Sanshou (Chinese: 散手; pinyin: sǎnshǒu; literally "free hand") or Sanda (Chinese: 散打; pinyin: sǎndǎ; literally "free fighting") is a Chinese hand to hand combat, self-defense system, and combat sport. Not seen as a style itself, but is rather considered as just one of the two components (taolu and sanshou) of Chinese martial arts (Kung fu) training and is often taught along side with taolu training. It may simply be seen as the practice of martial applications in a realistic environment or simply free fighting. However at the same time the modern standard taolu curriculum was created by the Chinese government. They created and formalised a standard curriculum for sanshou as well. This curriculum was developed by experimenting with the Chinese military experiences in close range and hand to hand combat with reference to traditional Chinese martial arts. Chinese martial arts masters that were still in China (prior to the abolishment of traditional martial arts during the Cultural Revolution) gathered to contribute the creation of the standard curriculum. This general sanshou curriculum varied in its different forms, as the Chinese government developed a watered down version for civilians for self defense and as a sport. However in traditional wushu circles the practise of sanshou may vary and is practiced in relation to their taolu. Later the official name reverted back to Sanda. The term Sanda has a longer history and is more commonly used.

The generalized modern curriculum practised in modern wushu schools is composed of different traditional martial arts fighting styles in China, but mainly based on scientific efficiency. Sanshou is composed of Chinese martial arts applications including most aspects of combat including striking and grappling, however when sanshou/da was developed as a sport, restrictions were made for safety reasons as well as to promote it as a non violent sport. Examples of such restrictions included no blows delivered to the back of the head, spine or groin and the discontinuation of the combat when any of the fighters fall to the ground. However many schools whether traditional or modern, or that practise sanda for competing or not, practise it as an all round martial arts systems with no restrictions, only adapting their training in relation to competition rules prior to the event. Teaching and practicing techniques to restrain, maim, injure or kill an opponent or opponents. Sanda tournaments are one of the two sport wushu disciplines recognized by the International Wushu Federation.^[1]

Sanshou's competitive history involved barehanded or lei tai fights in which no rules existed. However, even sanshou as a competitive event developed in the military as these bouts were commonly held between the soldiers to test and practice barehanded martial skills, ability and techniques. Rules were developed and the use of protective gloves etc. was adopted. It was originally used by the Kuomintang at the first modern military academy in Whampoa in the 1920s^[2]. Later it was also adopted as a method by the People's Liberation Army of China.

One can see general sanshou as a synthesis of traditional Chinese kung fu fighting techniques into a more amorphous system and is commonly taught alongside traditional Chinese styles which Sanshou techniques, theory and training methods are derived from. The emphasis of Sanshou is on realistic fighting ability.

As an unarmed self-defense, close combat system, Sanshou includes da (punches), ti (kicks), shuai (grappling), and na (throws, locks, chokes). Sanda as a sport has a very great emphasis on throws. One of its most distinguished techniques is the "kick catch". This is when one person kicks and the person performing the throw catches the kick and then trips the person kicking when he's on one leg. While kickboxing styles, such as Muay Thai also allow this, the kick catch is emphasized in San Shou because of the importance it is given by the judges.

As a sport, San Shou/San Da is practiced in tournaments and is normally held alongside taolu events in wushu competition. For safety reasons, some techniques from the self-defense form such as elbow strikes, chokes, and joint locks, are not allowed during tournaments. Furthermore, when competition is held on a raised lei tai platform it is possible to defeat the opponent by moving (whether by throwing, striking, or otherwise pushing) him out of the competition area. Fighters are only allowed to clinch for a few seconds. If the clinch is not broken by the fighters, and if neither succeeds in throwing his opponent within the time limit, the referee will break the clinch.

In the US, competitions are held either in boxing rings or on the raised lei tai platform. Amateur fighters wear protective gear. "Amateur Sanshou" allows kicks, punches and throws. If the rule set is referred to as "San Da", knees to the body are also permitted. A competition held in China, called the "King of Sanda", is held in a ring similar to a boxing ring in design but larger in dimension. As professionals, they wear no protective gear except for gloves, cup, and mouthpeice, and are allowed to use knee strikes (including to the head) as well as kicking, punching and throwing.

