Chinese Weaponry, quality issues...

[Flying Crane]

I have a combat heavy broad sword, and it weighs a lot compared to the lighter ones. One friend of mine was so quick compared to what I could possibly do I was amazed, until I used his sword and found out why.

Tournaments I've been to won't allow wushu weapons. The sword blade has to be able to support the weight of the weapon for it to be legal. There are psuedo-wushu weapons that are just enough heavier then wushu to pass this requirement.

After you have trained with a heavy broadsword, any other one feels like the toy that it is.

The weapons used in tournaments, while not being quite as bad as wushu weapons, are often very very close. These are still, IMO, not anything remotely like a real weapon.