force, centrifugal force, magnetic force, electric force, electromagnetic force, nuclear force, and many more. Two forces, namely the push force and the pull force, generally together known as push-pull forces, are extensively used, in different ways, in almost all fields of human knowledge.
Push and pull forces influence objects to move, or change speed to be slower or faster, or change direction, or change shape, or some combination of these. Both pushing and pulling is an application of force, in the sense that some exertion needs to be done.
Pushing is applying force in a direction that is away from one’s body.
Pulling is applying force in a direction that is towards one’s body.
Pushing-Pulling simultaneously is applying both push and pull forces at the same time, but in opposite directions.
BuzzWithBee video “Push and Pull for Kids | Force and Motion”:
The push-pull forces can be seen everywhere in Nature. For example, when a plant grows, then its root pushes inside the earth, while its shoot pulls itself upwards towards the sky. Another example may be the water cycle, where the heat of the sun pushes the water to become vapour, which then is condensed to become a rain cloud, and when the rain cloud becomes overloaded with raindrops then the gravity of the earth pulls down the heavy raindrops as rainfall.
Next Generation Science video “How Plants Grow”:
Met Office – UK Weather video “How does rain form and what is the water cycle?”:
Besides Nature, even in human events, the push-pull forces are widely seen. Let us briefly explore with some videos, few areas of human enterprise, where these push-pull forces are evident, and then move on to how the push-pull forces are utilized in martial arts.
Push-Pull in Politics
The Project video “Push For Truth In Political Advertising In Australia”:
Push-Pull in Medicine
ED Education video “Push-Pull IV Fluid Administration”:
Push-Pull in Communication
Helena Liu video “Push, Pull and Interactive Communications – PMP Exam Tips”:
Push-Pull in Marketing
The Business Professor video “Marketing – Push Strategy vs Pull Strategy”:
Push-Pull in Influencing
Allen People Solutions video “Push Pull – The Situational Influence Model”:
Push-Pull in Leadership
Stanford eCorner video “Liz Wiseman: The Push-Pull of Leadership”:
Push-Pull in Home-Decor
Archi Studio video “DIY-Clothes drying rack indoor pull-push | Cloth drying Rack making ideas | House indoor mystery”:
Push-Pull in Painting
Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive video “”Push and Pull””:
Push-Pull in Car Steering
Helpful DIY video “Learning To Drive-Push Pull Steering”:
Push-Pull in Migration
Geography Lessons video “Push and Pull factors as drivers of migration”:
Push-Pull in Agriculture
SAWBO™ Scientific Animations Without Borders video “Climate-smart Push-pull System for Stem Borer Management in Maize in English (accent from USA)”:
Push-Pull in Relationships
Dr. Daniel Fox video “BPD Relationship Need & Fear Cycle”:
Push-Pull in Music
Wanja [Nechtan] Gröger video “How to play Push-Pull Technique”:
NikkaCostaVEVO video “Nikka Costa – Push & Pull (Official Music Video)”:
[To read the lyrics, you may turn on the CC button on the video]
Push-Pull in Martial Arts
A very large majority of martial arts techniques involve pushing, or pulling, or both pushing and pulling simultaneously.
Pushing in martial arts
In martial arts, pushing is done in various ways. A common example is punching, where the knuckles of the fist make contact, while the power and speed of the punch is gained by pushing every muscle of the entire body in a whipping fashion.
FALKOFIRE video “Boxing – More Power from your Punches”:
沖縄伝統空手Okinawa Traditional Karate Channel video “The most dangerous Punch ep.2 | Okinawa Karate | Masaaki Ikemiyagi | 最も危険な突き2 | 池宮城政明先生 | 沖縄空手”:
Pushing is also seen in the Muay Thai teep kicks.
ONE Championship video “ONE Championship’s Best Muay Thai Teeps | The Art Of Eight Limbs Highlights”:
Pulling in martial arts
In almost all martial arts, pulling the punching arm or the kicking leg is commonly performed to off-balance the opponent. Another example of pulling is the guard pulling technique commonly used in BJJ, wrestling and MMA. This technique involves pulling the opponent towards one’s own guard by intentionally taking the fight to the ground. The purpose is to neutralize strong stand-up fighters, who possibly might be weak in ground fighting techniques, so that one can successfully exploit one’s own superior ground fighting skills. If the guard pulling is done simultaneously with both the arms and the legs, then both pulling and pushing is employed, where the arms pull and the legs push.
