Traditional Wushu Hand-Forms

Traditional styles are more about applications, while modern wushu is all about acrobatics, speed and good looking movements. Some traditional wushu styles emphasize on the internal aspect or qi flow, while others focus on applications. Find basic wushu instructions at wushu main. In traditional martial arts every movement has its application and it's history.

Description

  • Most practitioners of traditional wushu say that modern wushu is not even a real martial art and that young athletes are destroying wushu art and culture. But in fact, these same young athletes will practice traditional wushu when they get older and that's where the circle closes.
  • Well know traditional hand-styles are: Animal Styles, Xing Yi, Taiji, Ba Gua, Tong Bi, Da Hong Quan etc.
  • Traditional Styles are divided into 4 groups. The rarest styles are in group 4. These styles are not seen very often. For example the drunken monkey. More popular traditional styles like Taiji and Nanquan are in group one.

Advice

  • Most raditional styles involve less acrobatics then modern styles.
    Exceptions: For example Di Tang Quan and Eagle Claw.
    Young athletes usually start with modern styles and practice traditional forms when they get older. Everybody can learn traditional martial arts, while the jumps and the difficulties become more difficult when you get older. If you want to get good at wushu, don't spend too much time learning hundreds of different traditional forms/styles when you are young enough to learn the jump. I recommend you take every possible minute for difficulties and work on traditional wushu styles only when you are too exhausted or overtrained or when you are injured.