Longfist - Wushu

Longfist - Wushu

Longfist, (in Chinese: Chang Quan) is the most popular wushu style. This is because longfist is the main style of modern wushu and young martial artists in China start with longfist and 2 compulsory weapons. At the beginning traditional styles are only practiced during holidays, if injured etc. Many Chinese martial artists train 10 to 15 years only do 3 to 5 forms. But these forms are performed in perfection. Beginning with monkey and drunken style would probably be fun, but longfist basics have to be master first. Once you are good at changquan, you can learn any traditional wushu form in a few hours. Changquan is a very acrobatic, athletic wushu style and gives you the speed, the flexibility and most important, the coordination, you need for all the other styles. For those who want to learn changquan: You can find all the jumps, the difficulties and basic moves on the top of wushu main. Other typical longfist techniques can be found below. Also visit the wushu video section for more instructions and basic forms.

Style Description

  • The most popular changquan form is called "Zixuanquan" (Self made form or freestyle form) That's your own changquan form, which you have to make up, once you reach a certain level. Your changquan zixuanquan should involve typical changquan techniques; stances, jumps, kicks, sweeps etc. When you choose your combinations, you should pick the most difficult techniques you can perform.
  • Typical changquan mores are: Smashpunches, Legholds, Butterfly Twists, Slapkicks, Sweeps etc.
  • Typical combinations are:
  • High rated techniques are: Special techniques like sweeps, legholds, jumps, combinations and difficult landings (for example split landings ). The highest rated difficulties are jumps with 720-rotations with split landings and legholds behind the back. The lowest rated difficulties are the cartwheel roll, the normal butterfly kick, the flying frontkick, front sweep 540, etc.
  • Longfist stances are very low, there are long runups and jump combinations with split landings.
  • Modern changquan forms are very similar to modern weapon forms. Stances, Sweeps, holds and jumps are performed the same way. The biggest difference is that you have to get used to holding a weapon in one hand while performing difficulties. Modern wushu weapon styles are: Broadsword and Staff or Straightsword and Spear.

Advice

  • Learn all the basics from wushu main.
  • A little guide: How to get started.
    Wushu Arm Circle
    All the Basic Wushu Kicks.
    Chuan Chang
    5 Stances Form
    Gui Ding Quan
    Zi Xuan Quan
    There are a lot more standardized longfist forms between the 5 stances form and Qui Ding Quan.
  • If you really want to become good at longfist, make sure you have a proper workout routine, (at least a few training sessions per week), stretch a lot, do plyometrics and learn about the right nutrition to improve you performance