'' dual event (choreographed) Wushu events are performed using compulsory or "individual routines" or
taolu () in competition. Throughout the 1990s until 2005 for international competitions, athletes competed with routines that were choreographed by IWUF assigned coaches or athletes. In November 2003, a major revision in the
taolu competition rules occurred: deduction content was standardized, judges' roles were organized and expanded, and the degree of difficulty component, also known as
nandu (
難度; difficulty movements), was added. This category is worth 2 points of the 10 total. The quality of movements category is worth 5 points, and the overall performance category is worth 3 points. These changes were first implemented at the
2005 World Wushu Championships, and individual routines have become standard where an athlete creates a routine with the aid of his/her coach while following certain rules for difficulty and technical requirements. Only the age group C and B athletes at the
World Junior Wushu Championships still compete with compulsory routines at an international level. All junior events including group A athletes (which compete with individual routines), all traditional events, and all non-standard
taolu events (ie. S
huangdao,
baguazhang, etc.), are judged without the degree of difficulty component. In addition to events for individual routines, some wushu competitions also feature dual and group events. The dual event, also called
duilian (對練), is an event in which there is some form of sparring with weapons or without weapons. The group event, also known as
jiti (集體), requires a group of people to perform together and smooth synchronization of actions is crucial. Usually, the group event also allows instrumental music to accompany the choreography during the performance. The carpet used for the group event is also larger than the one used for individual routines. The
2019 World Wushu Championships was the first international wushu competition to feature such an event.
Barehanded •
Changquan () is an event derived from styles such as
chaquan,
huaquan, and
Shaolin kung fu as well as other traditional styles.
Changquan is the most popular and difficult of all wushu events, which requires great speed, power, accuracy, and flexibility. Most professional athletes in China start training in this style starting at a young age. •
Nanquan () is an event derived from styles that originated in the southern regions of China such as
Hung Ga,
Choy Li Fut,
Jow-Ga kung fu, and
Wing Chun.
Nanquan typically requires less flexibility and has less emphasis on acrobatics than
changquan, but it also requires greater leg stability, speed, and power generation through leg, hip, and shoulder coordination. •
Tai chi as a wushu
taolu event, is largely based on the
Yang-style tai chi but also includes movements of the
Chen,
Wu,
Wu (Hao), and
Sun styles. Competitive contemporary tai chi is distinct from the traditional first form for styles it draws from, in that it typically involves difficult balances and jumps which require great balance, control, and flexibility. The tai chi event as well as other tai chi-based events are usually performed with musical accompaniment.
Short weapons •
Daoshu () is an event that uses the
dao using
changquan methods of movement. •
Jianshu () is an event that uses the
jian using
changquan methods of movement. •
Nandao () was introduced into international wushu competition in 1999. The weapons and techniques are based on the
butterfly swords of
Wing Chun, a Southern style. The blade has been lengthened and modified so that a singular sword is used. •
Taijijian is an event that uses the
jian based on traditional tai chi
jian methods. This event was added to international competition in 1999. •
Taijishan () is an event that uses a Chinese
hand fan with traditional tai chi methods. This event was created in 2019 ahead of Wushu's participation in the
2026 Summer Youth Olympics (originally scheduled for 2022), and so it has yet to debut in competition.
Long weapons •
Gunshu () is an event that uses a staff with
changquan methods of movement. Staffs were traditionally made from
white wax wood, but
carbon fiber staff have become the standard in international competition since the 2010s since they are lighter and more durable. •
Qiangshu () is an event that uses a spear using
changquan methods of movement. The shaft of the spear is generally more flexible and longer than what is used in the
gunshu event. •
Nangun () was introduced into international wushu competition in 1999. It uses a staff with
nanquan methods of movement. The staff is generally much thicker and heavier than the one used in the
gunshu event. The majority of routines used in the sport are new, modernized recompilations of traditional routines. However, routines taken directly from traditional styles, including the styles that are not part of standard events, may be performed in competition, especially in China. Many of these styles though are events in the World Kung Fu Championships, another IWUF-run event that is exclusively for traditional styles of wushu. The more commonly seen routines include:
Traditional weapons routines There is also a traditional weapons category, which often includes the following: ==
Sanda ==