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Index of Articles
sAiYuK:So you want to start Wushu?
YiDao:
I am a White Man and Need to Jump
Are You A Sick Wushu Player???
Some tips on Free Forming
Progression in Wushu Training Techniques
Keep it in the Mother Tongue
So you want to start Wushu?
This article is specifically for those peeps out there who want to get started
in modern wushu for the very first time in their lives! Here’s a bit of advice
from the Outlawz.
We get a quite a lot of emails from complete beginners to the sport of modern wushu asking us various questions such as:
- “What is wushu anyway?”
- “Am I too old for wushu?”
- “Should I do modern wushu or more traditional stuff?”
- “Should I do tai chi or longfist?”
- “Can you tell me which is a good school?”
- “Which style will suit me better?”
- “I am really worried I won’t be able to do all those spinning fly kicking jumpy moves?”
- “I am just no sure if my body can handle it, what do you think?”
- “I’m 19, is it too late to start?”
- “Do you know of any teachers near me, I live near/on a farm”
ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC…
To be honest, questions like this are rather hard to answer considering that circumstances differ for each individual. But we’re here to help if and when we can to answer your questions about this amazing sport that is loved by so many around the world. Instead of you asking these questions, which in hindsight may be a little pointless, we’d advise how you may better use your time to get straight into it.
Simple, GO check out some schools, and TRY it out. You never know until you actually try it for yourself. Rather than ask other people’s opinions of it all, why don’t you just experience it for yourself and go from there. Here are some pointers:
First off though, some do ask about learning traditional in combination with modern wushu. Some will have interests in both so training in both is fine. For example, training in northern style Chinese martial arts will certainly be beneficial in learning Longfist in Modern wushu. Be sure to differentiate between traditional and modern and realise that both have different aims.
If your prior concern is applications, self defence and fighting then a traditional school may be what you are looking for. If you are looking for something athletic and acrobatic like with the sole purpose being on performance alone, then modern Wushu could be more suited to you
1. You’ve then seen footage of pro athletes on this wicked site (www.w1f.net) and now you want to imitate whatever it was that you saw.
- Do some research into what modern wushu is and what it’s all about. Briefly associate yourself with its history and origins. It might help to actually know the difference between traditional and modern or contemporary wushu (See “What is Wushu” article).
2. So now you know what modern wushu is and you want to get started. Once again, research into the different schools available to you in your local area. Most schools will have a website so take a good look. Email or make a brief phone call to the prospective coach/instructor/teacher of the school. Your prospective coach will be the one to answer all your questions regarding your training.
- Do not be afraid to ask if you can sit in on a class to observe. Discuss this with the coach in advance so he/she is aware of your attendance. A few people seem to think it is disrespectful to watch a class and then decide not to join for whatever reason. Not at all, this is a modern age and one has a right to chose a school that is suitable to him/her.
- What matters is how you conduct yourself. Contact the coach in advance to make an enquiry, politely ask if you may sit in on a class or even try out the first class. Most schools would allow this but some do not. It is up to the coach so be sure to enquire in advance.
- Arrive EARLY to the class you intend to watch. Don’t just turn up literally on the hour when the class has just started, it’s a bit rude to say the least. After the class is over speak to the coach and let him/her know whether you feel it’s the right school for you, and show some appreciation for being allowed to sit in.
3. So you have decided upon a teacher and school that you wish to attend. First off don’t walk before you can crawl. Your coach will be able to determine just how physically capable you are and what you can actually do. As complete beginners you will be expected to the follow the pack. Depending on one’s potential and ability you will grasp things quickly or perhaps slowly. You will eventually get an understanding of the basic wushu movements and drills. Your coach will be there to ensure you know exactly what to do.
- The first class for a newbie can be daunting. It seems everyone else knows exactly what, how and when to do things. You will feel at a complete loss and wonder why on earth you’re looking like a complete retard.
- The key is to enjoy it and let go of your inhibitions, everyone has to start somewhere. In your first few lessons you will be prancing about while your body mechanics adjust and you improve your co-ordination. But essentially you are familiarising yourself with the class structure, and the movements and the drills and so on. After a few lessons you will be able to visualise what exactly you are supposed to do. Soon your body mechanics will get used to these rather difficult and somewhat intricate movements. Your hand eye leg co-ordination will improve and so on.
