Push Hands with the Blind

Written by Wu RH, Translated by Tang YY

Sightless people face obstacles almost everywhere they go. Often because they can’t exercise easily, they don’t. Many of them gain weight as their quality of living declines and their health deteriorates.

The video shows blind folks at the Institute for the Blind of Taiwan practicing Tai Chi push hands, getting all sweaty, which they don’t get often.

Tai Chi form and push hands are among very few exercises that the blind can do and can do well in spite of their disability. In fact, their ability to push hands may be enhanced by their lack of sight, and consequently a lack of visual distractions. Sightless people are more sensitive than sighted people in the sense of touch, and that is a precious property in the practice of push hands.

Therefore, the blind and perhaps even people with other disabilities are a population who can benefit greatly from the practice of Tai Chi Chuan push hands.

［盲人練習太極拳推手影片］

盲人朋友因活動空間的設限，使他們無法與明眼人一樣正常走路運動，尤其面對不友善的環境，處處受到阻礙，寸步難行。無法正常走路運動，身體的肥胖自然跟隨而來，健康及生活品質也受到影響。

太極拳架與推手訓練是少數盲友能跟明眼人ㄧ樣，可以盡情揮灑體力，享受運動流汗及切磋技藝的運動項目，影片是台灣盲人重建院的盲友練習太極拳推手技藝的畫面。所謂：眼不見為淨，盲友的手感、聽感皆比正常人敏銳，但因缺乏友善的活動空間與良好的運動環境，使他們的體能及身體素質，不如常人，若能藉由規律的太極拳架與推手訓練，培養運動習慣，即可鍛鍊身體，又能朝太極拳的聽勁與懂勁方向探索。