Wushu - Chinese Martial Arts
Wushu is the centuries-old Martial Arts practiced in China. Wushu builds
flexibility, speed, strength, balance, endurance, and coordination.
There are wushu practitioners world-wide that practice
in a wide variety of styles. It is done with fist and foot, as well as
with short weapons, long weapons, and flexible weapons. It is also the martial
arts style popularized by Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and others in many exciting movies.
East Tennessee Wushu Team
The East Tennessee Wushu Team has classes (see below), performances, and demonstrations in the
Knoxville and East Tennessee region. The team
regularly performs at the
East Tennessee Chinese New Year Festival,
as well as other cultural festivals in the area. The team also sponsors cultural
displays and interactive lectures on Chinese weaponry and martial arts.
Wushu Classes
Coach Michael Smith teaches wushu
as practiced in the North of China. Currently, classes are meeting on
Saturday mornings at the Cove Park in Farragut,
11808 S. Northshore Dr., Knoxville, TN, 37922. Intermediate students
are meeting from 9:00am - 10:00am, and beginner students from
10:00am - 11:00am.
These classes feature:
Warm up activities
Stretching: improving flexibility – attain splits
Plyometrics: building explosive power for jumps
Stance Practice: building a firm foundation
In-Place Fundamentals: punching, kicking, stances
Dynamic (Moving) Fundamentals: learning sequences of punches, kicks, and transition moves
Basic and Advanced Long Fist routines
Basic and Advanced Short Weapon Routines – Wushu Broadsword
Basic and Advanced Long Weapon Routines – Wushu Staff, Spear, Pudao
Basic and Flexible Weapon Routines – Chain Whip
Choreographed Sparring Routines
Muscle training: building strength
Cool Down activities
Please contact
Coach Michael Smith for more details.
Coach Michael Smith has taught Chinese Martial Arts in the Knoxville
area since 2006, and has won 9 gold medals in competitions in China. He earned a 3rd Dan
rating in testing given by the Chinese Wushu Association in China. He has
performed many local demonstrations in the Knoxville area with his students,
and introduced many to the fun of Chinese Martial Arts and Culture through
his Chinese culture booths at local festivals. For 10 years, he produced
the East Tennessee Chinese New Year Festival,
the largest celebration of its kind in our region of the state,
and manages the KnoxvilleChineseCulture.org website that promotes
Chinese culture in the Knoxville and East Tennessee area.