The "standard" old school puller/pusher technique was:

- sit in the driver's seat
- loosen the steering wheel/column nut a turn (or, maybe two)
- push up on the steering wheel with you legs
- cleanly strike on the top of the stereing wheel column, to see if the wheel will "pop"upwards
- if that fails, use your steering wheel puller (I use a HF one like this one .)