Sanshou

Wushu has a rich history, echoing back to 3000BC. As the National Sport of China, Wushu has a massive following, in and around Asia. Wushu is comprised of two formal elements, Taolu and Sanshou.

Although there are many Taolu training schools operate within Canada, there are currently very few opportunities to study Sanshou in Ontario. Sanshou is the physical extension of formal training in Taolu, that transforms theories and concepts into a dynamic and challenging contact sport. The word "Sanshou" also spelled "Sanda" translates to "free hand" and refers to free fighting where the rules are designed to simulate actual combat.

Sanshou matches are fought on raised platforms called the Lei Tai. Historically, the Lei Tai dates back centuries to China where challenge matches were fought with bare hands. Due to the frequent injury of competitors, changes to the practice were developed. In order to define a standard combative system, the greatest masters from all over China were brought together to organize and catalogue the extensive heritage of Chinese martial arts into a system of rules used in competition. Protective equipment such as gloves, helmets, shin pads, mouthpieces, and jocks were also mandated to further reduce the risk of injury.

The rules of Sanshou allow for a wide array of punching, kicking, throws and takedowns, derived from the traditional application of Chinese Martial Arts.

The Wilson Sanshou System is composed of the following four levels:

► Ground: White and Red Belt - Focuses on discipline, coordination and balance
► Fire: Green Belt - Focuses on confidence and mental strength
► Water: Blue Belt - Focuses on self-defense, control and awareness
► Wind: Black Belt - Focuses on emptying the mind and being free