subject: Some Pointers In Learning Wushu [print this page] Wushu was originally known as a an ancient art of fighting in China. Today, it has emerged as a popular form of martial arts and has gained a good loyal following.
"Wu" which means military and "shu" as art, Wushu plainly means military arts. With its evolution through time, Wushu nowadays is not just considered as a martial arts technique, but a form of sport and performance art as well.
If you are only now just hearing about and becoming interested in Wushu and you should start by knowing about its rich background and history. Wushu includes movements that require entwining footwork; snake-like bending of the body and cadenced hand and foot coordination.
People have already recognized that with Wushu, they not only learn defensive and offensive skills, they also acquire a more sound body and highly developed mental faculties. Wushu contributes in achieving balance, body coordination, and strength among others.
Warm up and limbering exercises will be beneficial for you before actually going into the postures of Wushu to avoid injury. Just dedicating five minutes a day in stretching your neck, legs and back can be very helpful.
Wushu practitioners have to do precise poses and techniques that need fluidity and balance. If you are armed with flexibility, you are more able to execute difficult techniques.
When you have decided to continue with learning Wushu, the next thing you have to do is find a school, preferably within your area. Because Wushu and the other Chinese martial arts, have become very popular, there are schools offering this ancient art all over the world. You can browse the internet and look for schools that are near your residence area.
Before finally deciding to enroll in a particular school, it is also keen to check the place, the teachers and the students first. You may visit your prospective school and watch some classes to find out if you will feel comfortable with the setup and the teachers as well. The school instructors should welcome visits and inspections as well as questions you may have for them.
To fully utilize and expand your obtained skills from Wushu, it will also be beneficial if you study gymnastics. Gymnastics training can prop up your Wushu training as these two different activities develop dexterity, muscle strength and coordination.
Aside from learning directly from your instructor, it is also important that you practice stances by yourself. This Chinese art has many distinctive postures that are repeated several times to develop fully the leg muscles.
For instance, adopting the horse stance will require you to stand with your legs apart with your feet and knees pointing outward. This is your pose as you throw strikes and wedges at the opponent.
Of course, it is important that you attend your classes regularly. Four days a week is good enough to gain muscle memory. Furthermore, it will help if you practice regularly.
In the end, as you continuously dedicate your time and effort in learning this primeval martial arts technique, all your efforts will finally pay off.
