Sanshou questions

[CollarTie]

Just a few questions.

1. Is Sanshou an art in itself, or does it use practical Wushu techniques in a full contact setting?

2. Would it make more sense for a wrestler to learn Sanshou? They learn basic strikes, and also how to blend it with td's.

3. Do you have to learn Wushu with Sanshou?

4. Minus the td's and throws, how similiar is it to kickboxing?

 

[Madmick]

I'm not a San Shou practitioner, but from what I've seen online, it'd be a better substitute for a clinch/throwing intensive art like Greco Roman, Judo, or sport Sambo. Although all of these arts have considerably groundfighting, it isn't inaccurate to say that they all focus on clinch-fighting, and taking down your opponent from that position.

Take boxing. As a wrestler, you already know how to get on top and control from the top. You should focus on
1) Boxing: to learn basic striking defense and to help set up takedowns without throwing kicks that will risk you getting taken down by an inferior takedown artist.
2) BJJ: so you won't get submitted from the top, primarily, but also in case you still do get taken down...you can focus on sweeps and bottom defense that will help you survive and transition back to your world.

 

[FiveFeezy]

Throwing is a huge part of san shou so if you already have grappling experience it will transfer very well.

You don't necessarily need to learn wushu to learn san shou. Some schools teach san shou with wushu, some don't. In the western world most san shou fighters use predominately kickboxing/boxing/muay thai strikes and wrestling or judo throws. I have heard that the Chinese use a different style of san shou. Perhaps they use more of a wushu stye. I am not sure.

The school that I trained at taught traditional kung fu as a separate curriculum from san shou. The teacher was a very traditional kung fu dude but he taught his san shou as a western boxing, kickboxing, and greco-roman sport.

 

[72Chambers]

1. It was originally a blend of several disciplines of Chinese martial arts but much like MMA, it has become an art in itself with it's own training methods and principles and variations from camp to camp, some places focus more on striking while others emphasize takedowns.

2. It would depend on where you live, it's difficult to find a good san shou camp outside of China, Russia, and some countries in the Middle East. Good san shou in North America is virtually non existent.

3. No, but if you have no Martial arts/combats sports experience it is recommended

4. What kind of kickboxing? There are only so many ways the body can move, so whichever one, it's probably pretty similar.

 

[FiveFeezy]

The difference between san shou and other striking sports (besides the take-downs) is that in san shou there is a lot of kick catching. If you catch your opponents kick and then are able to sweep or throw him/her you get a point. In other striking sports you do not get points for this so there are not as many attempts at kick catching.

 

[Iggy]

Sanshou literally translates as free-hand. The usage of the word corresponds to our sparring. The combat sport that many in North America insist on calling sanshou is referred to in China as sanda (free fighting). Wushu translates as martial art. The Chinese Wushu association promotes and regulates both sanda and taolu (forms) competitions. Very few, if any athletes compete in both kinds of contests. Both require their own specialized training.

 

[FiveFeezy]

In the United States sanda refers to san shou with knee strikes allowed, and san shou does not allow knee strikes.

 

[lucid]

Just a few questions.

1. Is Sanshou an art in itself, or does it use practical Wushu techniques in a full contact setting?
I'm in Canada, i find a lot of people who train are like me. Most of the guys on my team have different backgrounds- MT, Boxing, TKD, Karate, wrestling, judo etc and taken a few styles. San shou is just a platform for us to put it together with out needing to worry about the ground game.

2. Would it make more sense for a wrestler to learn Sanshou? They learn basic strikes, and also how to blend it with td's.
Personally, i think san shou is perfect for wrestlers. It's like kickboxing with takedowns and slams. The scoring system in san shou for throws and slams are similar to wrestling. It'll help you learn how to strike and close the distance with your wrestling. You'll work on your striking and learn how to catch kicks and close the distance to use your wrestling. I use my wrestling in san shou all the time, last night i even pulled off a german suplex in sparring.

