History In the world of Martial Arts, Wushu is a term used in order to describe a varied training involving numerous fighting styles.
It is something of a generic term that was coined by the Physical Culture and Sports Commission.
Their goal was to standardize the various styles of fighting and create routines that were based off of traditional teachings.
These styles and routines are used in competition.
The three main styles that are judged in Wushu competitions are chang quan, taijiquan, and nan quan.
These were based off of ancient Chinese martial arts.
The People's Republic of China brought them back in their own way for competitive reasons and to try to keep the styles alive and prevent confusion while attempting to unify them across the nation.
Many of the styles based on the three valued competitive art forms are believed to originate in southern China.
Wushu is a result of this attempt at refining the styles and standardizing them in a way that can keep the old techniques alive throughout the nation.
Philosophy and Principles Wushu involves two distinctly important principles.
Because Wushu is the name for various martial arts that have been standardized and compiled together for the sake of competing and impressing judges, there are specific things that the practitioners need to learn.
The first principle has to do with its forms, which include various martial arts and gymnastic or acrobatic styles that are practiced as a way to impress judges.
The practitioners train to perfect aesthetically pleasing jumps, flips and other entertaining forms that will help them to accumulate points in the final competitions.
The other principle that the practitioners work hard to learn and excel in is San shou, a sparring discipline involving the three main competitive art forms; chang quan, taijiquan (or tai chi) and nan quan.
Attempting to unify the forms with the teachings, and bring together both body and spirit is one of the main philosophies of Wushu.
Once the practitioner has accumulated an incredible amount of skill pertaining to the forms and san shou, they are ready to move on to professional competitions.
The most well-known competitor and winner of Wushu competitions is the actor Jet Li, who has won multiple medals in Wushu competitions.
Training Methods If a child wishes to master Wushu, they begin attending a school meant to train them extensively at the early age of seven.
Their days begin as early as six in the morning, when they wake up to do their stretching and some exercises that involve kicking, and a run.
Once these things are completed they have small break for breakfast until the more elaborate training begins.
The intensive training is meant to help the children grow into well-rounded practitioners in the martial arts, and they are trained in the 18 weapons systems.
Their training also covers taijuquan, nan quan and chang quan, which are considered the most important of the competitive art forms to the judges of the competitions that they are training to be a part of.
The children focus on these things intently until lunch.
After lunch, their studies commence and last until 5 in the afternoon.
Once they are through with their studies, it's back to work for another two hours of training until 9 at night, when they are finally allowed to rest for the evening.
During training, students give performances as they would during a competition and do dress rehearsals together, where they perform various feats as would be seen done by the Shaolin monks, where they root their breathing exercises from.
These exercises improve their strength and stamina.
During these acts, bands of students form, and if they excel, they may one day join professional teams that compete nationally and internationally.
Techniques The techniques compiled together to create Wushu as we know it in a competitive sphere are numerous and vast.
They were taken mainly from ancient Chinese teachings and martial arts.
There are four basic fighting techniques that are focused on; da (strikes), ti (kicks), shuai (throws/wrestling), and quinna (releasing from seizures).
The techniques for the three basic competitive art forms also have their own focus.
The most acrobatic or gymnastic of the three is chang quan.
Chang quan was originated in Southern China.
Taijiquan, which is also known as tai chi, uses fluid movements that tend to be very slow and graceful.
Nan quan's movements are abrupt and short.
It is combative and has a style that is heavy-hitting.
Styles The Physical Culture and Sports Commission created routines that were set around specific styles.
Through these styles, they strived to preserve much of the original styles as well as modernizing them and refining them into a system that could be recognized throughout their country as Wushu.
The original styles included routines for hand form, dao shu (broadsword play), chang quan (long fist), gun shu (cudgel play), jian shu (sword play), nan quan (southern fist).
The techniques for the three basic competitive art forms also have their own styles.
The most acrobatic or gymnastic of the three is chang quan.
Taijiquan, which is also known as tai chi, uses fluid movements that tend to be very slow and graceful.
Nan quan's movements are abrupt and short.
It is combative and has a style that is heavy-hitting.
How Competitions Work The judges of Wushu competitions have three main areas of focus that they judge practitioners on.
Long Fist (chang quan), Southern Fist (nan quan) and taijiquan.
The practitioners are expected to show fluency and aesthetic achievement in both empty handed and armed combat with weapons forms.
The judges watch the competitors and award them points based on their styles and value of their physical performance.
The practitioners perform the sparring portion of their competition on a raised platform called a leitei.
The sparring portion is considered a sport.
Every two years, the International Wushu Federation hosts a World Wushu Championship, which is usually won by China, as Wushu is originated there.
