I’m most happy to report that I’m getting less tired when pushing hands. Although my legs are still not as strong as I want them to be, I am able to last a class without much panting. I think this is because I use less strength now compared to before. I try not to fight brute strength with brute strength and try all means to diffuse/divert the oncoming strength and give it back if possible. If I couldn’t diffuse it or divert it, I take a step back.

I know what I know now because I notice my opponent breathes quite heavily after a while, and I still feel quite relaxed. When we stop, I could move on to another partner almost immediately, whereas my opponent will need to rest for a while.

I don’t think it’s the practice although that helps a bit. I think something in me clicked. It hasn’t clicked all the way, but I’m hoping this is the right direction. Getting less tired shouldn’t be an aim on its own, because you can get less tired by not doing anything at all! (i’m still sweating profusely!) But it’s a good measure of keeping the breath while still maintaining the core strength. It’s also a good measure of being able to keep calm while maintaining your defense system.