There are hundreds of training accessories for gymnastics and acrobatics: mini trampolines, tumbling mats, landing mats, handspring rolls, training pods, etc. But unfortunately, there isn't much equipment specifically for wushu. However, there are some great training methods to learn wushu acrobatics more safely and easily. Some of these methods have been used by Chinese martial artists for decades, and some are my own creations. Find wushu instructions at the wushu main page.
Description
Learn all the wushu jumps by jumping into a sand pit. Jumping into a long jump sand pit, sand on the beach, or even jumping into your grandmother’s vegetable garden is better than trying the jumps on hard ground. Always dig the sand soft enough so that you can’t sprain your ankles or injure your knees when you land.
To jump higher, Chinese wushu schools have a small bump at the edge of the sand pit. So you actually jump from the bump and not from a flat surface. The bump should look like a small wave (between 10 and 25 cm high — see illustration 1 above).
A few years ago, I found an old wooden Reuther springboard at my gym in Austria. So I took it and placed it sideways in front of a long jump sand pit. This was much better than the Chinese “bump method.” I was able to jump much higher and therefore had more time to work on my technique. If you want to try this, you might be able to get an old Reuther springboard from a school or a gymnastics gym (or you can buy one). Note: For most wushu jumps, you have to place the springboard 90° to the running direction — see illustrations 2 to 4. If you want to learn the wushu cartwheel without hands, you will have to place your springboard straight.
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