I thought I would share what I know, and what I think is happening with these so called, "magnetic fields" and their influence on an opponent. First, per whether the practitioner produces a "field" that is magnetic, it really is! And yes, (as some of you asked) the influence can be observed by the practitioner's intent to willful interference of the normally north pointing arrow of a simple compass.

Nowadays, probably due to injury and age, it's much harder for me to generate the same magnetic-compassing influencing field now.

But my sense is that will I once again be able to generate that kind of field. Many of my students have witnessed me influencing a compass in the past, including Kenneth Garrett, Tony Costa, Matt Reardon, Jason Widener and others.

My belief is that it is the serious internal martial artist's destiny -maybe potential is a better word - (especially when they are young) to be able to generate and work with these kinds of fields. The process is too magical and too beautiful not to.

It is the challenge of every internal m.a. practitioner to engage with and to solve this puzzle. That puzzle - that challenge - requires many things to be brought together just right.
Outside of correct form (bio-mechanics), things that influence this kind of mind-body state are the ability to relax under stress, posture, personal work to connect oneself with higher consciousness and perhaps most importantly, the ability to let go and "play."

Several attributes contribute to a model that might explain this kind of weakening influence against an opponent. I write about all of them in my latest book, THE SEARCH FOR MIND-BODY ENERGY. Here are a couple notes from that book:

1. Disruptive Force. I learned about disruptive (or negative) energy from Dr. Y. Omura around year 2000. This is excerpted from my book:

Distinguishing between positive (+) and negative (-) qi, Omura explains that positive qi can enhance “circulation and drug uptake in diseased areas where there was microcirculatory disturbance.” By contrast, negative qi, according to Omura, has “completely the opposite effect and therefore has not been used [in those studies], although there may be some as yet undiscovered applications.”

As an example of research that looked at negative qi, one study examined the ability of an energetic master in China, named Bao, to emit either positive or negative qi as he chose. Bao’s ability was tested at the General Naval Hospital in Beijing, where researchers asked him to annihilate bacteria in a test tube. As described in the published study, Bao could indeed selectively cause the bacteria to either flourish or decline. Researchers believe that the results demonstrated the presence of both growth and inhibitory influence that could be modulated through human intention. For researchers, Bao’s demonstration was an example of conscious control over so-called positive or negative internal energy.

Applied to the IMA, the "disruptive" or "negative" Qi (ch'i), has a weakening influence against an opponent. It's as if the opponent loses the strength or will to push you over, control you, or hit you with any meaningful force. Here's a video where I demonstrated disruptive Qi is used against an opponent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STQ2y3qpdXo

Although I dislike sharing this link because of how obese I was at the time, this is another one, with more examples of disruptive force.
I don't believe this kind of energy field/ effect is related to the practitioner's ability to generate a large electromagnetic field alone. This involves something called
"information theory."

2. Information Theory (excerpts from new book. Section IV.) Here "information theory" is presented in context of energetic healing:

Reduction of Entropy
Some aspects of energetic healing might be best explained not in terms of a practitioner’s ability to project a quotient of “force” or energy, but in terms of the healer’s ability to transmit anti-entropic information. The model suggests that rather than “energy,” the practitioner transmits coded information which carries “instructions.” In the context of energetic healing of any type, these instructions interact with the patient’s subtle energy field (Diagram 4-6). Accordingly, information exchanged between healer and patient works because anti-entropic information instructs the patient’s system to move from “relative disorder to one of less disorder.”

Endote/ references included at the