Now that you have all the information needed, time for the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Height of the Weapon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The height of the weapon is very important, especially if you plan on using it for competitions. In competitions, each weapon family follow international or national regulations in terms of height and flexibility. In traditional styles, your coach may also have his \/ her own preference depending on the style.
Keep in mind that a shorter weapon is easier to use and that you will be quicker with it, however judges will reject you if it doesn’t meet the size standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Short weapons : swords and broadswords (IWUF Regulations)<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
For swords and broadswords what matters is the length of the blade, not the full length including the pommel. If you go to a store, you will be able to try the weapons there, if not here is how it works.
Some websites will generally provide a size chart for each weapon, depending on the height of an individual. But this method is not perfect as everyones arm length is different even with the same full body height.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Measure the needed blade length :
Stand up, arms relaxed alongside your body. Measure the length from the center of your left palm to the middle of your ear = This is the size of the blade you should look for, for straight sword and northern broadsword.
For southern broadsword (Nandao \u5357\u5200), the blade can be slightly shorter with the tip of the blade at the same height as your earlobe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the height you found is in between two blade lengths, measure again, then choose the highest length of both if you found the same result. Be aware that judges will refuse you to compete with a weapon too short, but will be fine with a weapon slightly taller.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Staffs :<\/p>\n\n\n\n If it’s not indicated on the website, remind that southern staffs (Nangun \u5357\u68cd) are usually a slightly thicker than the northern staffs. Confirm with your seller before purchasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spears :<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stand up, one of your arm raised up, fingers pointing to the sky. Measure the total length from your feet to the top of your fingers = that is the length of the spear (spear head included) you should look for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that spears bought online are often delivered with the spear head not attached to the staff. However the seller should make sure the length is correct once attached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are buying a classic tapered ashwood staff or spear, and are not sure of the length, go for something longer since most practitioners shorten the lengths themselves for the perfect match. You can always shorten a weapon too long while can’t do the opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are buying a carbon fiber staff or spear, the length of the staff will be corresponding to your body height. Just chose the one matching your height the best : 160cm, 170cm, 180cm … For example, if you are 172cm, go for the 170cm staff. Often when you get into a store or on a website for the first time, you are surprised by the range of weapons of the same family. For you, all the staffs were staffs and all the swords were swords. Take the straight sword for example : Besides quality, you may see swords for different styles (“Guiding” swords, double swords, snake tongue swords, Taiji swords, …). So the first question you ask yourself is which one should you get ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that the height has been taken care of, it’s time to chose the type of weapon depending on your practice, but also on your budget ! There are different blades flexibility (and therefore, thickness) for each type of practice, the thickest and heavier ones being usually the most expensive ones depending on the finishing touches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most flexible ones being for modern competition, and the thickest ones either for traditional practice, performance or decoration. There is also blades that are in between those two and can be used for modern or traditional Taiji, beginners in any style, or traditional styles. We would recommend to buy a blade not to flexible nor too thick for beginners and children. They are perfect to learn the basics, train your wrist and blade trusts. These are also often the cheapest options so that you’re not throwing away your money before being sure you love this weapon, and also if your child is still growing up and need to buy a new blade every season. But of course you are welcome to do what you want with your money ! However if you plan to compete in traditional styles, be aware that you can be refused by the judges if your blade is too flexible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The blades for modern competitions are usually very flexible, and usually quite expensive ones. These very thin blades often break and get twisted at the tip after a certain time of practice, but are the most perfect ones for modern competition at high level. But the thickest and heaviest weapons remain the most expensive ones, as they need more material and have higher freight costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This question is more related to short weapons with blades, and is more a question of personal comfort than anything else. No judge will refuse you if your weapon has poor balance. But a well balanced blade can change your life and radically improve your practice once you’ve reached a certain level. Note that the standardized (Guiding \u89c4\u5b9a) weapons also come with a standardized balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How to know if the balance is correct : Place your weapon over your index and find the center of balance. For a blade, you want the balance to be between the guard and the bottom of the blade. Or anywhere between the two red dots below, depending on your preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amongst the mandatory accessories for competition but also sometimes for training, you can find :<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nowadays, online retailers usually provide these “mandatory” accessories when they sell you a weapon. However, always double check that its included to avoid paying too much freight. We recommend to have all of above accessories depending on the weapon(s) you will be purchasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some retailers also sell you the weapons with a transport bag. To avoid showing your weapons to everyone in the street, we strongly recommend you to at least purchase one large weapon bag with enough features to transport all your blades, small weapons, accessories and staff \/ spear, at the same time. Even if you plan on buying only one weapon for now, you never now if you will have to buy more and more of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you wish, below are a few bonus advices to help you take care of your weapons :<\/p>\n\n\n\n All the weapons can support heat, but try to keep them in a dry place if possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wish you a great weapon training !<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This article is mostly aimed at either beginners, parents, or athletes that will soon do their first competition. One of the things that make Wushu so great to watch, and gives such a great feeling when practicing, is definitely its wide range of weapons. Basically anything could transform into a weapon back then (and even … <\/p>\n![\"Weapons](\"https:\/\/wukongwushucom.files.wordpress.com\/2020\/01\/41.png?w=950\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nLong Weapons : staffs and spears (IWUF Regulations)<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Same for the spear but you will have to take into account your size with the arm raised and fingers pointing to the sky.
Note that carbon fiber staffs and spears are very expensive but also way harder to break. If you practice staff at a high training frequency with a classic tapered ashwood one, be prepared to break a few staffs. Good news is they’re usually very cheap, and very good to start with. We recommend you buy a few at the same time if you plan on training a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Weapons](\"https:\/\/wukongwushucom.files.wordpress.com\/2020\/01\/43.png?w=950\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wukongwushucom.files.wordpress.com\/2020\/02\/wukong-website-articles-covers-3.png?w=950\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nQuality and Flexibility of the Weapon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Keep in mind that the thicker the blade, the heavier it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Weapons](\"https:\/\/wukongwushucom.files.wordpress.com\/2020\/01\/39.png?w=950\")
Balance of the Weapon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
However, if you are a beginner or a child, starting with poor balanced weapons is not a problem and won’t really impact your manipulation. Plus it will help strengthen your wrists. Then when you will be reaching a high level or competition level, go for a well balanced weapon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wukongwushucom.files.wordpress.com\/2020\/01\/wukong-website-articles-covers-1-5.png?w=950\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAccessories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We recommend to add a grip to the pommel of your weapons for a more comfortable practice and to avoid any slippy hands.<\/li>![\"Weapons](\"https:\/\/wukongwushucom.files.wordpress.com\/2020\/01\/40.png?w=950\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Avoid training with your blades outside if it’s raining. If you ever train under the rain, make your blade dry right after your training with a dry fabric, then use clean it with some oil as explained above.<\/li>
Make sure there are no tiny holes in your wooden weapons as it is a sign of woodworms.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wukongwushucom.files.wordpress.com\/2020\/01\/wukong-website-articles-covers-2-1.png?w=950\")