- Don’t rush, like all things in life you can’t just turn into a badman over night. These things take time.
4. The KEY to all this, is your COACH. He/she will be able to educate you on stretching, movement, technique, what styles he/she can teach you, weapons, and so on. Learning from more senior students in the class can also be of benefit to you (Check out the articles by Vincent Hopkins of YiDao which provide tips on smart training).
The MOST important thing is PRACTICE. Modern Wushu is one of those ridiculously hard sports/arts that requires regular training to maintain even the slightest of improvements.
Consider the following factors when deciding upon a school/teacher:
1) Prices and rates
2) Distance you would need to travel – travel costs
3) Reputation of the coach or coaches
4) Quality of teaching
5) Class structure
6) Standard of the senior students
7) What you will be able to learn
8) Class Atmosphere – recreational, competitive or both
ETC ETC ETC….These are just some of the factors you may want to think about before you start. Everyone is different and everyone will perceive things differently so make your own mind up. Ensure that you are enjoying training and have complete trust in your coach who will help you through it.
Never hesitate to ask your coach if you are unsure or if you just don’t know! But above all ENJOY your wushu and train hard. The sport exists for everyone to enjoy at varying levels for varying ages.
Good Luck!
I am a White Man and Need to Jump
Do you have all the spring of a three-legged tortoise?
If so I got some quick advice for you and no, I am not some American with a gadget or program trying to get $29.99 a month out of you.
Below are some techniques I have found work again and again, now someone might come along with a scientific program to develop your muscles to optimum performance. But until robots takeover the world give these ideas a try. There is nothing fancy about them and you may know them already or you may have dropped them from your program, if so why not try them again.
My list of NO's for Taolu players
Running for miles - A routine lasts 80 seconds what is the pointing of building the type of endurance to run 4 miles "BIG WASTE OF TIME". We are doing martial arts but we are not in the Military.
Excessive conditioning (especially if it is not related to your taolu), Are you spending more than 40% of your time conditioning, if so redress the balance. Remember you are being marked on technique, not on the size of your biceps or how much weight you can lift.
Taking time away from your Wushu by practising other disciplines - don't get too bogged down in other activities, as it takes time away from your Wushu training. Do not get me wrong other activities are great especially those that are related to Wushu. You just need to be careful that it is not taking valuable training time.
My YES list
Running up stairs - one of the best ways to build explosive power. Find one of them massive Council flat towers where the lifts never work. There are two techniques that you can use:
Hitting every step - builds speed
Skipping a few steps, so you are taking 3/4 steps at a time.
Plyometrics - Especially The exercise where you drop off a raised surface on to the floor and rebound on to another surface - SPRING DIDDLY LICIOUS
Leg weights on your leg raises, careful when taking off the weights in case you kick yourself in the face with a lighting fast kick.
Do not use the leg weights where you have any extension of the joint, such as tan tui or ce chuai tui. Otherwise You could end up with a buggered (hyper-extension)up joint.
Wrist weights for your Nanquan routine, Changquan use wrist weights to practise wu long pan da. This will build your arm speed.
V-sits, Back & Side raises on a raised surface- get someone trustworthy to hold your legs and raise away and feel the burn.
Leg holds - straight back, locked knees and pointed toes - Try to hold above 90 degrees at the least. Good for leg control in the air, Hang that leg.
Running up walls and jumping off things in general, we used to do that squad training ages ago and know they have a proper name for it, some thing like FREE RUNNING. We used to do it when the coach was not about and it builds up your spring without realising because you see it as messing about.
Remember Keep it Real, Keep it Wushu
Vincent Hopkins
Yi Dao
www.liondance.co.uk
Are You A Sick Wushu Player???
Wushu has a multitude of diverse styles to learn and play. The techniques and theories will enlighten and educate players and fill them with a passion when they play these styles.
But there are still people out there who only play their main fist (changquan, nanquan, taijiquan), One short weapon and one long weapon. Now I know that will be many people who will say "oh but you can never master so many styles" and I would not disagree with them.
