There are many forms of Chinese Wushu practice. The main three are: Practice routines, combat duels and skill-developing exercises.

Wushu routines consist of complete sets of forms, linking continues stream of movement, sometimes as many as one hundred. The composition order and rhythm differ for each routine, with variations in the intensity and technical difficulty of the exercise. These practice routines can be individual bare-handed routines; individual armed routines; set duel routines involving mock combat preformed by two or three persons either unarmed or mixed and group routines, bare-handed or with weapons, performed in unison by four or more persons.

Combat duels are combat practice by two contestants its commonest forms are:

1. Free Style Combat: Competitions involving un-armed duels, where the aim is to knock the opponent over with kick or punches. Competitors may or may not wear protection.
2. Push Hand: A bare-hand competition, where the competitions maintain constant contact at the wrist and aim to dislodge their opponent by pulling or pushing No kicking, punching or wrestling is allowed.
3. Short-Cudgel Duel: Each competitor’s weilds a short cudgel wrapped in lather or cotton padding. Both wear protection and he or she who hits the opponent wins.
4. Each competitor’s weilds a specially made long cudgel or pole and protective gear, the first to hit the opponent is the winner.

Skill developing exercises are part of the basic Wushu training for improving strength and fundamental techniques. These include standing pole exercises in which the trainee maintains a posture for a length of time and footwork, kicking stretching and tumbling. Some also involve the use of apparatus such as punch bags and multi-layered paper for striking practice, shaking rods, and wooden poles.

Wushu also helps the parishioners to develop power; grace; endurance, co-ordination, speed, reflexes and preserve him to overcome an opponent easily and to perfect his art to the best of his ability.

Dr. Gajanand B. Rajput is the founder of San-Bu-Shu, Martial Arts Authority of India & Chinese Wu-Shu Kung-Fu Federation of India. He can be reach at Website: www.wushukungfu.cjb.net E-mail: wushukungfu@gmail.com, maainternational@gmail.com or webmaster@wushukungfu.zzn.com