Predmet ZAMOLBA2013 ovdje skinite Zamolbu kamo se nalazi i ziro racun na koji mozete napraviti uplatu za donaciju ili treninge
28. svibnja zapocinje 2 . tjedni tecaj taijia i qigonga (potrebna prijava na kontakte na slici) utorkom i cetvrtkom od 19 sati (za ostale termine kontaktirajte nas) . Druga opcija je subotnji trening s istim programom od 17 do 21 ( opcija nedjeljom je takodjer vazeca) . Jedna subota je 200 kuna, cijena 2. tjednog programa je 150 kuna, ako uzmete oboje onda je cijena samo 300 kuna. Dobrodosli . Radi se bazicni Zhineng (wisdom healing) Qigong set za tijelo i um Peng Qi Guan Ding , vjezbe zagrijavanja i strukture tijela, prvih 18 pokreta duge taijiquan taichi forme Yang Cheng Fu, stojeca meditacija San Xin Ping Zhan Zhuang te osnove taijiquana od stavova, disanja, pravilne strukture tijela , kostiju i kraljeznice. neke od koristi su > poboljsava ravnotezu i gipkost , Jaca kosti, Odrzava tetive elasticnima, Jaca unutarnje organe, Produbljuje disanje, Prevencija i iscjeljenje bolesti, poboljasnje zdravlja, inteligencije i mentalne sposobnosti
takodjer upisi u ljetnu sportsku grupu od 10 do 16 godina , znaci mogu biti i iz drugih klubova na usavrsavanju za svoje klubove i rezultate , iz raznih sportova , trenira se kombinacija wushu i taekwondo , dinamican trening i naravno trening strpljenja , ocekujte neocekivano jer rezultati ne doaze slucajno vec samo vrhunskom pripremom. Upisi na gornji broj i na otvorenom prostoru kako smo i vjezbali kad su moji ucenici bili prvaci Hrvatske . Dobrodosli !!!!
Malo povijesnih cinjenica in english and croatian language , little history lesson >>>>>>
1999. odrzano je prvo Tehnicko Prvenstvo Hrvatske organizirano od strane Hrvatskog taekwondo Saveza clanice WTF-a , moji ucenici , kako sam vodio klub Kamenjak – Rab , osvojili su timski zlatno odlicje , i naravno bili su najmladji , pobijedivsi seniore iz renomiranih klubova s puno boljim uvjetima treniranja kao sta su maksimir, Dan Gun, Metalac, Karlovac, Centar, Suedgrad Sokol, Dijamant, Bjelovar,….
1999. Croatian Taekwondo federation, member of WTF , organised first techical national championship and my students as you see here ,(i was one and only coach for Taekwondo klub Kamenjak – Rab) won team gold medal , while they were at a time only 13 and 14 years of age , they left behind seniors from clubs that had beter training conditions …
http://free-zg.t-com.hr/dogi/tp1.htm
NOVOSTI > Asian Explosion i Konfucijev institut Sveučilišta u Zagrebu (http://www.ki.unizg.hr/) donose vam jednu novu i uzbudljivu poslasticu: Kao finale tjedna kineske kulture nakon brojnih zanimljivih radionica i predavanja od strane njih i njihovih kineskih suradnika, u subotu 18.5. organiziramo Chinese party! Vise na https://www.facebook.com/events/456841561065700/463187827097740
raspored radionica za tjedan kineske kulture http://www.ki.unizg.hr/tjedan_kineske_kulture_2013
Za tu priliku će caffe bar teatra &TD (u Savskoj iza SC-a) biti posebno preuređen za potrebe našeg dance party-a, unutra sa prostranim plesnim podijem koji će zablistati pod svjetlima disco kugle, azijskim dekoracijama i naravno video wall-om gdje će se vrtiti glazbeni spotovi, a vani na terasi će se uz neko osvježavajuće piće moći rashladiti i nabaciti plesne korake oni kojima unutra postane prevruće.
