Spear (枪 qiang)

There are 2 important long weapons in modern/sport wushu. They are the staff/cudgel (棍 gun) and the spear（枪 qiang ）.

The spear was a common weapon for the Chinese military troops in ancient times. It is a rather economical weapon as it comprises of a long staff with a diamond-shaped metal tip at the end. Only very little metal is used to make it, as compared to a sword or a sabre.

A red horsehair tassel is attached just below the metal tip. When the spear is moved quickly, the tassel serves to confuse the enemy so he doesn’t know where the tip is exactly. During combat, the tassel prevents blood from running down the shaft of the spear. In modern wushu, the tassel has a decorative purpose and makes the practitioner’s movements during the routine more obvious.

The spear is longer than the staff. Usually, the length of a spear is the height of the practitioner plus the length of his extended arm.

Characteristics of 枪术  qiang shu (spear art) include strong control of the core and upper body, steady footwork as well as flexibility of body movements. The basic technique of 拦拿扎 lan na zha (to intercept, seize, and thrust) requires a lot of practice to gain total control of the spear.

Practicing the spear gives the practitioner a fantastic workout as one is required to rotate the shoulders and hips with the spine being the pivot point. It also improves total body coordination as well as speed of reflexes. An advanced practitioner will learn to deliver force and power from his core to the tip of the spear.