An amazing taiji push hands training "machine'" and a supremely useful hanging ball both of which provide dynamic training that a wooden dummy never could. The masterful hacky sack demonstration proves that it was NOT invented in Oregon City by two Americans in 1972! Chu Minyi was a taiji genius.

Chu Minyi: "If you want to progress in your boxing art, you must practice pushing hands, and pushing hands cannot be practiced unless there are two people. Because the goal is to give one’s whole body a keen sensitivity, there is a quality of neither connecting nor disconnecting, generating “sticking” energy, and results will then manifest. As I myself have often been unable to do any pushing hands, I have had to come up with something to substitute it. After much pondering according to scientific principles, I have produced two kinds of pushing hands apparatus, one with a stick and one with a ball, to take the place of pushing hands. With these items begins the scientization of Chinese martial arts. As for the eight techniques of pushing hands (warding off, rolling back, press, pushing, plucking, rending, elbowing, and bumping), they can all be applied perfectly well, and with that element of neither connecting nor disconnecting, the same as in pushing hands. Since inventing them, I have received visits from both Chinese and foreign physical educators and boxing arts experts, who have all been amazed beyond words." Translated by Mr. Paul Brennan. Translated by Mr. Paul Brennan.