However, you know I never realised the flavour of the Dao & Gun until I had played the Jian & Qiang. I firmly believe you need to experience some of the big and not so big differences between the styles. Otherwise you will forever remain in the Kingdom of OnePonyTricksVille or maybe OneFistTwoWeaponFields.
Symptoms (feelings)
For instance how can you explain the springy feeling you get from playing tang lang quan, it is a hell of a lot of difference to playing changquan. How about the difference between the blinding speed of fanzi quan and rock hardness of nanquan.
Imagine never being able to sample those feelings, surely you would have missed out.
Now I need to put in a cautionary note here because there are certain people who are just forms collectors/hunters. These people will learn a routine and once they reach the end, they will try to learn another one without first practising the one they have just learnt.
They will never do well in their Wushu, as they have never bothered to master any of the routines they have learnt.
Form hunters are one of the most obnoxious species of Wushu player around and need to have their nuts placed in a vice and crushed.
Getting Therapy for a Wushu Sick Player
OK, let us broaden it out.
Your Wushu has turned to crap, you are totally spent and the thought of training is not making the tee-pee happen in the mornings anymore and your thinking of giving it all up.
If you had the opportunity to learn one of the following Gymnastics, Chinese Acrobatics, Dragon & Lion Dance along with your Wushu, would you feel that is a waste of time?
I have learnt these disciplines along side Wushu and felt that they have contributed massively to my understanding of Wushu and in certain cases have helped to nail a technique, which I was having difficulty with.
In what ways are these arts going to be beneficial to me:
The Medicine
Gymnastics - Just the amount of hellish conditioning they do is going to benefit your fitness, also with the current trend Wushu is going through. Learning to back somersault, flick, pike twist, etc are all going to be relevant.
Chinese Acrobatics - Chinese Acrobatics' Jibengong shares a lot of the same leg raising as Wushu.
There are many arts to learn but some of the most relevant to Wushu are hoop diving, flag dance, human pyramid, Fei Cha (flying fork). These arts will test your courage in ways that Sanda & Taolu does not.
How?
Because you will be putting yourself & others in physical danger if the technique is not done correctly. Great team builder, great for players with the ME, ME syndrome.
Dragon Dance - Great stamina & strength builder, all the running and jumping will have you knackered in no time. In the end, this is a great team builder, although at first you may want to punch the lights out of the person who keeps messing the move up. Also good for timing because if you mistimed a jump you usually end up flat on your face.
Lion Dance - "Forget training with a weighted vest to build your spring". Playing the lion head you will need good spring to perform the jumps required. Tail players need good timing and strength to lift the head players above their head. The footwork in lion dance uses the Wushu stances but they are played much lighter, giving a cat like impression. Both the Dragon & Lion Dance use the drum, cymbals, and gongs to bring the performance to life. The Drumming is perhaps one of the most addictive things to learn, as once you get a few basic beats you find you can't stop and you will be tapping out the beats every where you go.
Conclusion
I hope, I have given you some ideas on how to get yourself going again. As we all occasionally glut out on Wushu and feel sick afterwards. See the above article as a De-Tox Therapy to get you going again.
Keep it Real, Keep it Wushu
Vincent Hopkins
www.liondance.co.uk
Some tips on Free Forming
It looks like free forms are going to come in to use with the Gui Ding routines still being accepted at Nationals & (surely not) Internationals.
OK, I need to put a routine together How can I do it?
After much scratching of the head and a Homer Simpson like strain of the Brain, an idea comes into your head... Genius!
I will use the Gui Ding routine + rip off a few old & new skool moves I saw on W1F + a liberal splattering of nandu movements and hey presto one new routine that is going to rock the competitions.
That is until you coach sees it and lets rip with their opinion of your routine, with words such as pile, half baked and crap receiving much usage.
Below is (in my opinion) what you need to include in your routine. Please bear in mind that this is aimed at Changquan people, so all you Nanquan no necked buffed up short arses need not read on.
· You need to perform around 60 movements in no less than 80 seconds. Aim for 81-86 seconds to be on the safe side.
· Split your routine into 4 sections of 15 movements, or if you find it easier 8 sections of 7-8 movements.