S ovogodisnjeg Medjunarodnog Wushu Prvenstva kojese je odrzalo u Hong Kongu majstor trener i sportas Nikolas Maricic vratio se s tri zlatna odlicja u disiplinama Fitness Qigong, Taijiquan 42 i Yang Taijiquan Master and athlete Nikolas Maricic – Wolf won 3 gold medals 1. Fitness Qigong Eight triagrams boxing in wushu gongli , wushu gongfa and fitness qigong perfromance 2. 42 style Taiji Quan , wushu taolu championships 3. Yang style Compulsory Taiji Quan, wushu taolu championships https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200903610296638.1073741826.1356570189&type=1&
Pregledajte cijelu stranicu prije nego dodjete na trening look at entire blog and enjoy then arrrange seminar with Master Nikolas.
Master Nikolas will atend Hong Kong International Wushu Championships in april http://www.hkwsj.com and visit Macau for training . Contact him at wushucroatia@gmail.com for classes or donations. Za donacije javite se na navedeni e-mail za ovo medjunarodno natjecanje na kojem se predvidja dolazak preko 6000 natjecatelja . Uz do sada donaciju od Primorsko Goranske Zupanije http://www.pgz.hr za natjecanje prije ovoga nadamo se i Vasoj donaciji za ovo natjecanje, slobodno se javite. Ziro racun mozete pronaci na slijedecoj slici a Zamolbu na vrhu ovog bloga. 
Nikolas Maricic – Wolf, master coach of Wushu, Qigong and Taekwondo appeared in radio show of China Radio International, Kineski Radio Internacional 
http://www.facebook.com/wushu.croatia
donatori sponzori novi clanovi, firme, sportski klubovi pregledajte blog i javite se prije odlaska na veliko Medjunarodno Wushu Prvenstvo u Hong Kong http://www.hkwsj.com
studenti http://www.ki.unizg.hr i http://www.facebook.com/KonfucijevInstitut.UNIZG dodjite na Martinovku na taiji wushu kao sat tjelesnog odgoja , javite se profesorima i zapocnite s strucnim voditeljem majstor Nikolas Maricic – Wolf , ostali kontaktirajte nas prije dolaska na druge termine koji su na Sumarskom fakultetu i Draskovicevoj te Parku Maksimir, za druge lokacije jedino ako uspijete sakupiti grupu vecu od 20 polaznika kao sta su vikend radionice, seminari, u i izvan Zagreba
Bruce Lee once said who dont know how to dance dont know how to fight , yet he tought of great dancing, not wawing head in disco. But what you see here is not dancing is wonderfull art of wushu , performing this part of their training, requires great training, amazing power and discipline ( gong fu ) . following the way, wude , and regular trainings,… it shows. Wushu is not just modern sport even it will be in olympic games in year 2020 , is ancient training system dating back few thousand years ago , very hard for westerners to understand , yet is very natural and effective way of life , just for this modern times too. I love wushu in all ways and all styles. Bruce Lee did many styles to finds his own way , Variety is a spice of life . Even in love making we dont do one set of … to make that one perfect we search for unlimited that is in us , jiayou !!!!!!! enjoy some amazing performance now [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3kxI4NEFVQ]
Master Wushu Nikolas Croatia i was sitting on left side here since i was also competing here at Good Luck Beijing World Wushu Championships 2007.in Olympic Village, is so much diferent to see them in person performing, video is a reminder of that great energy they have
U najnovijem broju casopisa VITA na kioscima mozete nabaviti od danas 25. sijecnja 2013. godine cijelokupni clanak s savjetima za vjezbanje za ucenike, studente (za ucenike i studente program se moze raditi umjesto nastave tjelesnog odgoja ), poslovne ljude, za domace i strane ljude jer se nastava odrzava i na hrvatskom i na engleskom jeziku. Na Konfucijevom institutu http://www.ki.unizg.hr (imate tecajeve kineskog jezika, kineske kulture, kineske kaligrafije i slikarstva, taiji i wing chun.. Savska 25 za upite), Dom za starije i mocne Maksimir, Ravnice, te u Draskovicevoj ulici u centru za talijanski jezik Benvenuti i Agronomskom i Sumarskom Fakultetu i na Vinec 1,… uskoro i vjezbe na otvorenom u Maksimiru kod treceg jezera kamo ce se i odrazavati ovogodisnji Svjetski Taichi i Qigong dan koji je priznat od UN WHO svjetske zdravstvene organizacije http://www.worldtaichiday.org World taichi & Qigong Day i doktori sirom svijeta preporucuju svojim pacijentima, dodjite i vjezbajte s majstor trenerom Nikolas Maricic – Wolf http://www.facebook.com/wushu.croatia
majstor trener Nikolas je odmah na pocetku a gosca iz Kine profesorica Wang Qian koja predaje
kineski jezik od pocetnog do poslovnog te kinesku kulturu
na Konfucijevom Institutu Sveucilista u Zagrebu ( vidite je i u casopisu VITA od ovog mjeseca, odite kupiti svoj primjerak)
njena izvedba je od 5.minute . VIDEO izvrsno prikazuje sport WUSHU koji je majstor Nikolas uveo Hrvatsku u svjetski wushu savez jos 2002. godine i neki njegovi radovi … te takodjer mozete i uciti i WUSHU kod Nikolasa.
