Wushu effectiveness
Just my two cents. I think that it is an effective martial, contemporary wushu that is. I think one has to look at the training overall to really get the right perspsctive. If you focus solely on the new compulsory forms you will come away with the impression that it is solely gymnastics. These have been constructed and refined over the years specifically for performance, so guess what, they will look like performance pieces.
For those who practice these forms to be able to compete on an international level, perhaps they are missing out on the martial aspects. For shmoes like me who can't even do a full split, we get to spend a little more time on applications and I haven't even learned the new cumpulsory longfist yet.
Again just my opinion based on my limited experience and poor fighting ability to date.
"I believe that, in a stupid society, intelligence is useless." - Shen Congwen (My Education)