· Map out you routine so that you cover all 4 corners of the carpet and include straight, diagonal and curved runs.
Stances
Everyone uses Bing Bu (feet together) at the beginning and end of their routine.
Defintley the 5 stances:
· Ma Bu - without your bum sticking out like a ledge
· Gong Bu
· Pu Bu - with out the knee inclining forwards - buggers your knees up when you get older
· Xu Bu
· Xue Bu - sit all the way down
Also add:
· Ding Bu
· Ban Ma Bu
· Zuo Pan - don't do it if you are stiff in the hips as it will show
· Cha Bu
Balances
Aim to have at least 2-3 balances in your routine with one of them being a Major (such as yen ci ping heng) and 2 minors (such as kou ti tui & ti xi ping heng).
Jumps
I would suggest now that you have to have at least 2 jumping combinations in your routine where as before in the past one would have sufficed.
Make one of the combos your major, for example:
Teng Kong Fei Jiao - Ce Kong Fan - Xuan Feng Jiao 540 Pi Cha (split)
And your second combo a minor such as :
Xuan Zi - 360
Remember to add some solo jumps and leaps to your routine as well.
Height
Your physical height will influence the type of routine you play.
A short player will be better suited to compact movements with bursts of explosive movement. A short player will out punch their taller counterpart and this should be stressed to catch the judges eye.
A tall player needs to make use of their long powerful limbs, I want to see them at full stretch with emphasis on circling, spinning and good coverage of the carpet to show the true flavour of Changquan.
Presence
Do people sit up and pay attention when you walk on to the carpet or do they reach for the crisp packet and turn round to talk to their mates.
If you have no neck you are in the wrong sport.
One of the first impression a judge gets of you is when you walk on to the carpet and if you walk on like a sack of wet s**t than his estimation of you will not be very high.
Practise walking on to the carpet and crisply saluting the panel of judges and then stepping into your starting position without fidgeting or biting your lip.
Remember there is a fine line between looking confident and looking arrogant - make sure you don't cross it.
Speed
One of the big problems that people who don’t put enough time into their training is that they move so slowly it looks like they are marking their routine rather than playing it.
Or
At the other extreme they rush it and miss out all the moment of stillness or build up, it ends up resembling a headless chicken.
Include good varition of speeds sometimes you will need to move slowly to emphaize a movement or you will want to explode into movement to show your speed.
Speeds
Fast / explosive
Slow / Still / build up
Power
Unfortuantley our sport does spawn a minority of people who look like they couldn't punch their way out of the paper bag. Make sure your techniques are clear, fluid and have jing (spring) or snap to them.
There is a brainless portion of people who say that wushu has no application.
You would think that the name Wushu (martial art) would give it away. But these Einsteins start going on about how you wouldn't fight the way you play the routine.
In my 20+ years of martial arts I can't recall too many people sparring/fighting the same way as they play their routines.
By learning the apllication it will help focus your technique otherwise you will be merely waving your hands about in pretty patterns. If that is so what is the difference between you and a dancer?
Below is a random list of wushu techniques that you can apply in combat:
Chong quan - I can apply it
Fan Yao - I can apply it
Pi Di - I can apply it
Za Quan - I can apply it
Tan Tui - I can apply it to your nuts
Deng Tui - A friend from Beijing took a guy out in McDonalds with this by aiming it at his chest as he waded forward
Stamina
Are you puffing like a fag hag half way through your routine? are you spewing your guts up by the end? Wushu is totally unforgiving if you are unfit, make sure that you undertake a fitness regime that includes doing repetitions of the whole routine that you are performing for competition. If you can get through 3 whole routines back to back then you will not have a problem doing it once at competition.
Style
A routine should have a certain style about it and should contain a signature move or movements.
The routine should have a good rhythm and this should vary in speed.
Typically routines should have:
A strong 1st section this is to give the judges a favourable impression of your talent.
2nd Section -Try and get all the high energy and tricky movements done by this section.
3rd Section - Slow it down, catch your breathe, the judge is looking at the marking sheet at this point.
4th section - End with a good strong finish before the judges head goes down to mark the paper.