克罗地亚《生活》杂志报道萨格勒布大学孔子学院师生气功表演
发布时间: 2013-01-28 阅读次数: 268 新闻来源: 萨格勒布孔子学院
1月25日，克罗地亚最新一期的《生活》杂志出版。《生活》是克罗地亚最早发行并且发行量最大的一家健身和美容月刊。本期《生活》杂志以四页的篇幅详细介绍了中华武术的神奇魅力和健身效果，并对萨格勒布孔子学院王倩老师和克罗地亚欧洲武术冠军马里契奇先生进行了采访报道。
文章中，马里契奇先生和王倩老师介绍了中国太极和气功的健身功效，并且向摄影师展示了一些基本动作和造型。武术作为中国优秀的传统文化源远流长，深受各国人民喜爱，双方衷心希望中克两国能进一步加强武术交流。
据中方院长严立东介绍，萨大孔院举办了多期武术和太极班，在当地产生了一定的影响。克罗地亚人民对中国武术有着浓厚的兴趣，通过参加学习，他们在强身健体的同时也体验了中国文化的博大精深。
source http://www.shift.edu.cn/school/news/news.php?level2=%D7%DB%BA%CF%D0%C2%CE%C5&id=17530
Peng Qi Guan Ding Qigong is one of the most well received and practised qigong forms in China during the last thirty years.
This qigong will effectively develop one’s sensitivity to the internal flow of qi, establish the correct breathing and body rhythm, improve one’s ability to focus the mind & qi.
Nikolas Maricic – Wolf made Croatia full member of IWUF already in year 2003. making him pioner of Wushu in Croatia, competed at 2 world wushu championships, 2 mediterranean wushu championships 2 gold medals and executive comitee member from 2003 to 2007, 5 european taijiquan championships one gold one silver and two bronze medals, International Taijiquan Championships in China gold medal, Nikolas is international master coach and still an athlete competing heavily and teaching all generations about qigong, wushu and taijiquan in all ways modern and traditional .Contact him at wushucroatia@gmail.com to organise seminar in your school or business, university, sport club, cruise line, hotel, resorts,…
Wisdom Healing Qigong (Zhineng or Tzu-Nen Qigong, 智能气功) is a medical system of qigong developed by Grandmaster Dr. Ming Pang in the 1970s and 1980s
as a synthesis of many ancient lineages of Chinese healing practices. This style of qigong was originally developed for use in the world’s largest
Chinese “medicine-less hospital”, and is now practiced widely throughout the world. The Wisdom Healing Qigong style (also known as Chi-Lel Qigong)
is characterized by group practice, with practitioners “organizing the Chi Field,” a technique they believe enhances healing.
The style employs a comprehensive system of qigong movement, meditation, visualization, sound vibration healing, chanting,
and spiritual awareness techniques for healing.