3. Do you have to learn Wushu with Sanshou?
It's not like other traditional MA's, its more like MT. No forms or patterns, just practical training. There are usually, the wushu kids in one side of my club and theres the wing chun on another side and us san shou guys in the ring up stairs. We never mix and even memberships in our club and forms you need to sign are completely different.

4. Minus the td's and throws, how similiar is it to kickboxing?
Yup, punches to the head, body are legal, kicks to the head, body and legs are legal. Knee's are legal in Sanda (think pro when you hear sanda). Only thing that isnt legal that is legal in MT is elbows. Everything else is basically the same rules wise.

Personally, i think China has done a HORRIBLE job of marketing San Shou (im chinese btw, so im not being racist), as pointed above, they gave 2 names for basically the same thing! Arguing that is like spliting hairs. Im sorry, adding knee's at the pro-level doesn't mean you should give it a new name. its like MT giving another name to amateur level fighting when the only difference is knees and safety gear.

If they want to take it global, then they need to get it together! Personally starting in TKD, we can talk about mc dojo's all we want but the koreans have been masters of spreading their art. The only critique is their ability to sustain the core practicality of the art which is almost completely gone in countries other then korea.

 

[Iggy]

According to Wikipedia Cung Le earned All-American honors in wrestling during his year of high school and was the California Junior College State Champion at 158 lbs. in 1990. As for other wrestlers, your mileage may vary.

 

[TigerArm]

Just a few questions.

1. Is Sanshou an art in itself, or does it use practical Wushu techniques in a full contact setting?
I'm in Canada, i find a lot of people who train are like me. Most of the guys on my team have different backgrounds- MT, Boxing, TKD, Karate, wrestling, judo etc and taken a few styles. San shou is just a platform for us to put it together with out needing to worry about the ground game.

2. Would it make more sense for a wrestler to learn Sanshou? They learn basic strikes, and also how to blend it with td's.
Personally, i think san shou is perfect for wrestlers. It's like kickboxing with takedowns and slams. The scoring system in san shou for throws and slams are similar to wrestling. It'll help you learn how to strike and close the distance with your wrestling. You'll work on your striking and learn how to catch kicks and close the distance to use your wrestling. I use my wrestling in san shou all the time, last night i even pulled off a german suplex in sparring.

3. Do you have to learn Wushu with Sanshou?
It's not like other traditional MA's, its more like MT. No forms or patterns, just practical training. There are usually, the wushu kids in one side of my club and theres the wing chun on another side and us san shou guys in the ring up stairs. We never mix and even memberships in our club and forms you need to sign are completely different.

4. Minus the td's and throws, how similiar is it to kickboxing?
Yup, punches to the head, body are legal, kicks to the head, body and legs are legal. Knee's are legal in Sanda (think pro when you hear sanda). Only thing that isnt legal that is legal in MT is elbows. Everything else is basically the same rules wise.

Personally, i think China has done a HORRIBLE job of marketing San Shou (im chinese btw, so im not being racist), as pointed above, they gave 2 names for basically the same thing! Arguing that is like spliting hairs. Im sorry, adding knee's at the pro-level doesn't mean you should give it a new name. its like MT giving another name to amateur level fighting when the only difference is knees and safety gear.

If they want to take it global, then they need to get it together! Personally starting in TKD, we can talk about mc dojo's all we want but the koreans have been masters of spreading their art. The only critique is their ability to sustain the core practicality of the art which is almost completely gone in countries other then korea.

I just started learning Sanshou myself, and i agree with everything this guy said. It's just a different style of kickboxing. The main things that differentiate it are throws are scored very highly (obviously,) and there are strikes like the side kick that are emphasized more than other styles. Also a big emphasis on kick catching. It's very well suited for MMA. (I'm learning at an MMA gym.)

I obviously can't speak for every gym, but my sifu also teaches a few styles of traditional wushu but it's not a requirement.

 

[72Chambers]

Since we're on the subject, a great highlight made by a training partner.