Chinese Wu Shu JUNIOR competition:

[Sinister]

Some of the weapons stuff here while largely impractical is pretty entertaining:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62AKAkC9Kv8&search=wushu kungfu

Also, before anyone asks, the swords are made of spring steel, known for it's flexibility...hence the flimsy look about them. But if you've ever held one they are duly sharp when made for practical-use.

 

[CowboyPete]

That was freakin' awesome, especially the armed vs. disarmed stuff toward the end. These sort of things are like gymnastics floor displays except badass. The Cowboy gives his seal of approval.

 

[Sinister]

What's really impressive is those are all kids.

 

[Tim Chan]

how old are they?

It may actually be an advantage to be somewhat younger in this kind of competition, because of the way the joints are developped.

That's why a lot of gymnastic olympians are teens. But some kids here look pre-teen.

 

[Sinister]

I think the age-limit is 17 or 18 for Junior comps in China. I don't know about the joints thing because if you watch the adults move they are just as flexible but a lot stronger, and faster. More dynamic overall:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgegtu8Ehes

There's not many weapons in that, but just to show what I mean.

 

[k.o. kid]

i love that junior video i really do

 

[Sinister]

Heh heh, I know you do. BTW guys, I stole it from a k.o. kid post.

 

[D3thr0n3d K1ng]

Those swords are supposed to be able to bend arond obstacles and slash people hiding behind them.

 

[Gavin LeFever]

1) dancing is actually cool with weapons.

2) everytime i see a guy jump and land in a split, my nuts cramp.

3) man, i remember carving wood and sticks when i was younger and getting myself once in a while. gettin' yourself with one of those fatass machetes much be a whole other level of trouble.

 

[Tim Chan]

1) dancing is actually cool with weapons.

I like seeing girls dance with or without weapons. and ofcourse it's always cool to dance with them any style

 

[peregrine]

i was just told by a good friend there is a chinese wu shu and bagua national champ teaching near here, for 2-3 more years.

unfortunatelly i am commited to my current style. if i had a kid i would love for them to go. i would also love to learn real combative bagua. not just the dancing or the park forms... but the ones people can fight with.
what's sad is the martial application of many tma is dead or near extinction when 100-300years ago they were the real deal and trained for fighting 24/7.

 

[Tim Chan]

i was just told by a good friend there is a chinese wu shu and bagua national champ teaching near here, for 2-3 more years.

unfortunatelly i am commited to my current style. if i had a kid i would love for them to go. i would also love to learn real combative bagua. not just the dancing or the park forms... but the ones people can fight with.
what's sad is the martial application of many tma is dead or near extinction when 100-300years ago they were the real deal and trained for fighting 24/7.

I doubt you would see a real bagua guy with wu shu in general. The whole national champ thing makes me skeptical since Bagua. It would be cool if you found one, though who knows.

most ppl just say they practice real bagua, and don't even know they are missing all of the basics wich makes it bagua. The only ones I really know that do practice bagua are Yang Guo Tai and John Spak.