It is something of a generic term that was coined by the Physical Culture and Sports Commission.
Their goal was to standardize the various styles of fighting and create routines that were based off of traditional teachings.
These styles and routines are used in competition.
The three main styles that are judged in Wushu competitions are chang quan, taijiquan, and nan quan.
These were based off of ancient Chinese martial arts.
The People's Republic of China brought them back in their own way for competitive reasons and to try to keep the styles alive and prevent confusion while attempting to unify them across the nation.
Many of the styles based on the three valued competitive art forms are believed to originate in southern China.
Wushu is a result of this attempt at refining the styles and standardizing them in a way that can keep the old techniques alive throughout the nation.
Philosophy and Principles Wushu involves two distinctly important principles.
Because Wushu is the name for various martial arts that have been standardized and compiled together for the sake of competing and impressing judges, there are specific things that the practitioners need to learn.
The first principle has to do with its forms, which include various martial arts and gymnastic or acrobatic styles that are practiced as a way to impress judges.
The practitioners train to perfect aesthetically pleasing jumps, flips and other entertaining forms that will help them to accumulate points in the final competitions.
The other principle that the practitioners work hard to learn and excel in is San shou, a sparring discipline involving the three main competitive art forms; chang quan, taijiquan (or tai chi) and nan quan.
Attempting to unify the forms with the teachings, and bring together both body and spirit is one of the main philosophies of Wushu.
Once the practitioner has accumulated an incredible amount of skill pertaining to the forms and san shou, they are ready to move on to professional competitions.
The most well-known competitor and winner of Wushu competitions is the actor Jet Li, who has won multiple medals in Wushu competitions.
Training Methods If a child wishes to master Wushu, they begin attending a school meant to train them extensively at the early age of seven.
Their days begin as early as six in the morning, when they wake up to do their stretching and some exercises that involve kicking, and a run.
Once these things are completed they have small break for breakfast until the more elaborate training begins.
The intensive training is meant to help the children grow into well-rounded practitioners in the martial arts, and they are trained in the 18 weapons systems.
Their training also covers taijuquan, nan quan and chang quan, which are considered the most important of the competitive art forms to the judges of the competitions that they are training to be a part of.
The children focus on these things intently until lunch.
After lunch, their studies commence and last until 5 in the afternoon.
Once they are through with their studies, it's back to work for another two hours of training until 9 at night, when they are finally allowed to rest for the evening.
During training, students give performances as they would during a competition and do dress rehearsals together, where they perform various feats as would be seen done by the Shaolin monks, where they root their breathing exercises from.
These exercises improve their strength and stamina.
During these acts, bands of students form, and if they excel, they may one day join professional teams that compete nationally and internationally.
Techniques The techniques compiled together to create Wushu as we know it in a competitive sphere are numerous and vast.
They were taken mainly from ancient Chinese teachings and martial arts.
There are four basic fighting techniques that are focused on; da (strikes), ti (kicks), shuai (throws/wrestling), and quinna (releasing from seizures).
The techniques for the three basic competitive art forms also have their own focus.
The most acrobatic or gymnastic of the three is chang quan.
Chang quan was originated in Southern China.
Taijiquan, which is also known as tai chi, uses fluid movements that tend to be very slow and graceful.
Nan quan's movements are abrupt and short.
It is combative and has a style that is heavy-hitting.
Styles The Physical Culture and Sports Commission created routines that were set around specific styles.
Through these styles, they strived to preserve much of the original styles as well as modernizing them and refining them into a system that could be recognized throughout their country as Wushu.
The original styles included routines for hand form, dao shu (broadsword play), chang quan (long fist), gun shu (cudgel play), jian shu (sword play), nan quan (southern fist).
The techniques for the three basic competitive art forms also have their own styles.
The most acrobatic or gymnastic of the three is chang quan.
Taijiquan, which is also known as tai chi, uses fluid movements that tend to be very slow and graceful.
Nan quan's movements are abrupt and short.
It is combative and has a style that is heavy-hitting.
How Competitions Work The judges of Wushu competitions have three main areas of focus that they judge practitioners on.
Long Fist (chang quan), Southern Fist (nan quan) and taijiquan.
The practitioners are expected to show fluency and aesthetic achievement in both empty handed and armed combat with weapons forms.
The judges watch the competitors and award them points based on their styles and value of their physical performance.
The practitioners perform the sparring portion of their competition on a raised platform called a leitei.
The sparring portion is considered a sport.
Every two years, the International Wushu Federation hosts a World Wushu Championship, which is usually won by China, as Wushu is originated there.