the practice was banned following the Republic of China because too many people were dying. But atop a Lei Tai, when a fighter was confronted with a more powerful opponent, he or she could always escape severe injury by jumping off the stage. You may lose face, but you won't lose your life. Despite this "out," the Lei Tai still claimed the lives of many fighters.
Today, the Lei Tai presents a one-of-a-kind arena, different than the more typical ring or cage match. Its architecture does not allow you to trap an opponent in the turnbuckle, so your fighting strategy shifts away from power boxing to more evasive maneuvers. Nor can you just charge someone, like the old "bum rush." A quick redirection will send you flying off the stage. And falling off can hurt, so fighters must deal with an added psychological factor when they approach the edge. Like Japanese Sumo, you have to stand your ground. Falling out-of-bounds constitutes a loss.
The Water Lei Tai was held on the afternoon of May 23rd. There were five divisions and it was the most attended event of the tournament. To add to the fighter's burden, it rained just before the fights, so the Lei Tai was extra slippery.
Also fighters were restricted to minimal safety equipment, only gloves and shorts. This made the event bloody. The element of water added fire to the fights. The competitors rose to the occasion, delivering lots of high-impact action.
http://www.kungfumagazine.com/info/tour ... rticle=338
Thoughts on the new format ?
Does it address issues of not having or bringing back the lei tai?