I've observed that your chances of being pushed/pulled to the ground are affected by:
- distance (the closer you are, the greater the chance)
movement (the more movement, i.e., running, the greater the chance)
attacking (if you're swinging, the greater the chance)
direction you're facing (if you're not facing them, the greater the chance)
...and sometimes it's just luck of the draw. But yeah, if you're working on your
push/pull abilities, keep your eyes open for people that run away from you while jumping and attacking close to your body.