Zhineng Qigong (Tzu-Nen Qigong, 智能气功), is generally translated as “wisdom healing qigong”, and is also translated as “cultivating intelligent energy”.
Zhi (Tzu, 智), the Chinese character for wisdom, literally means “knowing the source (represented by the sun) and experiencing/eating the source with full commitment
(represented by the vow and mouth)”. Neng (Nen, 能) means “power” or “ability to heal”. Qigong (气功) means “energy work” or “cultivation of life energy”.
Zhineng Qigong refers to a complete system of qigong practices focused on health, healing, and consciousness.
Chi-Lel Qigong is a trademark version of Zhineng Qigong and means “life energy therapy” qigong.
Wisdom Healing Qigong is attributed to Grandmaster Dr. Ming Pang, who in the 1970s and 1980s synthesized diverse elite and secretive Qigong lineages,
previously practiced individually or in small groups as part of Taoist, Buddhist, medical, and martial arts traditions.
The result was a comprehensive qigong system suitable for practice in large groups, with the primary focus on health and healing.
Based on a lifetime of qigong practice and study, in 1979 Dr. Ming Pang founded the Beijing Qigong Research Society.
In subsequent years, he gained increasing recognition and influence. He led efforts to establish a solid scientific basis for qigong and,
more generally for traditional Chinese medicine. In 1988, he founded the world’s largest “medicine-less hospital”,
the Huaxia Zhineng Qigong Clinic and Training Center, with Wisdom Healing Qigong as the primary treatment method.
The basis of Wisdom Healing Qigong is summarized by Dr. Ming Pang as follows:
“…use of the mind’s intelligence to direct chi to transform, perfect and realize the conscious potential of the holistic body,
thereby uplifting the consciousness of the practitioner from automated condition to that of autonomous wisdom.
It is a path to equality, freedom and peace of humanity.”
In general, Wisdom Healing Qigong practitioners equate qi (life energy) with consciousness and believe in the importance of the mind and the heart in healing.
Practice
Six “Golden Keys” form the foundation of Wisdom Healing Qigong practice:
Haola: means “All is well. ”
Inner Smile: cultivation of a feeling of deep inner happiness.
Love and Service: practices believed to accelerate healing
Trust and Belief: practices believed to further enhance healing.
The Qi Field: visualizing a sea of healing life energy.
Diligent Practice: a sustained, committed effort involving movement, meditation, visualization, sound healing, chanting, and spiritual awareness
The beginning of Wisdom Healing Qigong practice sessions involve “connecting with source energy” and “organizing a chi field”, a practice involving strong
visualization of being bathed in healing energy. The term Chi Field was first used by Dr. Ming Pang to describe a collective energy field,
which he believed can be drawn upon to enhance healing and added to through practice of qigong.
for starter here is article from Magazine > http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=694
Wu Bin – The Father of Modern Wushu
by Melody Chung
Hailed the “father of modern wushu,” Coach Wu Bin is synonymous with greatness. For decades, the ninth-degree grandmaster has directed wushu’s backstage development by spotting potential, building world champions, and advancing wushu to the international arena. He is the architect of modern wushu, an architect still shaping wushu’s future after forty years.
To most he is known as the founder of the renowned Beijing Wushu Team and the coach who produced Hollywood star Jet Li. But his contributions to the martial arts go well beyond that – and Jet Li is not the only athlete he has placed in the spotlight: he encouraged athletes Zhao Qingjian and Liu Qinghua to join the team, and also trained masters residing in the U.S. such as Patti Li (Hao Zhihua), Li Jinheng, Li Jing, Zhang Guifeng, Huang Qiuyan, and Zhang Hongmei.
Coach Wu has held top positions in the Chinese Wushu Association, Beijing Wushu Institute, Asian Wushu Federation, and International Federation of Wushu. On top of that, he has written 18 books. In an interview, Coach Wu explained the details of his past and discussed his thoughts on the direction of modern wushu.
