Front Twirl with a Wushu Spear

Front Twirl with a Wushu Spear

The front twirl (wu hua qiang) is one of the most basic wushu spear techniques. The front twirl with the spear is technically the same as the front twirl with the wushu staff. The only real difference is the length of the weapon => The spear is slightly longer. Find more wushu spear instructions at spear main.

Execution

  • Note: The thin end of your wushu spear (the side with the spearhead and the hairs) is the "TOP" and the thick end is the "END".
  • Beginning: Hold your spear in your right hand in front of your chest. The left hand only supports the twirl. Don't grab the spear too firm, (with the whole hand) or the whole movement will become kinda stiff. The right hand grabs with the "HUKOU". (tiger mouth) That's the area between the pointer and thumb. Keep your hands and the spear close to your body.
  • Right foot in front. (firm - toes point straight forward) Left foot about one shoulder width behind right foot (loose - only the toes touch the floor)
  • Let the top of the spear fall down in front of you. The end of the spear passes on the right side of your right elbow (outside) Keep the spear and you hands close to your trunk. The left hand only helps, the right hand does most of the movement.
  • The top of the spear passes on the right side of your legs and then goes under the right shoulder.
  • Turn you torso a bit to your left so that the shoulder opens and the spear can pass. That's why the back foot has to be loose. (but keep looking straight forward as you turn to your left) So the end of the spear passes on the left side of your legs. (right over your feet - because the spear has to be kept close to the body) And then the top of the spear passes on the left side right over your feet. Watch the hands in the instruction above: This is the only time when the spear touches the back hand of the supporting hand (left hand) for a short moment. Some wushu athletes let the spear run through the fingers at this point, others let it roll over the backhand.
  • Rotate the spear 180 degrees on your left side, so that the top up the spear points up again and twist back your upper body to the beginning position. Careful: This is not yet the end !!! (but the position of the spear an the hands and the posture are exactly the same)
  • Again let the top of the spear fall down in front you. (but not like at the beginning) Now the end of the spear passes on the left side of your left elbow and the top falls to the right side of your legs. Watch out: This is the only time your hands are really crossed. Relax the right hand more than normally so that the staff lies soft in the "HUKOU". If you don't do so, the spear will not pass close to the legs and the whole motion will be stiff and messed up.
  • Twist the staff 180 degrees on your right side, so that the end points down and the top up. NOW YOU ARE THE BEGINING AGAIN !!!
    Next: Let your wushu spear fall down again and swing it under your shoulder (see step 1).

Advice

  • Keep your hands close together and close to the chest.
  • Keep your wushu spear very close to the body. The further you swing it away from your body, the more likely you will hit your own legs. Exercise: Stand with your right shoulder on a wall and twirl your spear without letting the top or the end touch the wall. (your shoulder should be about one inch from the wall) Then do the same thing with your left shoulder on a wall.