About a decade or so ago, some martial artists invited me to a push hands contest, aiming to show me I wasn’t as skilled as I thought. And yes, I didn’t win. I don’t specialize in push hands tai chi, so I was at a disadvantage. While I have experience with bagua circle sparring, this particular context was different, and my proficiency in push hands was lacking.
But here’s the crucial point—this experience doesn’t prove anything about my ability in a real fight. It simply shows I’m not as skilled in this specific aspect of martial arts, which has its own specialized context. In a real fight, I’m not going to rely on push hands—I’ll be using a broader range of techniques and thinking outside the box. There’s a big difference between ping pong and tennis.
Internal power is valuable, but it’s most effective within certain parameters. All-in fighting, on the other hand, has no such limitations. The truth is, no single martial skill is the ultimate—everything depends on context, range, the individual, and the circumstances at play.
After this encounter, I spent two years studying Tai Chi before COVID disrupted my training. In hindsight, I realized that mastering it the traditional way would have required many years of commitment—first the form, then push hands, and so on.
Meanwhile, my RAT instructor, a high level Jeet Kune Do man in his 70s who doesn’t practice internal arts, can still beat me—despite my 44+ years of martial arts experience, including internal practices. That realization helped reinforce my understanding that I don’t need to follow the traditional Tai Chi path to be effective in combat or maintain effectiveness as I age. Tai Chi is a nice to have but not a necessity.
I don’t need to master push hands to be effective in street fighting. While push hands and internal power have their value, they are often overemphasized in traditional martial arts circles. The real secret to success in combat is adaptability.
No style or technique is the end-all-be-all; it’s about adjusting to the situation and making the most of whatever skills are needed in the moment. Combat is dynamic, not static, and true mastery comes from the ability to impose your will on the fight while seamlessly adapting to whatever unfolds.
ANOTHER STORY AND TO THE SAME POINT
25–30 years ago, I demonstrated my internal power, striking a pad and sending people flying 10–15 feet. Feeling invincible, I asked a walk-in, “What would you do?” Without hesitation, he placed a fist at my throat and walked away. So much for my “internal superpower.”
That moment shattered my illusion. It was a lesson in the Dunning-Kruger effect—overconfidence born of limited understanding. It also highlighted the danger of confirmation bias, which limits growth by focusing only on information, people, and limited contexts that support your beliefs. More importantly, it reinforced a deeper truth: mastery isn’t about believing you’ve arrived; it’s about staying open, adaptable, and always learning.
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