Wushu Staff Flip

Wushu Staff Flip

In this lesson you will learn how to flip your wushu staff in the air (pao gun). This is the only modern wushu staff technique where both hands release the staff. At the beginning you will always do the wushu staff flip after the staff smash. Later you can try to do a wushu back sweep or stretchkick while the staff flies through in the air. A very advanced combination with the staff flip would be a wushu jump kick where you catch the staff in mid-air (before you land). Find wushu wushu staff techniques at staff main.

Execution

  • The staff is usually flipped after a wushu staff smash variation. (jumped, standing or twisted) First of all stand up and bring your staff to a vertical position, so that the thin end of the staff points up. The right hand holds the thick end of the staff, like if you were balancing a stick vertical. (not firm) To adjust the distance between the hands, let the staff slide through your left hand.
  • Shortly before you step forward, pull the thick end of the staff up towards your chest and release both hands in time, so that the staff flips around in the air. Make sure the staff flips around in a vertical layer.
  • While the staff rotates in the air, perform a wushu technique, (for example a back sweep or a stretchkick) and grab the staff with the right hand first, when the thick end points down again. At the beginning it's OK if you just step forward while the staff rotates in the air.
  • The staff flip is often followed by another staff smash variation. Of course you can also do a one-handed staff twirl afterwards. However, I recommend you learn the staff flip FROM and TO a wushu staff smash, which is the easiest and most common staff flip combination. Later you can try to do a back sweep while the staff rotates in the air. Or do a flying frontkick and catch the staff in the air.

Advice

  • Throw your staff high enough so that you have sufficient time for one wushu technique while the staff rotates in the air. However, you should be able to catch the staff right after this technique. It looks stupid if you just stand there waiting that the staff falls into your hands. So you shouldn't throw the staff too high either.