THE REALISTIC APPROACH

THE REALISTIC APPROACH

Martial arts practitioners have many and diverse goals in practicing this form of physical culture. It should be borne in mind that many people practice Wushu for the health benefits and are not overly concerned with either fighting ability or "machismo." There are many styles of Wushu and most do a good job of exercising the entire body while not being too demanding about the size of the workout area...gender and age are of little consequence. What a grand sport!
Contemporary Wushu emphasizes accurate, artistic movement. The more newly created sequences often combine aerials, tumbling, etc. with the traditional requirements to make the form more impressive or sophisticated. It is a quality of human nature to love beauty of movement, so the practice of these embellishments is understandable...as long as the core movements and the martial philosophy remain intact. The rapid spread of Wushu practice and the appreciation of its performance are good indicators of the general appeal this sport has to people.
Once again it is worth repeating that the martial roots of Wushu should not be forsaken in the rush to display physical ability, for therein lies the distinction between Wushu and dancing. Of the hundreds of styles of Wushu, each has its specialties and interesting history. It is good for an individual to specialize in one style, but it is also important to continually improve by being attentive to the good points of other styles.
The easily accepted "closed door" thinking should be discarded in order to bring a healthy attitude which compliments our contemporary society. Fortunately for all of us, there are many martial artists who are currently sharing their knowledge and research of various styles. "Wu-de," or martial virtue, is the foremost quality of a martial artist. A famous Chinese proverb says, "A full can of water will not make noise, but a half can does." All truly good martial artists, from ancient times to now, have displayed good character and personality control as an example for us to emulate. Although there are thousands of practical training methods, there is no absolute method.
Methods usually imply strict formulas, but people are all different. Efficient use of martial formulas hinges on the understanding and judgment of the individual practitioner. The key point in learning is understanding "why," not "how." The successful practitioner can implement one technique in many variations if his understanding is good; an unsuccessful aspirer will learn one technique and therefore know only one. Realistically, a person who learns a sequence of sixty or so techniques will not be able to use them equally well in an actual situation, but his learning of timing, essence, and the underlying principles of a style make the study more than worthwhile.
In real life, many martial-arts masters were famous for using one simple technique to defeat opponents. The process of discovery in the form that you are learning is more important than the final answers at which you arrive, because there is no absolute answer. That is why there are so many varieties of martial arts! Strategy is another important consideration while learning the essences of a form. You must constantly evaluate the environment, your opponent, distance, etc.
As a simple illustration of strategy, if an opponent appears strong and maintains an overpowering stature, one can pretend to be weak, even insipid, in order to induce him to drop his guard or relax his concentration. A sudden powerful attack from this weak-looking position can be physically and emotionally devastating. Conversely, sometimes a confrontation can be disarmed or won by a display of power, but tempered with caution. There is an applicable Chinese proverb: "Attaining victory by inducing fear in your opponent is better than expending yourself in a physical fight."
There are many "traditional" strategies such as "attack by defense," "retreat to attack," "stay in the center in order to attack from the sides," etc. One can trap an opponent by exposing some area to attack but have a counterattack prepared. A sudden change in rhythm and direction can be effective. The variations are endless; spend time thinking about them. In summary of practical thoughts during your study of martial arts, consider the following: When sparring, do not hurry to succeed and do not try to win through strength. Wisdom and courage are the most important factors. The keys for winning are sharp eyes, fast hands, courage, strong stance, solid strength...plus a confusing combination of techniques. Always continue in your training of the basics, because these have the greatest application in practical situations.