Conclusion
There can only be one whatever you come up with. Remember to practise, practise and practise a little more.
OK, That’s all for now I hope you have found it useful.
Vincent Hopkins
www.liondance.co.uk
Progression in Wushu Training Techniques
"I want to be able to do this"
"I want to learn that routine"
"How do I do that new aerial thing everyone is doing".
As a wushu coach or sifu these are a few of the barrage of questions that you are asked by students.
More often than not they are disapointed with the simpistic answers given.
These answers will be typically
"You need to stretch more"
"You need to improve your jumping"
"You need to practise your basic routines before attempting to learn Ditan Sword"
"You need to practise that kick on the ground more before taking to the air with it"
"You're not going to improve by sitting on your arse"
Train Smart & Train Honest
As a student I want to progress quickly I want to wield the stick like my senior with the whoosing sounds included and I can't see myself doing that by practising Wu Bu Quan.
How can I progress?
Well again that can be met with a simplistic answer Train, Train and Train some more.
"Yeah, but I have to work/study and take the dogs for their walk, I dont have any time.
The answer lies in training smart we don't have the time like the pro's to work one technnique all day long. Being totally honest with yourself, you can waste a lot of training time work on useless techniques.
"Huh", what do you mean useless techniques?
Well to me practising whirwind kick is a useless technique if your Li He Tui (Inner Crescent) is not even above chest level and is not being delivered with a smooth action.
So in this case to train smart you will need to work your streching and practise your li he tui.
Yeah but this will take me years and I like to practise whirlwinds cos they are cool
Not true if you target your weakness and stop wasting training time on techniques you are physical not capable of yet, you will make rapid progress. Also by practising techniques you are not ready for you are renforcing bad habits which are a nightmare to get rid of in the future.
OK, OK, I believe you what else can I do?
Talk to seniors in the class, obviously don;t barrage them with questions during the class. As the you may be told to shut up by the sifu or have a shoe thrown at your head, try and find a moment before or after the class. Most people are pretty helpful and don't mind to answer your questions.
How Long have they been with the club?
Have they had prior training before joining the club?
Do they do their own training and if so how often and for how long?
Have they competed in any competitions or performed in shows? if so has this helped with their progression?
Mirroring
During my time I have used a technique that I call mirroring.
Basically what it involves is picking out who is the best at doing a specific technique in the class.
For example if I notice that Joe has a really good Whirlwind, then I will try to make mine faster, higher and with more rotation than his or I will land in a split instead of a horse stance.
In the right enviroment this really gets the class buzzing as everyone is putting in a 100%.
Of course to do this you have to have some ability in the first place to do this otherwise you are gone end up despondent if you are being totally unrealistic.
If you are a beginner you could pick out someone who is slightly better than you then try to surpass them in that technique.
When you have improved and are better than the choosen person, choose another person and repeat the process untill you get to the top.
Thats all for now folks
Remember Keep it Real, Keep it Wushu
Vincent Hopkins
Yi Dao
www.liondance.co.uk
Keep it in the Mother Tongue
Why do we have so many terms for the Xuan Feng Jiao?
"Tornado"
"Whirlwind"
"Jumping Inner"
The IWUF standardised Wushu terminology was created to avoid confusion. So why do we Non-Chinese do we mess it up and re-create the original confusion? What is so difficult about using the Chinese terms to describe the movements.
If in my class I say Pi Di, Dan Pai Jiao, Wu Long Pan Da, Za Quan, there is a recognition by the majority of the class of what I am asking them to do. OK, there are a few people who won't understand but they are normally trying to get to grips with which is their left leg and which is their right.
In Fencing French terms are used in Judo Japanese terms are used in Chinese Wushu terms like swing your leg and then slap it are used.
Why can English Pub Meisters come out with all the Japanese termniolgy to describe their judo techniques and we are unable to use the Chinese equilavent?
Please, please the terminolgy is there it is standard, I am sure scholars sweated and racked their brains to provide this wonderful way of describing techniques,
Their is a Wushu Glossary on this site, spend some time learning the correct names, I guarantee it will be time well spent.
Vincent Hopkins
www.liondance.co.uk