__Wushu (武术)__is simply a chinese word that means "art of war", "wu" meaning military and "shu" meaning art. To most of the world wushu is known as "martial arts". Kung fu is sometimes confused with wushu. Kung fu is directly translated to "time and energy". Wushu is the practice of using time and energy to train for war. Wushu is the art of self discipline for both the body and the mind. Wushu used to be a means for survival in combat but now it is practiced as sport or an art form.

• There are numerous different styles and variations of wushu. It would take several lifetimes to master all of them. When broken down, all forms of wushu will fit into one of the two main catagories. There is Internal Wushu and there is External Wushu.

Internal Wushu teaches the student to control their body from the inside. It involves alot of mental discipline. Internal wushu allows the student to gain power and control through the use of their mind.

• __Tai-Chi (Taijiquan)__ is one of the most commonly known forms of internal wushu. It is based on unifying the chi (energy) of the body with the mind. It is somewhat similar to meditation. It was designed to bring about harmony and balance between energy and mass.

External Wushu teaches the students to train a certain part of their body to preform physical tasks. The students train and condition their body to achieve a goal. This is an excellent form of exercise. External Wushu helps the student to obtain external power and master the art of combat.

• __Long Fist (Chang Chuan)__ is one of the most common forms of External Wushu. It is a broad name for several types of northern wushu including Mei Hua, Cha Chuan, Fan Zi, Shaolin and others. Most of these forms consist of a series of kicks, punches, blocks, and menuvers used in man to man combat. There are empty hand forms and there are forms that involve the use of weapons.

__Common Stances__

Weapons of Wushu: The weapons of Wushu are roughly broken into three catagories. Short, Long, Soft.

Wushu weaponary includes:

- sabre

- spear

- sword

- halbert

- axe

- battle axe

- hook

- fork

- whip

- mace

- hammer

- talon

- trident-halberd

- cudgel

- short cudgel

- long-handled spear

- rope dart

- staff

- meteor hammer

The Sword is known as the "gentalman of all weapons". It is the most common choice of all the weapons used in wushu. There are many different techniques used in sword combat.The main techniques include hitting, piercing, pointing, lifting, jumping and leaping, hanging, chopping, floating, poking, sweeping, wrestling, blocking and wiping. Some forms of wushu that involve sword play include Wudang, Bodhi-dharma, Longxing, Sancai, Qing-ping, Baxian, Mantis, Lianhuan, Drunkard and Xingyi. The sword is one of the most respected weapons in chinese culture.

The Sabre is called the "marshal of all weapons". It is used quite often during wushu routines. The main techniques of sabre play include chopping, hacking, cutting, pricking, lifting, poking, winding, blocking, pushing, and knocking. Sabre use requires a lot of training and it demands the student to be very coordinated. The sabre is one of the most difficult weapons to master.

The Spear is known as the "king of all weapons". It is the most popular long range weapon used in wushu. There are many different variations of the spear. In each type of spear, the shafts length can varry and the spear head can change in size and/or shape. The basic techniques of spear play include pricking, thrusting, circling, blocking, pointing, poking, holding and wringing.

The Cudgel is known as the "father of all weapons". All of the other weapons in wushu were created from the crudgel. The cudgel is the most basic weapon. It is easy to make and easy to use. They are mainly made out of wood and are used to sweep the enemies feet out from under them. The most commonly used methods in cudgel combat are chopping, swinging, jabbing, hanging, jumping, leaping, smashing, pointing, blocking, sheltering, holding, piercing, floating, carrying, poking, and lifting.

For More Information Visit these sites:

- www.wushu-leda.com

- www.beijingwushuteam.com

- www.wushulin.com

- www.taichiacademy.com

- www.wushu.com

- www.uswushuacademy.com