The Wu in Wushu

My Uncle, Sifu Quentin Fong, third generation Tibetan White Crane Master.

I went to visit with my Uncle, Sifu Quentin Fong...........a few of the CalWushers have had a chance to meet him....but mainly nowadays he is in retirement...and spends his time finishing his book, The Lion Roar Martial Arts System.  If you saw Zhou Sing Chi's Movie ,Kung fu Hustle, they referred to it as a roar.........actually the name derives from a Buddhist Scripture......and refers to the profundity of the technique!   Anyways that is in his book.........but in the process of discussing his book, we got into a discussion of today's Martial Arts and the people who practice it.......Most student's nowadays are Wushu practioners........spending time on practicing form...and thinking that they are doing Martial Arts................the form is a wooden practice lacking precision or spirit.  I asked him why he said this..........he pointed out that most people practice only during class.....and in their spare time they are busy with their lives....or other distractions...............seldom thinking about or making the technique their own..........meaning you react naturally using the movements in your form....as if it were your instinctual response..........................modern wushu guys and gals can do this to a large extent....but only in doing a form....but not in actual application........and unfortunately, too often they concentrate not on martial art technique but on acrobatics....and "kool" moves.........and most often students do not want to practice Kung-fu.  Wait you ask, what do you mean?  Kung- fu is practicing basics............in taiji and Bagua it means doing standing postures and stationary Qigong........or walking the circle and doing Standing and Old Mother Eight Palms.............in Contemporary Wushu it's doing basic stances kicks and punches...........and not just doing them, but do them perfectly and powerfully......it's the time and effort you put into the basics  that differs you from the Master.  The form,  you practice it ,to remember how to use the various techniques in your system.  My Uncle reminded me that in the beginning there were no forms only techniques......and it all was known as Kung-fu....there were no styles or systems......those evolve in modern times.  So to understand what you are doing and to develop your potential, you must understand each individual technique....it's application and be able to do it with both hands......you must be able to generate the power and speed to use the technique.......only in this way are you actually practicing Wushu!  and only in this way can you derive benefit from it's practice.  Practicing the form does not necessarily give you any benefits.......if you cannot generate any Qi or be rooted to the ground you cannot generate any power and you are literally floating!   Wushu is often referred to in Chinese Literature as ground boxing......and that is because the power is derived from the ground and up  thru the leg and the waist acts as a link to the upper body.  In modern wushu this is real easy to see......just watch any of them do step punch......if the back foot moves to the rear when they punch.....there is no power.....only the upper body is generating power.....real power comes from the ground and the legs!  For Taiji and Bagua....you must be able to both sink and Peng.........peng is an exploding ball........well think about it.  Gotta go for now.........I'll blog more on my Uncle's Discussion later.......time for class!! Cya all!