Wushu is a wide category. Practically all chinese martial art is referred to as wushu. Wushu can be divided between north and south, internal and external ( soft and hard ). Soft doesn't mean it has to be like 'taiqi' it just means the force comes from within in not just practising hard style wushu. Which is basically conditioning the body to withstand hits and hit sand etc. (we all know this so i won't elaborate)

  • Nan quan Bei tui
  • wudangjian shaolin gun

Those two are famous wushu proverbs. Nan quan 'southern fist ' Bei tui 'northern footwork' . Nan quan comprises of fist forms from the south.

Most of these styles have their own uniqueness. Though the more famous styles are hongjiaquan  made famous by wangfeihong( wongfeihong  if you don't know him go watch 'once upon a china' staring jet li) . He was a real hero fighting the british and you have yong chun made famous by the late bruce lee.

I personally like cailifoquan style which combines both northern and southern style. The story goes a young man wanted to learn martial arts but the master instead of teaching him made him into more of a housekeeper, so he looked though the windows and any chance he got at the training. just by listening and watching he slowly trained himself.  One day a rival school place a huge bolder at the entrance of the school gate. the master asked all his students to move it. when no one could our little friend went and kicked it and the bolder moved. upon seeing this the master gave him a letter and sent him to a famous school up north. after many years he return and created cailifoquan north and south.

Many  chinese schools in malaysia teach cailifoquan, hong quan and yong chun/wing chun. Alot of self defence classes teach steps how to defend yourself. I've been taught ziranquan ( it's a fujian style meaning natural fist  )

Bei tui means northern legs. Now i don't really understand why westerner place so much emphasis on doing splits and trying to spread their legs wide. Though it could come in handy, but i never understood. Myself like most people, learnt tea kwan do, though i was never any good. What bei tui means  how to use your opportuinity at the right moment to attack. Boxing is a good example, they place a lots of emphasis on the legwork and it looks simply enough but its not easy to apply. Bei tui allows a normal person to achive this effect ,that 'charging' movement.

So the proverb means south fist combining north footwork makes a good combination of hand leg movements. wudang jian shaolin gun just means in china wu style swords kicks ass while the shaolin staff rocks.putting it bluntly:)

Now there are alot of styles out there. Why learn form and what to learn?  well anyone can try and be a tough guy. but a tough guy without skill is like a diamond which hasn't been cut. (if you don't understand well diamonds in original state has no real value unless cut , that's what makes it valuable)

In wushu there is no end. we will all be students till our end. When a person isn't able to learn or evolve he/she just remains stangnant. not joining the circle of life.  I teach wushu to make more teachers not more students. We all need guidance so i hope i can help.