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Push and Pull

Here the movements are slightly exaggerated. The basic idea is same nonetheless.

Stand erect with feet together, facing the partner and a gap of about a foot is maintained between each other's toes. This we will term as the normal position. The movements of the shoulders from this normal position forward or backward is about two inches. The hips are kept relaxed and the movement is much more, which is achieved by keeping all the joints of the legs loose.

Hold the partner by the hands in any way that's comfortable. Imagine that the feet are firmly nailed to the floor. Next is to push and pull by the arms against each other. Both would push simultaneously, then pull. And do not leave each other's hands.

When the push occurs both the partners would be moving back wards with the erect back. As soon as the body crosses the normal position start bending from the hip such that the hip moves further back wards, the back however remains perpendicular to the floor. This further backward hip movement will assist in pulling against the partner. This pull will result in the body to move forward. As soon as the body crosses the normal position the hip keeps moving further forward and shoulders move comparatively a little. This further hip movement to the front will assist in the push.

It is important to feel the push or the pull due to the body movement, and not because of independent action from the arms and the shoulders.

Once you get the confidence in doing this, the next part is to leave each other immediately after the push when the body just starts to move back wards. Then take hold of each other for the pull. Again leave hands immediately after the pull just when the body starts to move forward.

In normal life, almost exactly the action occurs when pushing against the car or pulling a rope. We initially rest the body weight against the object first. Only after this do we use the muscular force.

See also the exercise "Push ups", to get a better idea of the push and the pull.