| Origins: China. Modern Wushu was created | | | | Ditang Chuan |
| to standardize and nationalize the many | | | | Tai Zu Chuan |
| types of Chinese martial arts. Wushu is | | | | Tong Bei Chuan |
| a general term that simply means martial | | | | Fan zi Chuan |
| arts, but most often when referring to | | | | Shaolin Chuan |
| wushu one is referring to contemporary | | | | Tai Chi Chuan |
| or sport wushu. For the purposes of this | | | | Hsing I Chuan |
| profile, I will concentrate on sport | | | | Ba Gua Zhang |
| wushu. | | | | Weapon Styles: Common weapons seen in |
| Wushu is the national sport of China and | | | | competition include |
| has spread around the world. There is | | | | Broadsword |
| sometimes a philosophical divide between | | | | Straight Sword |
| practitioners of sport wushu, | | | | Three section staff |
| specifically those who only work forms | | | | long staff |
| or Taolu, and traditional practitioners | | | | whip chain |
| who practice the combative aspects of | | | | rope dart |
| the martial arts. | | | | meteor hammer |
| The Two Sides of Contemporary Wushu: | | | | tiger hooks (hook sword) |
| Wushu consists of two major areas of | | | | Doubled versions of the swords, chains |
| practice - forms, or taolu, and | | | | or tiger hooks |
| sparring, or sanda/sanshou. | | | | Wushu and the Olympics: Supporters of |
| Taolu or Forms: Taolu is the portion of | | | | wushu have been fighting to be included |
| the sport that has begun to explode in | | | | into the Olympics as a demonstration |
| popularity worldwide. Wushu forms are | | | | sport, with hopes of becoming a medal |
| explosive, energetic and expressive. The | | | | sport like Tae Kwon Do and Judo. The |
| forms contain an impressive ebb and flow | | | | sport made it to the final selection |
| to them. Their artistic and gymnastic | | | | committee but failed to make it into the |
| qualities are very impressive. The | | | | 2008 Summer Olympics. This disappointed |
| speed, agility and flexibility of top | | | | the many teams from all over the world |
| level wushu athletes is something that | | | | who had held team qualifier events and |
| any athlete can admire. | | | | had been training with the hope of one |
| Sparring or San Da: The other side of | | | | day being Olympic athletes. In an effort |
| contemporary wushu is competitive | | | | to showcase wushu to a huge |
| sparring, also knows as sanda or | | | | international audience, the Chinese |
| sanshou. This involves full contact | | | | decided to hold a large international |
| fighting with safety equipment. The | | | | competition in Beijing to run with the |
| fighters utilize kicks, punches and | | | | Olympic Games. |
| throws in a scored match. | | | | The Future of Wushu: Contemporary wushu |
| Sub-styles: Wushu is as diverse and | | | | will continue to change and grow, but to |
| varied as the traditional Chinese | | | | what end is not certain. As wushu |
| martial arts. Wushu competitions have | | | | continues its path towards Olympic medal |
| divisions for everything from the fast, | | | | sport designation, it will have to |
| hard and acrobatic to soft and slow tai | | | | become more and more standardized and |
| chi (although the tai chi performed in | | | | sport-like, further removing it from its |
| competition is infinitely more athletic | | | | martial history. The same has happened |
| in nature than the typical form you may | | | | with Tae Kwon Do and Judo, as we see |
| see done by senior citizens in your | | | | schools that focus solely on the Olympic |
| neighborhood park). | | | | versions of those sports and have very |
| Empty Hand Styles: Empty hand styles | | | | little traditional combat training left |
| include | | | | in them. Hopefully traditional kung fu |
| Chang Chuan (long fist) | | | | or wushu schools will be able to fill |
| Nan Chuan (southern fist, also a broad | | | | the need for tradition and leave sport |
| term that includes many styles. A common | | | | wushu schools free to develop and grow |
| form seen is a tiger/crane set) | | | | into a whole new art form and sport. |