Wushu

Wushu, literally translated means Martial Art. Wu is 'Martial or Military' and shu is 'Art'. More precisely, when translating the characters themselves they translate to "The art of not fighting" or "The art of stopping violence". It can be a very effective form of self defense for women.

Wushu is the most popular national sport in China. It is practiced by all ages to achieve health, self defense skills, mental discipline and competition. It is characterized by fluid movements as well as aerial kicks, rolling techniques and weapons training.

Originally it was created as a self defense art through China’s many years of war and political upheaval. Today the emphasis has shifted from combat to performance. All movements possess sensible combat application and beauty. Importance is placed on speed, difficulty and presentation.

When starting training the student will begin with the longfist. Basic jumps and kicks will be learned first. Stretchkicks must be practiced at least four times a week to build flexibility. Basic floor gymnastics are also a requirement. It usually takes years of practice until the students are taught traditional hand styles and weapons.

In competition forms are judged and points given to specific rules. These forms comprise movements such as stances, kicks, punches, balances, jumps and sweeps. Changquan is the most widely seen of Wushu events. It requires immense flexibility and includes whirling, running, leaping and acrobatics.

Although still in the launching stages in many countries, it is an established international sport. Wushu was inducted as an official medal game in the Asian Games in 1990. Since then 56 nations have participated in the World Championships.

This is the Martial Art that Jet Li mastered. He started his training in 1971 at age 8 at an after school program. He won his first Men’s National All-Around Championship in 1974. He won same next 4 consecutive championships, also. He was already a national coach in his teens. In 1979 he switched to a movie career following an ACL injury.

The latest student to start making movies is Morgan Benoit. He acted and performed his own stunts in "The Forbidden Kingdom" and more recent films. He found that Martial Arts training pulled him away from the wrong group of friends and set his priorities straight. Martial Arts has taught him self-discipline, self-worth, self-respect and how to respect others. It took him many years of hard work and grueling training, but Wushu has been good for him!

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