What it's about
Partner practice is an essential component of developing martial arts ability. However, Tai Chi and other Chinese martial arts practitioners can have difficulty finding opportunities to train with partners at an intensity that is right for them. Push Hands practice offers a meeting ground common to many different schools of martial arts, so individuals are not limited to the members of their school or club.
In Case of Rain!
In case of rain, go to Thousand Oaks Elementary to do push hands with the Thousand Oaks Group
When in doubt, just check in with us at [email protected]
History
In 2006 or 2007 (apparently no one remembers), some students of a local Chinese martial arts school decided to take their Push Hands practice out to the park. As this section of Ohlone Park is quite visible to traffic on the footpath, sidewalk, and the road, word got out. Friends and other traditional martial arts practitioners asked to join in. This built steadily into a boistrous community.
(This is all very vague and unsatisfyingly free of details, because I'm waiting to get permission before sharing specifics. ;)
When the pandemic hit, the gatherings stopped. Push Hands is an up close and often sweaty activity. The community very prudently adopted an attitude of caution. And for years, the group disbanded. In June of 2023, the call went out to the old gang, and Ohlone Park Second Saturdays sprang back to life!