About san shou

The most basic meaning of san shou - free hands is: barehand fighting without rules. The same term is used for combative competition formulas of various styles and organizations of Chinese martial arts. The specific rules can differ, but generally it is stand up fighting with use of hitting, kicking, sweeping, throwing and pushing opponent out from the fight area (or platform).



Quite strict division for grappling and hitting was formed in combative sports in 20th century. Only recently, with the popularization of MMA, some more people started seeing its artificiality, while in traditional Chinese martial arts using hitting and grappling together is the most basic characteristic.

Mixing hitting with grappling in stand up fighting opens technical and tactical areas which are absent in pure hitting or pure grappling formulas. But those areas are also quite absent in MMA. This is because stressing the need of remaining in stand up position after throwing opponent down, and not going to the ground, and also granting points for moving opponent out of the fight area or off the platform are factors which are changing a lot. And those are elements which can actually make sports fights more resembling some of real fighting situations.

Also in yiquan the idea of san shou competition is similar. The memory of real fighting, including fights with street gangs in 1940s is still strong, finding reflection in the training program and in competition rules. It was often on the street, at a market, a bar. Opponent could push you onto some object or use some object as an improvised weapon. Some other people could intervene at any moment. Sometimes is was a few people fighting against a few others. It forced more footwork and changing positions than during typical ring fights. Any falling down could be very dangerous. Taking fight to the ground could be extremely risky. Hiding behind tight guard, typical for modern hitting sports, would not make much sense, when you had to keep constantly moving in various directions, taking into account possibility of being attacked by more people. Also catching and pushing, including pushing opponent onto some objects, is completely changing the picture.

There are two variants of YIQUAN.COmpetitions san shou rules. Most practitioners can participate in easy san shou. Body protectors and headgears with face protection are used. Hitting with fist, palm, forearm, elbow, shoulder, head, knee and kicking to the torso and head is allowed. Attacks to the head should be made with light contact. Catching and embracing is allowed, but only for a moment and not too often. Points are given for hits, kicks, throwing opponent down or projecting him out from the fighting area - which is symbolically representing throwing opponent onto some object.

Full contact san shou rules are designed for more advanced practitioners. Headgears with face protections are used, but body protectors not. Hitting with fist, palm, forearm, elbow, shoulder, head, knee, kicking to all levels and sweeps are allowed. There is no limit to the hitting power and there is no time limit to catching, embracing, clinching. Apart from hits, points are granted also for throwing opponent down or projecting him out from the fighting area.