Wushu Back Twirl with Staff

Wushu Back Twirl with Staff

The back twirl (liao gun) is one of the most basic wushu staff techniques. The front twirl is a bit more complex than the back twirl. When you do the back twirl, the top of the wushu staff only passes once on the left side and once on the right side of your body. When you do the front twirl on the other hand, the staff swings more on the right side than on the left side. Find more wushu staff instructions at staff main.

Execution

  • Note: The thin end of the wushu staff is the "TOP" and the thick end is the "END".
  • Hold your staff with your right hand in front of your chest (thumb points up). Then put your left hand over your right hand so that the thumbs are crossed. The hands touch each other during the whole twirl.
  • Let the top of your wushu staff fall backwards down on the right side of your body. The staff is held with the right HUKOU (hukou = the area between the pointer and the thumb). The left hand only supports the twirl and is held close on the right hand.
  • Pull the top of the staff forward-up and shift your hands slightly to your left at the same time. This way the end of the staff will move down very close to the left side of your head.
  • Now let the top of the staff fall down on your left side and when it points straight down, pull your hands slightly to the right side again, so that the end of the staff passes on the right side of your head.
  • When the top of the staff points straight up, you are at the beginning again.
  • The back twirls motion is only 2/3 of the front twirl's motion.

Advice

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