Although Kakie, or push hands, has a long history in martial arts, it has only recently regained its rightful place as a legitimate training method. This decline was partly due to many karate schools and associations adopting a predominantly sport-focused approach, which excluded close-range drills, thus making them redundant.

This was certainly not the case for everyone, as we can see many such drills from arts like Goju-Ryu, Tai-Chi, Arnis/Escrima, and Silat.

Initially, it’s best to practise these drills slowly, developing sensitivity to your training partner’s movements and intentions. Only increase speed as your skill develops.