Wander along the fourth-floor corridor of Fisher Mall in Quezon City on a weekend, and you may be treated to an exhibition of wushu, or Chinese martial arts, by the Wushu Arena, a kung fu demo team formed post-pandemic by coach Arra Jeuneze Corpuz.

The demo you’ll see isn’t just for show; it’s the athletes’ training session as they prepare to compete at the Hong Kong International Wushu Championship scheduled on Feb. 28–March 3. It’s a first for the group and, says Corpuz, a pleasant surprise, too, because the athletes did not expect to join any competition, much less qualify for an international bout that will gather 80,000 participants from over 50 countries.

The Wushu Arena athletes representing the Philippines along with Corpuz are: Maica and Reena Cabugao, Diane Basa, Carl and Bede Ramirez, Ishy Pena, Sha Liwanag, Chloe and Lucas Maniquis, Anton Sesdoyro, and John Timothy Duran. “This is my first time, as head coach, to compete with my team; I had no idea I would be qualified to [do so] because we’ve been doing this for fun, for health,” Corpuz says.

Corpuz set up Wushu Arena in 2023 when she was invited initially to serve as aikido instructor at Arena Fitness Dojo in Fisher Mall. The dojo eventually expanded its program to include wushu, and appointed her as head instructor. Previously, she was part of a small wushu demo group, performing at events, mall shows, and even on TV starting in 2017 until the pandemic forced everything to a stop. 

‘Dream team’

With Wushu Arena, Corpuz had the same intent—to form a demo group—but priorities changed after receiving the invitation from Hong Kong in November 2024. Despite their being all first-timers in competition, Corpuz describes Wushu Arena’s 12 athletes, whose ages range from 5 to the mid-30s, as her “dream team.” They are competing in multiple categories and have a total of 46 entries, with some requiring the use of weapons.

“For traditional wushu, there are many bare-hand routines. I’m competing in the Huaquan and Piguaquan events,” says Corpuz.

The categories where traditional weapons are used include Single and Double Nunchucks and Fan. Then there are the modern wushu events: Taijiquan (Taichi), Nanquan (southern), and Changquan. Categories with modern weapons are Daoshu (broadsword) and Jianshu (straight sword).

The fact that the team is competing in so many events is unconventional, says Corpuz, because most typically join only one category, or a maximum of three events. So far, based on what she has seen during training, she says the team is fully ready for the competition, and now needs to mostly just polish routines.

With barely a month to go before the championship, a key challenge for the team is funding, especially because wushu continues to be less popular compared to other martial arts such as karate and taekwondo. The athletes continue to raise the money by doing special performances at events. (Visit https://www.facebook.com/wushuartsacademy for details.)

While they find it challenging to prepare for the competition, it has fueled their desire to further pursue the sport. The dream, says Corpuz, is to see wushu as a category in the Olympics—and, of course, for them to represent the Philippines should that become a reality.

Benefits

In the meantime, Corpuz, through Wushu Arena, will continue to advocate for the sport and to educate more Filipinos on its benefits, particularly that it can be taken up by anyone at any age.

“The health benefits are really the No. 1 reason [to take up wushu],” she says. “I’ve seen older people who are very strong, who do really high leg raises, thanks to wushu. It’s also good for memory, because you need to memorize the choreography.”

It likewise blends athleticism with artistry, she adds. 

Corpuz hopes that through her guidance, Wushu Arena will continue to make waves in the Philippine sports scene, and embody the spirit of perseverance and creativity that defines this ancient martial art.

Nervous and excited

Among the Wushu Arena athletes are Carl and Bede Ramirez and John T Duran.

During our online interview, it is easy to see the strong bond between 6-year-old Bede and his kuya (elder brother) Carl, 16. After all, the two share a love for wushu, which is why they joined Wushu Arena last year—Carl in April, and Bede in November. 

“I’m a bit nervous, but also excited to represent the Philippines,” Carl admits.

Carl, who has experience in taekwondo, says he joined Wushu Arena to try something new. A quick search online led him to Coach Corpuz’s team, where his training prepared him to be competition-ready in less than a year. 

He is participating in the Tajiquan (Taichi), Single Nunchucks, and Double Nunchucks events in Hong Kong.

Bede is practicing wushu at levels 1 and 2. His response is straightforward when asked what motivated him to join his kuya: “It’s because he uses weapons.” 

But for the brothers, wushu is not just about competition. Carl speaks passionately about the sport’s deeper benefits—improved stamina, memory, and a connection to his family’s historical roots. He sees wushu as a more holistic martial art, focusing on full-body movements and precise techniques.

While Bede was inspired by his brother to take up wushu, 10-year-old John T Duran was motivated by the Netflix film “Ip Man,” which tells the story of a Chinese martial artist, a grandmaster who eventually trained Bruce Lee, and overcame his struggles during Japan’s invasion of China.

John T will compete in the Daoshu, or broadsword, category in Hong Kong. Even at a young age, he says he is already learning about discipline, friendship, and the art of movement.

Together with their teammates, the three boys’ passion for and dedication to wushu are helping them get through the challenging and diverse training regimen. They look forward to becoming well-rounded martial artists capable of both competitive performance and practical application, and to represent the future of wushu in the Philippines.