Some Sanshou fighters have participated in fighting tournaments such as K-1 and Shoot boxing. They have had some degree of success, especially in Shoot boxing competitions, which is more similar to Sanshou. Due to the rules of kickboxing competition, Sanshou fighters are subjected to more limitations than usual. Also notable competitors in china's mainstream Mixed Martial Arts competition, Art of War Fighting Championship are dominantly of wushu background.

Sanshou has been featured in many style-versus-style competitions. Muay Thai is frequently pitted against Sanshou as is Karate, Kickboxing and Taekwondo.

Although it is less common, some San Shou practitioners have also fought in the publicly viewed American Mixed Martial Artscompetitions, including Cung Le, who won the Strikeforce middleweight title, after defeating Frank Shamrock. Other San Shou/San Da based fighters who have entered MMA include KJ Noons and James Fanshier

Famous competitors


 

Some well-known Chinese Sanda fighters include Yuan Yubao, Bao Li Gao, and Liu Hailong who is known as "The Conqueror of Muay Thai" as he has beaten many of the top Muay Thai fighters. Some Sanda (Sanshou) fighters who are well-known in the United States include the IKF and Strikeforce middleweight champion, Cung Le, as well as Jason Yee ^[4], Rudi Ott^[5], Marvin Perry^[6] and Scott Sonnon^{[citation needed]}. Salihov Muslim from Russia was a European Champion in 2004, a world champion in 2005 (both in 80kg category), and in 2006 Muslim beat 4 top Chinese fighters from different weight cateogries, including the Chinese champion from the 90kg category, to claim the Sanda "Wangzhongwang" (King of Kings) title.

Sanshou.com

http://www.sanda.nl/sanda.html

一. 比賽量級:
1. 48KG ( <= 48KG )
2. 52KG ( > 48KG <= 52KG ) * 亞運比賽量級
3. 56KG ( > 52KG <= 56KG ) * 亞運比賽量級
4. 60KG ( > 56KG <= 60KG ) * 亞運比賽量級
5. 65KG ( > 60KG <= 65KG ) * 亞運比賽量級
6. 70KG ( > 65KG <= 70KG ) * 亞運比賽量級
7. 75KG ( > 70KG <= 75KG )
8. 80KG ( > 75KG <= 80KG )
9. 85KG ( > 80KG <= 85KG )
10. 90KG ( > 85KG <= 90KG )
11. 90KG以上 ( > 90KG )

二. 得分標準如下 : 禁止攻擊對方的後腦 , 頸部 , 襠部 , 也禁用膝蓋 , 手肘部位攻擊 . 得分部位為頭 , 軀幹 , 下肢 .
1. 得三分 :
a. 在一局比賽中 , 一方一次下台 , 對方得三分
b. 使用後轉身掃擺腿將對方擊倒而自己站立者得三分
c. 使用前掃腿 , 後掃腿將對方擊倒 ( 除兩腳以外的任何部位觸地 ) 而自己站立者 , 得三分
d. 使用勾踢腿將對方擊倒而自己站立者 , 得三分
e. 在閃躲防守的同時 , 使用巧妙招法 ( 包含主動倒地 ) 使對方倒地
2. 得兩分 :
a. 一方倒地 , 站立者得兩分
b. 用腿法擊中對方軀幹部位一次 , 得兩分
c. 受警告一次 , 對方得兩分
3. 得一分 :
a. 用手法擊中對方得分部位一次 , 得一分 . 用腿法擊中對方頭部或下肢一次 , 得一分
b. 比賽中雙方對峙超過 8 秒 , 主裁判員指定一方進攻 , 如 8 秒中內仍不進攻 , 對方得一分
c. 受警告一次 , 對方得一分
d. 使用方法雙方先後倒地 , 後倒地者得一分
4. 不得分
a. 雙方同時或依次擊中得分部位 , 不得分
b. 雙方同時倒地 , 同時下台或先後下台 , 不得分
c. 抱住 2 秒鍾後摔倒對方或對方下台 , 不得分
d. 使用主動倒地方法進攻時 , 對方不得分
e. 使用騰空動作進攻後的合理倒地 , 對方不得分
f. 雙方摟抱 , 摟摔擊打時 , 互不得分
g. 使用提膝動作防守時 , 被擊中膝關節以下部位 , 對方不得分
h. 使用後掃腿擊中對方得分部位 , 但被對方壓在地下 , 互不得分
i. 方法不清楚 , 擊中不明顯 , 不得分