Wu Bin’s past Wu Bin was born in Wuxing County of Zhejiang Province in 1937. Surprisingly, Coach Wu did not become involved with wushu until the late age of 19. “Even before wushu, I was already quite athletic,” he says. “I trained professionally in weightlifting, and in my free time, I swam, played soccer, and practiced basketball.” In 1958, he tested into the Beijing Physical Culture University, where he practiced three essential movements in weightlifting. After a year, he injured his waist and was unable to continue training seriously, so his career in weightlifting came to an end.
In 1959, Zhang Guangde, a wushu instructor at the school, recommended that the young Wu Bin switch his major to wushu because he would have a brighter future. Under Zhang Guangde, Wu Bin learned beginner fist forms, stances, and flexibility. He also worked on za quan in private lessons with renowned grandmaster Zhang Wenguang, the head of the wushu department and a performer at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Although there were only two other students in the class, Wu Bin worked furiously to catch up. “The flexibility aspect of wushu came fairly easy to me because my flexibility was already satisfactory,” he says. “Kicks and splits were not a problem.”
When Coach Wu talks about his late start in wushu, he describes himself as “man niao kuai fei,” or a bird with a late start that flew quickly in order to catch up. Every morning, he determinedly practiced wushu, and when everyone went home during vacations, he stayed at the school to practice some more. With inadequate nourishment at the time, the school even permitted students to skip morning classes, but he trained anyway to catch up to his peers. Wu Bin also later learned under coaches Zao Baolong, Zheng Xueming, and Zhuo Jingshen. From these instructors, he picked up valuable teaching methods that he would later use on future students at Shi Cha Hai.
In 1963, Wu Bin graduated from the Beijing Physical Culture University with a major in wushu. In 1964-5, instructor Zhang Wenguang brought Wu Bin to several national wushu meetings. Teachers from across the country gathered to discuss regulations for competitive routines and figured out how to implement wushu programs in elementary schools. Later on, his classmate Men Huifeng also took him to reunions of traditional masters. Through these meetings, Wu Bin picked up information from dozens of grandmasters. If he didn’t understand something, he would ask questions. He would snip out magazine and newspaper articles related to wushu or kung fu to create a collection; these articles helped him understand the theory and application behind martial arts, and would aid him in establishing his own system of teaching.
In 1964, Wu Bin was sent by the government to teach a small wushu class at the Beijing Sports School. The environment was incredibly poor, with limited space. Wu Bin disregarded these Spartan living conditions, saying that “it didn’t matter,” because his main goals were to train wushu athletes and to establish a renowned school. Others criticized his goal as being unrealistic, but Wu Bin was determined to pursue his dreams. In 1966 he was awarded “Outstanding Coach” by the government.
From 1966 to 1969, the Cultural Revolution took its toll on wushu. Because it was considered part of the “Four Olds,” masters were prohibited from teaching and practicing martial arts. Wu Bin trained his students underground anyway. In 1970, the Beijing Physical Culture University gained permission from Jiang Qing, one of the members of the Gang of Four, to reopen wushu classes. With a green light from the government, Coach Wu began to seek out talented elementary students for a new wushu class. In 1971, 8-year-old Li Lianjie (Jet Li) started training under Wu Bin. The first few years were considered amateur training because the students would go to school in the mornings and practice in the afternoons.
In 1972, the students were invited to perform at the opening ceremony of an international ping-pong competition held in Beijing. The performance was a blast, and from then on, the Beijing Sports School rose in prestige. A film company later produced a documentary featuring the students practicing wushu; this documentary was a diplomatic gesture to allow outside countries like Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan to witness Chinese culture.
In November 1974, the Beijing Wushu Team was officially established. In a decade-long reign, athletes under Wu Bin swept national championships. In 1986, the government sent Wu Bin to the Chinese Wushu Research Institute. Without Wu Bin, the school’s success plummeted; arguments broke out, students grew undisciplined, and the team lost its strong standings. In 1993, Wu Bin was sent back to Beijing to reform the team. Once again, he mounted a talent search to find athletes with potential.
