Wushu

To put things simply, contemporary wushu is the modernised version of traditional Shaolin kung fu. It is a modern day sport / martial art rooted firmly in the ancient martial and cultural arts of China. Wu translates as war or military, shu translates as arts or skills. Therefore‚ wushu means martial arts.

No martial art exemplifies the art as much as contemporary wushu does. With its beautiful postures, spectacular jumping techniques and variety of exotic weapons and forms, wushu is both exciting to watch and to do. You may not be familiar with the name but chances are you have already seen some wushu, as it is definitely the current martial art of choice for the movies and media. Wushu is not only about flashy moves, however, the focus of the training is on the development of strong, powerful basics and martial application of the techniques.

Benefits for health and recreation

Contemporary wushu is an excellent form of exercise for men, women and children. Training in wushu improves strength, stamina, agility, flexibility, co-ordination, speed, mental concentration, confidence, spirit and reactions. The movements are interesting to learn and fun to practice. When beginning wushu the majority of training is practiced alone rather than with a partner as the focus is on developing students at their own pace. Only when a student reaches a reasonable level and feels ready in themselves is sparring introduced. Of course, being a martial art it is useful for self defence. Wushu is certainly not an easy art to learn and the training is hard but the rewards are worth the efforts for those who persevere.

Visit our classes page to find times and venues.