The Worst Wushu Sash Test I Ever Took

Before playing the YouTube videos below, please turn off the audio or video played on the right section of this blog. *sigh* Monday again... I came late today cause I got to drive my Uncle's car instead to wait for the bus every 7:05 AM like used to do. Well, the "grand manager" isn't here yet, surprise, surprise, cause he's one of those workaholic type who comes at 8:00 AM sharp and leaves after 6:00 PM everyday! I can't wait to get back home today, 6:00 PM for a more complicated wushu practice. Finally, compulsory forms cause now I'm officially a green-sash student, which means that I'm officially in the intermediate level =) Even as an intermediate wushu practitioner now, I still can't land on both legs whenever I do the jump-front kick and I can't do the legs-cross sitting stance. But to earn this sash, I was drained to my last breath last Saturday. Yes, as a wushu student, I had to take a sash test to earn a higher level.

Frankly speaking, I was terribly dissapointed with my performance on the sash test, especially when I performed the complete basic broadsword form. This form consists of 4 sections, when I took the gold sash, I was asked to perform just 2 sections of this form, but this time, the whole 4 sections, cause this Tuesday I will be learning compulsory broadsword form, the form used by wushu athletes at various wushu competition. So I have to finish the basic broadsword form. Actually, I have no problem at performing changquan forms (long-fist barehand) and broadsword form, which is my specialty weapon. I was more worried to perform the staff form, the only weapon I can't seem to figure out until today. I was even praised by the tai-chi practitioner, who was one of the test judges, that my chanquan forms are more powerful and more flexible than they used to be. I had to perform 3 full basic chanquan forms and the first section of the intermediate-compulsory chanquan form (some said it's the junior-compulsory changquan form). In addition to the broadsword, I was planned to perform 2 sections of the basic staff form. For a demo of how the compulsory broadsword form looks like, click on the video below. This is the exact form that I will have to learn this Tuesday, so imagine me doing that with much, much less perfection =p I can do the side split, but my back leg has to bend a little cause I still can't do the split really low. Freddy suggests me to practice the split everyday even when I'm not training for wushu, it's just that I'm too lazy to do that at home =p

The routines performance (basic stances, such as front-stance punch, slap-kick, cartwheel, etc.) and the chanquan performance went well. These drained a lot of my energy, I was panting like a dog after doing all of these forms =p The trouble started when I was called by Sifu Lu Xiaolin (the Headmistress of my wushu school. She's also a member of U.S. National Wushu Board of Directors and U.S. National Wushu Judges/Coaches.) to perform the broadsword form. I couldn't get rid off the thought of having to perform the complete sections of this form. I was more anxious when suddenly Stephon (he was acting as one of the judges as well. By the way, this good friend of mine who is about my age is one of the U.S. National Wushu team members and he's one of the top 5 wushu athletes in U.S. So I'm lucky to learn from these top-notch wushu athletes in the U.S. =p) announced that he wouldn't count every sections I did, so when he said go just performed. Usually he would count so I had the time to pause for a while and think. The result was, right on the third section, I completely forgot the rest of the movements, making me stood there completely clueless. I have never been in this kind of situation and never felt this embarrased. I kept on thinking positively that this was not a competition and I would pass anyway. What dissapointed me is that, this is my specialty weapon, I even practiced myself at the basketball court at the back of my apartment which lured many eyes to stare at my sword =p (I will never, ever practice weapon forms outdoor again.) I always thought that this is the weapon I'm most comfortable with and I already got the idea of the dexterity, speed, and power of the movements when doing this form. And to my surprise once again, I was not called to perform the staff form. I was terrified that I thought that I did so terrible on the broadsword form that I got skipped from doing the staff form which could mean that I failed the test (which could mean another 2 months of being a gold sash student and learning the same thing I've been learning these past 2 months.). Well, after the test, Sifu told me that she noticed my expression that I was surprised during Stephon's announcement so she noticed I became nervous and I rushed too fast. I didn't give myself a time to think for a moment for my next movements. She also told me that the reason the judges did not ask me to perform staff form was that I already performed the routines, 3 1/4 changquan forms (1/4 of these forms is the first section of the intermediate-compulsory changquan form) and a complete set of basic broadsword form, which is too much for a gold sasher. Well, eventually I passed with a very generous score (for gold sash to green sash, I think the score range is from 7.2 to 7.6. I got 7.4.).

Well, enough said, I'm just looking forward to this evening's practice. When I called Stephon yesterday, I forced him to teach me compulsory chanquan form while I get to finish the intermediate-compulsory chanquan form =p He gives up and finally agrees with my demands, some student I am, huh? =p (at first, he didn't agree with my request and he insisted that I finish the intermediate-compulsory changquan first so I wouldn't get mixed up and confused. But I kept on nagging him =p) I just realized that it's been almost a year since I first started wushu back in June 6, 2005 (I still remember that horrible first day of training. Now I lost so many weights because of practicing wushu.). And I grow to love this sport even more everytime I practice. I love wushu for its graceful, fluid, circular movements yet rapid, fast, and powerful. For those of you who have no idea of how competition wushu looks like, below is the video of my most favorite sport and one of the only three sports that I like (these other two sports are swimming and tennis). BTW, I like this video's background music, Linkin Park's Breaking the Habit, the song really suits the vigor nature of wushu. Anyway, I realize that I can't be as good as these athletes as I'm training for health and for fun (besides the fact that I started late at this stage of life. I need to train harder on flexibility and conditioning. I have to stretch more but I'm too lazy =p), but I'm trying hard to get as near perfect as they are. I hope someday I will be able to upload my very own video of me performing wushu forms (which means I should be doing perfect performance with very minor flaws.). And click the next bold word for definition on what competition wushu is by Wikipedia. All I can say is that competition wushu is a Chinese Martial Art that focuses more on performance or styles/stances rather than on self-defense. Most people recognize Wushu as Kung Fu (which actually means skills gained through hardwork and rigorous practice. So a Basketball player can also be said to have a Kung Fu =D). Enjoy and have a great Monday.