The Kung in Wushu

Kung then is power and potential.....Kung-fu the way to develop it.  If you don't practice the Kung your Wushu in useless, and it cannot really help improve your physical condition, or develop mental focus and engender confidence..........this has been the topic of my Uncle's discussion on how to practice Wushu.  And it really doesn't matter if it's internal, traditional or contemporary Wushu........it all applies..........the difficult thing might be to identify what and how to practice.  In White Crane the emphasis is placed on Che Sin........turning the body....to do this properly you must grip the ground yet turn on your toes.....the turn must be quick, in contemporary wushu....the stances must be low, hip connected thru the waist where the power is generated.........in practicing the kicks, no part of the body may move you must use only your stomach muscles....and you must apply the power on the way down........too often most students apply the force on the way up.........you can't knock anyone down this way!  Again until you can do this well learning forms is a waste of time.....too many American Wushu Students only interested in the fluff and not the substance.  One of the Calwushu students asked me how he could improve his Nanquan.........I asked him did he know any Nanquan basics..........he replied he had only been taught the form........he did not even know what the basic punches and kicks were........my Uncle pointed out that most Wushu Practioners use Chang Quan method of generating power in their Nanquan forms.....so they are not able to capture the spirit of Nanquan at all.  In older times even the Bagua Stylist were afraid to fight the Nanquan Guys.....and that's because real Nanquan has a tremendous amount of techniques at it's disposal..... eight different punches, eight different kicks........and is very fierce and powerful Again stances and individual techniques of Nanquan are important to practice separately......and of course cut back on doing long fist basics! In  Bagua, one should concentrate on footwork...........Taiji on handwork........you must understand the Kung for each style....as they are similar yet different for each.  But because they are internal.....you must start with developing your Qi, and learning to calm the mind so you can harness the strength in your body....you must learn to feel the Qi............and connect it to your limbs by using your yi....or intention.............which you can only do if you understand the use of the move......it is afterall shadow boxing....you are fighting an imaginary opponent.

Another topic my Uncle and I discussed was: why practice weapons?  While practicing my Taiji sword at the YMCA, a woman came and told me I was too violent..........and that sword practice was not in the spirit of excercise..........another case, one of my senior students told me it was a hassle to carry around weapons so she would stop practicing them altogether.  True weapons are no longer useful........a gun works way better........but then we are not practicing a weapon for self defense.  Of course in Ancient China these were weapons of war........but today they serve the purpose of helping you to develop your foot work  and hand eye coordination......in addition think of the sword as an extension of your hand........if you can extend your power to the end of a weapon....it makes your hand techniques that much more powerful.  My Uncle pointed out that most students don't realize most hand forms developed from weapon forms originally................the staff became a fist....the straight sword the sword finger, the edge of the hand a broadsword............in fact you can take any weapon form and convert it into a hand form. Marvin..........  one of our senior instructors and a Sifu in his own right was..........one day practicing what looked like a new Bagua form in Class............someone asked him what form it was......Marvin smiled and said that it was merely his Bagua Weapon form turned into a hand form!  Weapons then develop your upper body power....and force you to both root and move lively....as it requires more effort on your part to control the weapon.  Speaking of weapons though.....my Uncle said that many wushu students don't know the characteristics of their weapon.........nowadays straightsword and broadsword look the same...this goes for spear and staff too!!  The flower and fancy spins that they do in straightsword....all come from the broadsword..........they are there to strengthen your wrist......they are for training,  not use.......the straightsword technique is different from those of the broadsword.   Also, when do you ever throw your sword in the air..................those movements are borrowed from Beijing Opera and rhythmic gymnastics............not wushu.  To choreagraph an individual form....you must follow the characteristics and basic techniques of the weapon.......and you must show both attack and defence.....not just string countless flowers together and think you are practicing the Jian.   To go back to the original question.....practicing weapons is essential to developing your understanding of the techniques and improving your hand forms.  Whew,  I hope I have not bored any of you reading this.....this all came up in talking to my Uncle about his new book many of these questions are covered in his book.....which originally he began writing to answer questions from his own students.  It is interesting to note that the book has caused a big uproar in the Traditonal wushu circles........many sifus think my Uncle is telling too much.........but if you don't pass on the knowledge of the real practice...eventually it will be all lost!!  Ok, I think I have rambled  long enough..........time to get some rest!  Bye !