San Shou

**Groganer** · Posted On: 9/10/2002 2:34pm

What do you people think of this style? It looks pretty interesting to me, especially since I have a kung fu and wrestling background. Anyone know of any good teachers in southern California?

KC Elbows · Posted On: 9/10/2002 2:39pm

I don't think it's a style per se, but a format for fighting, like kuoshu, or ufc, or such.

I actually prefer kuoshu, but just because of the inclusion of elbows(kuoshu fights use the caged headgear).

Michael · Posted On: 9/10/2002 2:55pm

Its not really a style though some schools are trying to do it as a style. In southern CA? None worth mentioning if you want to come up here to Santa Barbara though I'd be happy to train you for free if you show me you have heart.

**matzahbal** · Posted On: 9/10/2002 3:55pm

The closest system to what your describing with a similiar name is San Soo. You should easily find one of those studios in Southern, Ca.

I've been told that San Shou is the "chinese kickboxing" and also told that it's the name of the system that the chinese military practices.

"But some apes gotta go, so we kill the ones we don't know" - 'Aple shall never kill Ape' by The Vandals

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 9/10/2002 4:13pm

Its not a style man. People say its Kung Fu but I've never seen anything from Kung Fu used in any of the matches. It's Thai Boxing with a side kick. And your allowed to throw too. Cung Le uses Thai Boxing techniques and his High School Wrestling to win.

"Do not become entranced by impractical or useless movements. Do not be categorized as one who "Learns all there is to know about less and less until he ends up learning everything there is to know about nothing." -Ed Parker

KC Elbows · Posted On: 9/10/2002 4:22pm

The throws used in san shou in China are generally from kung fu. Cung Le's scissor kick, while probably not kung fu, is also not thai or wrestling. However, scissor kicks are mostly found in what are considered TMA, and appear to be effective enough in his use of them.

Michael · Posted On: 9/10/2002 5:46pm

sigh, scissor kick...yes its kung fu.

KC Elbows · Posted On: 9/10/2002 6:18pm

I wasn't meaning to tout the scissor kick, it's a technique I wouldn't want to be using in an actual fight. My point was that there's kung fu in san shou, though if all you've seen if cung le's stuff(which is good, nonetheless), you probably wouldn't see much of it, but there's san shou outside of the US, in fact, probably most of san shou matches are not held in the US, and it has it's kung fu influence.

And san soo is not related. It's a common mistake, but they are completely different things.

**Groganer** · Posted On: 9/10/2002 6:53pm

So what you're all saying is that I should continue with my Kung Fu, and go coach high school/free style wrestling. This will then give me the cross training in both, and I can use them in fights as I see fit?

**Sheol** · Posted On: 9/11/2002 10:08am

Groganer:

I know this contradicts some of what has been said, but here are the facts:

San Soo is basically kung fu with a street-fighting perspective.

San Shou is Chinese kick-boxing. It's not an art but a form of competition, such as US kick-boxing.

Shuai Chiao is a descendant of Mongolian wrestling and Chiao Li, rather than 'traditional' kung fu (though wrestling did influence kung fu).

It is Shuai Chiao that is institutionally taught to military and police forces in both China and Taiwan. San Soo and San Shou has not.

If you want to learn grappling, join USA Wrestling or a Shuai Chiao organization. Both organizations sponsor competition, though USA Wrestling is obviously much larger in the United States. :D

Edited by - Sheol on September 11 2002 10:15:16