MMA Leech video “How To Pull Guard In BJJ and Immediately Sweep Your Opponent – Kaynan Duarte Style”:
In judo, jujutsu, and aikido, throws like the hip throw or the shoulder throw uses pulling, while some other throws use both pushing and pulling at the same time.
PS Chief video “Human Weapon: Jujutsu”:
Pushing-Pulling simultaneously in martial arts
In this technique, two parts are used at the same time, where one part is pulled, and the other part is pushed. Both pulling and pushing take place simultaneously. For example, while punching in karate, the punching arm is pushed forward while the non-punching arm is simultaneously pulled back.
FALKOFIRE video “Human Weapon – Karate Body Punch”:
The double leg takedown technique, also known as tackling in American football, and also extensively seen in wrestling and MMA, uses simultaneous pushing and pulling. In this technique, the opponent’s both legs are grabbed behind the knees, and then the knees are pulled towards one’s own body by the grabbing arms, while at the same time, the opponent’s upper body is pushed away by one’s own body. The combination of pulling and pushing at the same time, makes the opponent lose balance and a takedown is executed.
Jeff Chan MMAShredded video “7 Double Leg Takedown Variations (sparring footage)”:
FALKOFIRE video “Human Weapon – MMA – Double Leg Takedown”:
Pencak Silat, an Indonesian martial art, also employs pull-push technique to overcome knife and other weapon attacks.
Young Jump video “National Geographic Channel Fight Masters: Silat”:
In Dumog, a Filipino grappling art, the pull-push technique serves as a foundation for body manipulation, joint lock, or a takedown.
Imagin’ Arts video “Dumog, filipino wrestling martial art – part 2”:
Training exercises for push and pull in martial arts
Push and pull techniques require a strong core, flexibility, mobility, agility, and some amount of strength. For boxing, wrestling and other similar martial arts, lifting heavy weights for gaining strength is normally undertaken. Many other martial arts include various types of strength training, from light weights training to heavy weights training, to improve their push-pull techniques.
ATHLEAN-X™ video “The PERFECT Push Workout (PUSH | PULL | LEGS)”:
Jeff Nippard video “The Perfect Pull Workout (According To Science)”:
Jeff Nippard video “The Smartest Push Pull Legs Routine (Fully Explained)”:
Stand-up striking arts like Taekwondo, Karate, Kung Fu, Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun, Muay Thai and more, generally require agility and techniques, more than strength. For such martial arts, emphasis is more on freehand exercises like running, plyometric exercises, and core strengthening exercises, along with some lifting of light weights.
Daru Strong video “Must Do Plyometric Exercises for Karate | @karate55”:
Todays Taekwondo video “Taekwondo Strength Training”:
Korea Taekwondo Ssang Yong kwan video “Taekwondo core training (태권도 코어 운동)”:
Free Spirit video “Bruce Lee’s Perfect Body & Mind 💪 Hard Workout Routine (some examples of Bruce Lee’s hard training).”:
Conclusion
Push and pull are both forces, but in opposite directions. For example, if a door is not locked then it can be opened either by pushing or pulling; however, it is of no use to push a door that opens by pulling, or to pull a door that opens by pushing. Thus, it is important to know the direction in which the force is to be applied, along with knowing how much force needs to be applied.
Besides knowing the amount of force, and the direction of force, other factors like timing, balance, and rhythm are also equally significant for any push-pull technique to work effectively. Applying the correct amount of force, in the correct direction, accompanied with correct timing, balance and rhythm is crucial to achieve the desired result in a push-pull technique. Generally, this holds true in martial arts, as well as in life.
In life, a human being, in the journey from the cradle to the grave, experiences a lot of pushing and pulling internally in terms of dilemmas, decisions, ethics, principles, and more. As if this internal pushing-pulling was not enough, a human being also experiences external push-pull forces from fellow human beings, the society, and fate. Both these internal and external push-pull forces are the main spices that spice up the dish called life. Perhaps, garnishing with a sprinkling of humour is what makes life a delicious dish.
Mr Bean Deutschland video “Mr. Bean macht Judo | Mr. Bean ganze Folgen | Mr Bean Deutschland”:
Ali Jaffar video “Charlie Chaplin Modern times 1936 Full movie”:
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