One of these athletes was Liu Qinghua of Liaoning Province. Although she was already 22 years old, Wu Bin approved of her standardized and clean movements. In 1995 she tore an ankle ligament and had an infected kidney. Other coaches doubted her ability to succeed, but Wu Bin simply found the best doctor to cure her kidney problems. When she competed in 1996, she made mistakes and did not place. Even under pressure to regain Beijing’s lost reputation, Wu Bin did not yell or lecture her, only saying, “It’s okay, try again next time.” Later on, she secured her spot in wushu history by winning two gold medals in changquan and weapon forms.
Wu Bin was an extremely strict coach who grabbed every opportunity to train his students. He would take his students out to the basketball courts to stretch, and when it rained, they would train under the bleachers. He never allowed his students to get away with anything under par, and he would make them repeat movements over and over again until they executed them correctly.
To Wu Bin, a coach must invest as much energy and time as the students. If training were scheduled at 5:30 a.m., then he would show up ten minutes earlier. “The students would say, ?Hurry up! Coach is already out there,'” he says. “They would sprint out frantically, but eventually they learned to come out earlier. I wanted to show them that I was serious about training them,” he says.
Wushu in America Wu Bin believes that certain obstacles are currently limiting the growth of wushu in America. Whereas Chinese athletes are often pushed to the limit, American students generally cannot be pushed too hard. “Students are comfortable in America because there is a higher standard of living. So for instance, I can’t stretch them too hard or else they won’t come back and learn anymore,” he says.
Considered a hobby rather than a profession in America, wushu is easy for children to study when they are happy and stop when they are not. To Wu Bin, practicing without consistency and a long-term plan is merely called “playing” and not “training.” Furthermore, wushu is a difficult sport for children to learn. Unlike karate, which encompasses simple movements in only one direction, wushu focuses on all four directions. On top of that, with so many different categories and traditional methods, there are no standard competition rules in America, so Wu Bin feels that it is easy for kids to give up.
Despite the obstacles, however, there is still hope that wushu can spread in America. Wu Bin believes that there are two ways to accomplish this. First of all, students must be passionate about what they are learning and develop a dedication to the sport. “Watching martial arts movies is one way to inspire kids to train,” he says. Secondly, students must develop solid basics, but even this is challenging to achieve. It is difficult for coaches to train students in terms of coordination, legwork, posture, and jingqisheng. On top of that, coaches often have to worry about running their schools and paying rent.
Wu Bin gives an example about how hard it is to teach in America. “Suppose a coach is running a school in the U.S., but only two people show up to class. The coach still has the obligation of teaching them. If the students are youngsters, then the coach has to keep them happy, and so training sometimes becomes playing or even babysitting. It’s not training anymore,” he says.
Wu Bin states that he is always surprised when watching American kids compete or perform, because they seem to know everything: three-section staff, double broadswords, international routines, and more. Yet in the end, they seem to have “mastered nothing at all,” because none of their movements have been executed completely. “They are not dao wei, or standardized and executed properly! The movements are done halfway,” he says. That’s why coaches and students must focus on developing strong basics and outline a long-term plan.
Wu Bin believes that the best age to begin wushu is eight years old. He believes that even starting at six or seven years old is too early, unless students are only practicing flexibility, because the kids are often more interested in playing than training. He realizes that gymnasts often begin learning at four years old, but he states that wushu is different because the students need a level of maturity to take training seriously.
In the end, Wu Bin still believes that wushu’s path to becoming a global sport begins in America. Since the U.S. is strong in athletics, wushu must first become popular in America. “Why did tae kwon do spread so fast? Why is it in the Olympics? It’s because of America,” he states. “The karate and tae kwon do community were able to make these sports easy to learn, teach, and understand. Students nationwide also have a passion for it. Wushu must learn from these sports.”
Wushu in China and Nandu With the 1990s came nandu, or difficulty movements. Wushu’s bid for the 2008 Olympics only made nandu more pronounced, as athletes raced to beat each other. With rotations and height increasing exponentially, Wu Bin wants us to ask, “Is this wushu? Is this martial arts? What is authentic?” Wu Bin admits that with nandu so widespread in China, it is difficult to reverse the process and go back to basics. He is not against nandu, though he states that this cannot define wushu or become the only aspect of it.
