Chinese martial art, which attracts a large following throughout the world with its incomparable charm, has been accepted by an increasing number of people as a health-keeping sport. However, due to the lack of understanding of the characteristics of Chinese martial arts, foreign learners may face many problems. The following are the most common ones.

 

To learn Chinese martial arts from experienced trainers, foreigners often invite Chinese masters to their countries to give lessons on a short-term basis, or they may come to China specially to learn this art for a few months. In both cases, the learners who are pressed for time tend to be overanxious for quick results. Instead of starting from and mastering the basic skills, they just follow the movements of their coaches and learn by imitation. In this way superficial resemblance is achieved to a certain degree, but the specific requirements and intrinsic value of the movements have been ignored. Once an incorrect form or some bad habit has been acquired, it would be difficult for them to get rid of it. So, in order to have a good command of Chinese martial arts, one needs to accumulate experience and skill from several such short-term courses.

 

A beginner should start from basic skills and precede step and step from the easy to the difficult and from the simple to the complicated. He also has to keep in mind that he must gradually improve his qualities for certain special Chinese martial arts movements in order to perform those movements well. Some beginners like to learn certain boxing routines or routines with weapons right from the start, but they have to give up halfway for lack of the required physical qualities.

 

Beginners should pay special attention to daily practice. Not a few of them, however, tend to neglect practice after they have learned some special techniques or routines; their only excuse is they are "too busy." Thus they fail to improve their acquired skills and in the end all their past efforts come to naught.

 

There are two big categories in Chinese martial arts: one is for competition and the other for health-keeping. The standard routines for competition, which are stipulated by the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission, are pretty difficult to master and require a large amount of strength and stamina. Thus they are suitable for young people with good physical qualities. The health-keeping routines, on the other hand, are easy to learn and can be popularized among people of all ages. It is advisable that beginners refrain from choosing competitive routines lest they might do something beyond their ability. So, in order to benefit from practicing Chinese martial arts, it is necessary first of all for every trainee to choose events most suitable to his or her physical conditions.

 

Some people, with a gift for learning things quickly and a good physique, are often inclined to learn a little of many different routines, and think that Chinese martial arts is easy to master. They do not care to understand the true essence of Chinese martial arts but content themselves with what little they have already known. They even have the cheek to call themselves masters and teach others, thereby leading many people astray. This should be discouraged by all means.

 

Chinese martial arts movements require flexibility and high coordination. For a beginner, the movements of body and limbs are often stiff and not well-coordinated, for he cannot apply his force properly and he has difficulty in breathing freely and holding himself in a steady position in performance. To overcome these defects, all he has to do is to keep on practicing, preferably under the guidance of experienced instructors.