What do judges deduct for in wushu taolu?
B · Beginner · How a routine is scored · 3 of 4Group A judges take 0.1 point off each time a listed technique is not performed to its written standard. The standards are exact: in a changquan horse stance the thighs must be horizontal, and in a slap kick the toes must rise above shoulder height and the slap must be heard.
How it works
- The deduction: 0.1 point for each technique that does not conform.
- Once for each technique: however many faults one technique shows, it loses 0.1 once.
- What is listed: hand forms, balances, leg techniques, jumps, stances and weapon techniques, each with its faults and a code.
- Bow stance, changquan: front knee over the instep, front thigh parallel to the ground, rear sole flat.
- Horse stance, changquan: thighs horizontal, feet at least shoulder-width apart, knees not buckling in, heels down.
- Slap kicks: toes above shoulder height, and the slap neither missed nor inaudible.
- Weapon circles: a figure of eight or a windmill must stay within 45 degrees of its plane.
- Different standards by style: in nanquan and taijiquan the thigh may be anywhere from horizontal up to 45 degrees above it.
- Taiji cap: repeated faults in a hand form, body posture or hand technique lose at most 0.3 in a routine.
The glossary has the quality of movements, the judge groups, changquan, nanquan, taijiquan and the jian and dao.
Tricky cases
In one bow stance the knee is wrong and the back heel is up. Is that 0.2?
No. Within a single technique, one error or several lose 0.1 once.
The same weapon error happens three times in one group of movements. How much is lost?
0.1. Two or more of the same weapon technique error in a single group of movements are deducted once.
A horse stance has thighs 30 degrees above horizontal. Is it an error?
It depends on the event. In changquan the thighs must be horizontal, so it is. In nanquan and taijiquan a thigh between horizontal and 45 degrees above is within the standard.
An athlete does a slap kick and misses the foot. Deduction?
Yes. "Slap missed and/or inaudible" is a listed fault.
Why the rule exists
Written standards turn "that looked good" into something two judges can agree on. They also protect the foundations of the art: low, correct stances are the hardest part to hold at speed, and the first thing to go when an athlete is tired.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Changquan and its weapons | Thighs horizontal in bow and horse stances | Judging Methods Table 10-1-1 (codes 50, 51) |
| Nanquan and its weapons | Thigh from horizontal to 45 degrees above | Judging Methods Table 10-1-2 |
| Taiji events | The same range; repeated posture faults capped at 0.3 | Judging Methods Table 10-1-3 and its standards |
| Duilian | 0.1 for each miss, wait, pause over three seconds or mishit | Judging Methods Table 10-1-4 |
| Jiti | 0.1 also for techniques or formations that are not uniform | Judging Methods Table 10-1-5 |
From the rule book
International Wushu Federation, Wushu Taolu Competition Rules and Judging Methods (2024), Article 22, and the Judging Methods, Chapter 10, Section 1, Tables 10-1-1 to 10-1-5. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: Wushu Taolu Competition Rules and Judging Methods (2024) (PDF, Chinese and English).