In China right now, nandu often determines who receives the highest score. But Wu Bin believes that this is wrong because it diminishes the value of shouyanshenfa. Wu Bin states that Chinese judges need to come together to modify the current system so that nandu is less emphasized. “Today shouyanshenfa is not considered nandu. This is wrong,” he says. “If your jingqisheng is not good enough, then this is not wushu,” he states. “Beauty lies in a person’s jingqisheng.”
In the days of “old school” wushu, it was difficult to measure shouyanshengfa, but judges could tell by instinct. He admits that jingqisheng is a subjective characteristic that cannot be measured explicitly: “It’s a feeling you get. You can’t explain why you feel impressed by a person’s jingqisheng, but you can certainly feel it. For instance, back in the ?70s Grandmaster Chen Dao Yun had very good jingqisheng. That’s why no one could beat her.”
Coach Wu feels that wushu needs to go back to basics and be simplified for the rest of the world to follow. Nandu also makes it easy for athletes outside of China to get injured; forcing a movement can easily lead to injuries, since the athlete’s condition and body are not up to par yet. “In China, the professionals train at least four hours a day. Their bodies are prepared for movements and nandu. In America, the athletes don’t train as much, carpets are not standardized, and protection and equipment are not enough. This is unfair to the U.S. athletes. As of now, America cannot compare with China.”
In addition to placing less emphasis on nandu, Wu Bin wants the wushu community to devise a method to make wushu more popular. Sports like ice-skating are artistic and aesthetically pleasing and can attract thousands of spectators and non-athletes. On the other hand, wushu competitions-even national ones in China-often draw small audiences. Wu Bin challenges the wushu community to ponder, “How can we make wushu more attractive, so that spectators can enjoy, appreciate, and understand the sport?” He believes that Chinese judges, coaches, and athletes need to come together to solve this question and develop standard rules for the rest of the world to follow.
Although wushu lost its 2008 Beijing Olympic bid, Wu Bin mentions the positive sides. For one, there will still be a wushu competition going on at the same time with the same facilities. Secondly, medals will have the Olympic engraving on the front and a wushu movement on the back. These aren’t the best results after years of high expectations, but Wu Bin feels that some progress is better than no progress.
Young Champions After Wu Bin retired in 2003, he became involved with a U.S. program called Young Champions. Founded by Bonnie Hood around 40 years ago, the program originally consisted of a baton-twirling group of girls from the Grand Rapids area. The program was designed to promote self-esteem, coordination, and physical fitness in children from ages 4 to 15. Today, the nation-wide program encompasses other sports such as cheerleading, self-defense, and wushu.
Three years ago, Coach Wu was invited to host wushu summer camps. Accompanied by three world champion students, he traveled to eight different states and taught over 1,000 American students. Since that time he has traveled to California, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Minnesota. Besides teaching, he has been active in establishing a wushu curriculum for beginners, arranging a cheerleading cultural exchange program to China in 2004, and sending U.S. students to train and sightsee in Beijing. So far, the wushu program has gained substantial improvement and prestige; the Young Champions demo team won the championship at the 30th Battle of Columbus Martial Arts World Games in March 2006. The program – achieving its goal of making wushu more popular – has expanded into Wisconsin, Tennessee, Missouri, and North Carolina.
Wu Bin likes Young Champions because it is a vehicle for expanding wushu to Caucasians in America. “The good thing about Young Champions is that it’s like a chain store, so wushu can spread extremely fast,” he says.
Wu Bin and Young Champions have also been planning a competition open to all athletes. Although still in its tentative stages, it will be held at the Mega Expo Center in Chicago from November 15-17, 2007. Divisions will include modern wushu judged by Olympic rules, modern wushu judged by International Wushu Federation rules, traditional wushu, and group sets. More information will be released as the date approaches. If you think Wu Bin is winding down, you’re wrong. The wheels in his head are always turning, and he’s always looking toward the next step. He’s only just beginning.
Wushu Nikolas 
