Wushu, the Art of Exercise
By Cathy Ieong
The 16-member team of the Macau Wushu Association participated in the First World Traditional Wushu Festival held on October 16 in Zhengzhou, China. The team gained 32 medals altogether, including 21 gold, eight silver and three bronze medals.
Cathy Ieong shows her bronze medal in the First World Traditional Wushu Festival.
I was one of the representatives and received a second prize and a third prize in the items of long apparatus and pictographic fist. It is an ample reward for the eight years of hard training and exercise I have endured.
I first started to learn martial arts at the age of 16. I had a strong interest in learning Wushu because I knew that Wushu had a lot of advantages. Often, I practice Wushu three times a week in the Amateur Sports Club, which welcomes people of all ages who are interested in learning Wushu. The Wushu teacher is well trained and teaches every student by heart.
Wushu is the Mandarin Chinese word for "martial arts", and is the term used in China. It is also known in the West as "Kungfu". Wushu appeared in ancient China as early as 2,500 years ago. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Wushu has been developed both as a martial arts and as an official competition sport. It is different from other gymnastics. Its spirit concentrates on a kind of mental and spiritual activity, something like a spiritual nature. The movements of Wushu are unique, for instance, its stances, soars, jumps, punches, and kicks are different from other sports. In a set pattern of Wushu, performers use different parts of the body in different ways when they practice.
Wushu is definitely a healthy exercise. It can improve our health by enhancing the flow of blood in the body, and the circulation and harmony within the internal organs. For instance, Taiqi, a type of Wushu, in which most practitioners focus on the health benefits it provides, can improve our breathing system if we practice it regularly. From my own experience, I can feel that my health has improved after I have practiced Wushu.
Wushu is really worth learning as a sport. Learning Wushu not only can improve our health condition, but also can train our willpower and strengthen our communication skills through competitions.