What’s pushing or Shoving in League of Legends

Understanding Pushing or Shoving

Pushing, also known as shoving, is a vital wave management strategy where you rapidly clear your minion wave to force it towards the enemy's tower. This approach creates pressure on your opponent, allowing you to take objectives, roam, and exert map control.

Why Push or Shove?

1. Objective Control: Pushing waves enables your team to focus on taking important objectives like turrets, dragons, or the Rift Herald. For example, if you’re playing Tristana, your Explosive Charge (E) can quickly clear waves and help you take down towers efficiently.
2. Map Pressure: By constantly shoving the wave, you force the enemy to respond to the minion wave, limiting their ability to move freely around the map. As a result, this creates opportunities for your team to establish vision, invade the enemy jungle, and control neutral objectives.
3. Roaming Opportunities: Pushing the wave allows you to leave your lane without missing much farm or experience, enabling you to assist other lanes. For instance, if you’re playing Talon in the mid lane, you can push the wave with Rake (W) and then roam to bot lane to secure kills.
4. Denying Enemy Farm: When the wave is pushed to the enemy tower, they may have difficulty last-hitting under the turret, especially if they are inexperienced or if their champion lacks good tower farming abilities. For example, pushing as Draven can make it difficult for a Jinx to farm effectively under her tower.

When to Push

1. After a Kill: If you’ve just secured a kill on your lane opponent, push the wave to their tower to deny them farm and experience. For instance, as Darius, after killing the enemy top laner, push the wave to make them miss out on gold and XP while they’re dead.
2. Before Recalling: Shove the wave to the enemy tower before recalling to ensure the wave resets and doesn’t push towards your tower while you’re gone. As a mid-laner like Syndra, use Scatter the Weak (E) and Dark Sphere (Q) to push the wave before you back to buy items.
3. To Prepare for Objectives: Pushing the wave gives your team better control over the map, allowing you to secure objectives like Dragon or Baron. For example, as Renekton, push the top lane to the enemy tower before heading to the dragon pit to assist your team.
4. To Deny Roaming: Shoving the wave forces your lane opponent to stay and clear the minions, reducing their ability to roam and make plays elsewhere. For instance, pushing as Ahri can prevent the enemy Zed from leaving the mid lane to gank your bot lane.

How to Push

1. Use Area-of-Effect (AOE) Abilities
   • Abilities that hit multiple minions at once are highly effective for pushing.
   • Example: As Malzahar, use Call of the Void (Q) and Malefic Visions (E) to clear waves quickly.
2. Auto-Attack Minions
   • Regularly auto-attack minions to help clear the wave faster.
   • Example: As Jhin, use your basic attacks and Dancing Grenade (Q) to swiftly push the wave.
3. Coordinate with Your Team
   • Communicate with your teammates when you plan to push, especially if your goal is to take an objective.
   • Example: As a bot lane duo of Lucian and Braum, signal your intent to push the wave before aiming to take the dragon.

Maintaining the Push

1. Use Abilities Wisely
   • Save key abilities for wave clear to maintain constant pressure on the enemy tower.
   • Example: As Ziggs, use Bouncing Bomb (Q) and Hexplosive Minefield (E) to keep the enemy under their tower.
2. Position Aggressively
   • Position yourself to apply pressure and threaten the enemy if they try to clear the wave.
   • Example: As Orianna, position your Ball (Q) in a way that zones the enemy while you clear the wave with Command: Attack (Q) and Command: Dissonance (W).

Strategic Push Examples

1. Early Game Push: As Sivir, use Boomerang Blade (Q) and Ricochet (W) to push the wave early, making it difficult for the enemy ADC to farm under tower.
2. Mid Game Roaming: Playing as Twisted Fate, push the mid wave with Wild Cards (Q) and then use Destiny (R) to gank side lanes, creating pressure across the map.
3. Late Game Siege: As Azir, use Arise! (W) and Conquering Sands (Q) to push waves and apply continuous pressure on enemy towers, making it hard for them to defend.

Dealing with Enemy Push

1. Wave Clear Champions: If you’re on the receiving end of a push, champions with strong wave clear can neutralize the enemy’s pressure.
   • Example: As Anivia, use Glacial Storm (R) and Flash Frost (Q) to clear waves and stop the enemy from pushing.
2. Call for Jungle Assistance: Request your jungler’s help to relieve pressure and potentially turn the tide with a gank.
   • Example: As a top laner being pushed in, ask your jungler to gank and help push the wave back.
3. Engage the Enemy: If you have the advantage, engage the enemy laner to disrupt their push and regain control of the wave.
   • Example: As Renekton, use your Ruthless Predator (W) and Slice and Dice (E) to engage and push back against a pushing enemy.

Tips for Effective Pushing

• Warding: Always ward to avoid enemy ganks while pushing. Deep wards in the enemy jungle can provide crucial information.
  • Example: As a top laner, ward the river and tri-brush to spot incoming ganks while you push.
• Map Awareness: Keep an eye on the minimap to track enemy movements and potential threats.
  • Example: As a mid laner, if you see the enemy jungler on the bottom side, it’s safer to push your wave.
• Cooldown Management: Be mindful of your ability cooldowns, especially if you rely on them for wave clear.
  • Example: As Syndra, save Scatter the Weak (E) for potential engagements, even while using Dark Sphere (Q) to push.
• Think about objectives: You should never mindlessly push. Do it only to achieve something be it denying CS to the opponent, preparing for drake or taking tower plates. Consider whether you can do it safely in a current state.
  • Example: A lot of Caitlyn players mindlessly push with their Piltover Peacemaker **(**Q) without considering why they do it often getting caught in a gank as an aftermath.

Pushing or shoving is essential for controlling the tempo of the game, creating opportunities for your team, and securing objectives. Mastering this technique allows you to maintain pressure on the enemy, open up the map, and contribute significantly to your team’s success.