Just an update, I will be closing the Tuesday training session due to poor turn out for self-training. As a result, if you want to train on that day, give me a call before you come, so that you will not be the only one there. I will give my number only if you come on Thursday or if you email me, to minimise any conflicts.

OK, sanshou is essentially kickboxing with throws. The more glamourised name is sanda, which literally means free sparring while sanshou means free hand. Generally, both names are used loosely in reference to the same sport, but professional sanshou is known as sanda, while amateur sanshou is still known as sanshou. Like so many others, I still get confused and wonder why the need for the change in names.

Sanshou is essentially a game of opportunity, you see an opening you go for it. For example, if you see a kick coming, catch it and sweep your opponent; If you see him open his guard, sidekick him in the chest, etc, etc.

A big difference from other kickboxing or hybrid systems is that we fight on a platform and we can PUSH people out of the ring. If you fall out of the ring twice, you lose the round. The reason why you can push stems from the age old self defense techniques in all arts, how to defend against a push. The argument is that if you cannot defend against a push, you have no reason to be in the ring.

Another difference, we can hit anywhere on the body, so long it is not the joints, eyes, neck, groin and the top of the head. So even if you hit the back or the back of the head, but none of the joints, it is still permitted.

Another unique thing is we have 3 point for the reverse hook kick to the head, recently added a few years back. At first, I thought it was silly, but I have seen the Iranians makes full use of this rule to knock out their opponents!

Our throws are also different and are more of a variant of Kuai Chiao, a shorten version of Shuai Chiao (Chinese fast wrestling). It looks like judo, but the execution is shorter and more jerky and not as fluid. The reason is that we cannot hold on to our opponent for more than 3 seconds. And yes, there is no submission and no ground and pound. The reason is that it was not a common part of the chinese culture to fight on the ground, but to stay there was none, this is not true too, just not popular, since members of the opposing sects in those days can sometimes jump over the ropes and give "a helping hand" to his losing compadre.

Contary to what many people think too, our art is very much immersed in traditional chinese martial arts fundamentals, but techniques wise, it looks very much like many modern styles.

Professional sanda unlike the amateur ones allow elbows, knees, foot stomps and headbutts.

OK, since numbers are up, Tuesday are back again as official timing. I might also increase another day for the week, but for informal training due to request. New training time now for both Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm to 10pm (till late sometimes). Gears are still the same: running shoes, mouthguard and gloves.

I did get alot of email asking about the gear, so I shall explain a little better, shoes are for hill runs and all the other nasties you have to do. Gloves and mouthguard are preferred, but if you don't have, it is fine by me. You can email me at:

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I second what Ronin says and it would pay good heed to stick to one art till you are proficient, move only when you want to do something new or your zest for the art is down to zero. I have seen one too many practitioners fall into the pit of trying everything and create an almagam of what they learn from here and there and getting totally messed up.

IMHO, In regards to sanshou and muay thai, I won't recommend on the grounds that the similiarity is too much for the beginning practitioner as to decipher the difference would be very challenging. Even shootboxing falls into the same category. The reason is that the rules of each art has cultured and ingrained certain techniques and the way and timing it is executed to be favored over others by fighters, judges and referees. To be different would only make you unacceptable in their eyes, unless you can pull off a mighty good show within the rule sets. Do not find a one size fits all solution and compete each style, you will suffer.

What then would be good? Learn two vastly different arts so that you will never get confused, if you must learn new arts.
But only two at a time, given the lifestyle and workload of Singaporeans, I will envy anyone who can learn more than two each time without getting confused, tired or stressed.

yeap. The rest of the other days are taken by hung gar and muay thai.

yeap, but all run by other people. None of us are connected, only that we share common training ground.

In sanda yes, but not in sanshou. In short, sanshou is the amateur sport version where getting opportunity is the name of the game, while sanda is considered pro level and is more frontal with the offense.

Technically, sanda allows head butts and foot stomps on top of elbows and knees, but due to 'spectator friendly' views, most fights in previous years only had knees in.

A rare rule in both sanshou and sanda is that you are allowed to kick or strike your opponent anywhere below the neck when he falls to the ground until the referee says stop. The main reason for this is to prevent fighters from staying on the ground after performing a sweep. But this rule is not encouraged by general community as a green light for ground and pound.

In sanda yes, but not in sanshou. In short, sanshou is the amateur sport version where getting opportunity is the name of the game, while sanda is considered pro level and is more frontal with the offense.

Technically, sanda allows head butts and foot stomps on top of elbows and knees, but due to 'spectator friendly' views, most fights in previous years only had knees in.

A rare rule in both sanshou and sanda is that you are allowed to kick or strike your opponent anywhere below the neck when he falls to the ground until the referee says stop. The main reason for this is to prevent fighters from staying on the ground after performing a sweep. But this rule is not encouraged by general community as a green light for ground and pound.

Hi, I have been getting alot of requests for joining the sanshou class over the past 2 years eventhough I kept it low key. Just to clear the air, the classes are still ON same place. It is every Tuesday and Thursday at 8pm till late and under a nominal fee per month.

We currently expanded to include kickboxing (K-1 rules) and boxing too aside from sanshou under different coaches which happen along the course of the club maturing.

We are still NON-COMMERCIAL and hope to remain so. We are rather informal compared to other schools and we train on the basis of good comradeship.

Shorts and T-shirt is the uniform, but they wear chest pads, head gear, gloves and mouth guard for sparring. At professional level, gloves and mouth guard are the only protection.

Yeap, that is run by another class by another teacher. I am not too sure of their background in martial arts, but they are quite well known in the Chinese Martial Art circuit for their prowess in the leitai circuit in the 70s to 80s according to my coach.

Don't worry, I guess I have alot of request on these issue I guess I will address it as such for everyone.

1. Just go to the top floor (balcony) and ask for the coach.
2. Bring your running shoes, t-shirt, shorts and gloves & mouth guard if you have.
3. Say you are new and want to try out the class.

That's all. We are an non-profit and informal group and we want to keep as such, so don't worry too much.

The only thing we do prefer is that people join in the training rather than sit and watch, we find that rather uncomfortable on our part.

here is a link to our new website: http://www.strike-combat.com/.

There is a good book call "Practical Sanda", they have already made a 2nd version of it. It is in chinese and is pretty hard to find here, but you can find them in most chinese bookstores in China and Hong Kong. I favour it as it is closest to the way I train.

Most other chinese books are rather outdated by today's comp standards.

If you are looking for an English version, there is one by Cung Le, but I find his way different from the rest of the world in terms of timing and technique preferences.