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Are You A Sick Wushu Player??? |
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Written by Administrator
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Saturday, 26 July 2008 15:51 |
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
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Last Updated on Monday, 28 July 2008 21:32 |
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