Chi Sao with sifu

[YouKnowWho]

Could you describe in more detail how you place your hands both on top and also inside???
To my thinking this would more likely cause your energy to press outward but if your hands are on top this would seem to require you to either hook the opponents arms or use a larger circle movement to press outwards. Think Kow Sau.

My favor "strategy" is to use my right hand to grab (or soft hold, or downward parry) on my opponent's left wrist. When he tries to rotate his arm to deal with it, I then slide my right hand along his left arm, put palm on top of his left elbow joint and inside his left arm. My left hand can do the same with his right arm at the same time.

When I'm in that position (it's called mantis hands in CMA), my arms are in a "dominate position". I can punch or clinch. All game will start from there.

The reason it's called "dominate position" because when you are there, your opponent can neither punch you nor wrestle you.