Artistry in wrestling clip

Would it be easy to say what are the differences that you see between what he does and what we (aim eventually to) do?
 

Marin

Lao Tou
Staff member
Would it be easy to say what are the differences that you see between what he does and what we (aim eventually to) do?

From my view some important differences have to do with the context which then dictates the method of the art. In the case of the wrestlers they are not worried about dangers outside of their context, such as striking, weapons, joint attacks, or unfriendly ground. They put their head right into the danger zone, rely on horizontal bracing force from the ground (leaning against opponent) because they are intending to fall or pull down anyhow etc. If the ground was a bad place to be that would change the approach of a martial art. If getting hit was not involved we could put our heads anywhere. Of course these contextual preferences are not limited to wrestlers, plenty of sport tuishou people would go the same way.
There are many differences, the wrestler is like spinning in space and gravity to pin the opponent to a flat plane that happens to be favored by gravity, but is not lethal. The (our) Taijiquan approach is more like spinning on an axis rooted in a flat plane, favored by gravity that is brutally abrasive or unforgiving at best, and then the striking etc.
 
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