JUNIORS SPEND ALL THEIR TIME in Vietnam training, not really fighting,” Jerry Nguyen said. “If they have to fight, it’s like a test.”
This was similar to what I’d seen in China, where the approach is to have an athlete train for years to refine his skills before competing. Then, when he finally fights, he should win. On the wrestling team I trained with in China, members said they competed a maximum of four times a year. In contrast, the American method revolves around viewing competition as part of training. Within months of beginning wrestling, you’re competing. Win or lose, you accumulate experience and, it is hoped, improve.
Unfortunately, though, because of a lack of a highly developed feeder system composed of wushu academies and sports schools, qualified candidates for…