三. 犯規
1. 技術犯規
a. 消極摟抱對方
b. 處於不利狀況是舉手要求暫停
c. 比賽中場外進行指導
d. 比賽中對裁判員有不禮貌的行?或不服從裁判
e. 比賽中大聲叫喊
f. 有意拖延比賽時間
g. 上場不戴或吐落護齒 , 有意松脫護具
h. 運動員不遵守禮節
2. 侵人犯規
a. 在口令“開始”前或喊“停”後進攻對方
b. 擊中對方禁止部位
c. 用不允許的方法擊中對方

四. 罰則
1. 每出現一次技術犯規 , 勸告一次
2. 每出現一次侵人犯規 , 警告一次
3. 受罰失分失6分者 , 判對方為勝方
4. 運動員故意傷人 , 取消比賽資格 , 判對方為勝方
5. 運動員使用違禁物品 , 局間休息時輸氧 , 取消比賽資格

五. 暫停比賽
1. 運動員倒地（主動倒地除外）或下臺時
2. 運動員犯規受罰時
3. 運動員受傷時
4. 運動員相互抱纏沒有進攻動作或無進攻超過2秒時
5. 運動員主動倒地超過3秒時
6. 運動員由於客觀原因舉手要求暫停時
7. 裁判長糾正錯判 , 漏判時
8. 處理場上問題或發現險情時
9. 因燈光 , 場地等客觀原因影響比賽時
10. 運動員對峙出現消極 , 被指定進攻一方達8秒仍無進攻時

六. 勝負評定
優勢勝利
1 . 在一場比賽中 , 3次有效使用3分動作者（下臺除外）
2. 在比賽中 , 雙方實力懸殊 , 臺上裁判員征得裁判長的同意 , 判技術強者為勝方
3. 被重擊（侵人犯規除外）倒地不起達10秒 , 或雖能站立但知覺失常 , 判對方為該場勝方
4. 一場比賽中 , 被重擊強制讀秒（侵人犯規除外）達3次 , 判對方為該場勝方
5. 比賽中 , 運動員出現傷病 , 經醫生診斷不能繼續比賽者 , 判對方為該場勝方 . 一局比賽中 , 一方受重擊被強制讀秒（侵人犯規除外）2次 , 另一方為該局勝方 . 一方2次下臺 , 另一方為該局勝方 . 兩次有效使用3分動作者為該局勝方 . 一局比賽中 , 雙方出現平局 , 按下列順序判定勝負 :
* 本局受警告少者為勝方
* 本局受勸告少者為勝方
* 體重輕者為勝方（以當天體重為准）

一場比賽，先勝兩局者為該場勝方
比賽中因一方犯規 , 另一方詐傷 , 經醫務監督確診後 , 判犯規一方為該場勝方
因對方犯規而受傷 , 通過醫務監督檢查確認不能再比賽者 , 為該場勝方
因對方犯規而受傷 , 通過醫務監督檢查確認不能比賽者 , 為該場勝方 . 但不得參加以後的比賽
淘汰賽時 , 一場比賽中 , 如獲勝局數相同 , 按下列順序決定勝負 :
* 受警告少者為勝方
* 受勸告少者為勝方
* 體重輕者為勝方
上述三種情況仍相同 , 則加賽一局 , 依次類推
循環賽時 , 一場比賽中 , 如獲勝局數相同時為平局