Sanda: Kung Fu created a solution, then threw it away
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 8:21 pm
Excerpts from "Sanda: When Kung Fu created a solution to its problems - then threw it away:"
Excerpt from "Comments:"
Mason Zhong on Aug 5, 2020 wrote:This article was generously contributed by Mason Zhong of the Chinese Martial Arts Reformation Society.
Abstract:
• In the 1980s, China modernized Chinese Martial Arts (CMA) to create Sanda (translation: "free fighting").
• CMA practitioners have long dismissed Sanda as not being CMA.
• Almost every Sanda technique can be found in CMA.
• While Sanda has foreign influence, saying Sanda isn't CMA is like saying Sambo isn't Russian.
• More work needs to be done to educate ignorant CMA practitioners.
So... what is Sanda?
For a long time, the Chinese government banned the combative practice of CMA among the civilian population, instead only allowing the practice of Wushu Taolu (武术套路), i.e. forms.
While some degree of combative training was maintained in the military and police, it was not until 1979 that the General Administration of Sport of China (国家体育总局) initiated a project to greatly expand and further develop such practices into a modern combat sport for the civilian populace.
After much research and experimentation, this project ultimately culminated in the creation of Sanshou (散手), later renamed Sanda (散打): a full-contact combat sport primarily characterized by punches, kicks, and throws.
After learning Shuai Jiao (Chinese Wrestling) (摔跤) as a child, Chinese National Sanda Team head coach Zhang Genxue (张根学) received his martial arts training in the military while Sanda was still in its early experimental stages.
Given its adoption of the same modern, scientific training methods used by martial arts such as Boxing and Judo, Sanda really should have solved the issues of unscientific mysticism and dogma plaguing CMA by now. ...
Yeah, but Sanda IS just kickboxing, right?
Dismissing Sanda as ‘merely kickboxing’ and therefore not CMA is both ignorant and counterproductive. ...
What most CMA practitioners, including so-called ‘masters’, don't even realize is that almost every single technique in Sanda can be found in various CMA styles. Let’s have a look at some examples.
Punches
Jabs and crosses can be found in both Lian Bu Quan (连步拳) and Gong Li Quan (功力拳) (1:09:41, 1:10:02), as well as Eagle Claw (鹰爪派) (0:15, 0:27, 0:30).
Furthermore, throat punches, eye pokes, and countless other straight strikes to the head/neck can easily be adapted into jabs and crosses.
Hooks (including check hooks), overhands, uppercuts, spinning back fists, and superman punches are the bread and butter of Cai Li Fo (Choy Li Fut) (蔡李佛).
As permitted by Sanda rules, various parts of the fist are used as the striking surface. This is different from boxing, where only the knuckles may be used.
Tighter, close-range hooks can be found in Zhou Jia (Jow Ga) (周家) and Eagle Claw.
Tan Tui's (弹腿) hooks can also be used as casting punches.
The uppercut is also found in both Lian Bu Quan and Gong Li Quan (1:09:15, 1:10:36).
The last example above involves using the free hand to control the opponent's head. Further examples of dirty boxing can be found in Tan Tui, Yang Style Taiji (杨式太极), and Xingyi (形意).
Hong Jia (Hung Gar) (洪家) has shovel hooks to the ribs, while body hooks with a more horizontal trajectory can be easily adapted from Pi Gua's (劈掛) open hand strikes.
Kicks
Round kicks, including leg kicks, are found in Choy Li Fut, Chuo Jiao (戳脚), and Northern Praying Mantis (北螳螂) (0:22, 0:36, 0:47). Although less powerful than Thai-style 'sweeping' kicks, the snappier motion of these kicks makes them harder to catch, making them more suitable for Sanda.
The (spinning) back kick is known in Hung Gar as a Tiger Tail Kick (虎尾腿), while the spinning hook kick is a signature of Shaolin Tiger style (少林虎拳).
Full Plum + Knee is found in Gong Li Quan.
Grappling
The wrestling obviously comes from Shuai Jiao, although other styles have wrestling techniques too.
People also tend to overlook the importance of pushing and counter-pushing: a critical skill when fighting on a Lei Tai (擂台), which for real-life application acts as a proxy for all sorts of ledges and tripping/slipping hazards.
Defense
Covering up with the forearms is found in Da Tong Bei Quan (大通背拳) and Da Hong Quan (大洪拳), which also uses shoulder rolling. Meanwhile, the cross arm guard is found in Xiao Hong Quan (小洪拳).
Head movement isn't a concept alien to CMA either: this Hung Gar technique involves slipping a jab/cross and simultaneously counter-punching with a straight to the body. Xiao Hong Quan also has a similar technique. Bobbing and weaving is found in Da Hong Quan, while many northern styles use level changes that are usually used to set up takedowns but can obviously also be used to evade punches. Furthermore, pulling/swaying/fading is a hallmark of drunken styles.
Finally, Sanda’s signature kick catch throws are found in Northern Praying Mantis and Hung Gar.
Sanda’s kick catch throws (接腿摔) epitomize the style’s integration of striking and stand-up grappling.
... So… Sanda is 100% Chinese then?
Not quite. Sanda has also been significantly influenced by foreign martial arts: its modern training and instructional methods; competition format that allows for efficient pressure-testing; adoption of modern sports science and medicine; and use of protective gear and modern training equipment were all influenced by foreign sources such as Boxing and Muay Thai.
Despite his prior experience as a military combatives instructor and initial successes as a provincial Sanda coach, current Chinese National Team head coach Zhang Genxue still undertook five years of full-time study at the Xi’an Physical Education University in order to continue improving his knowledge and skills as a coach.
Stylistically, such influences also led to the convergent evolution of fighting methods, with the end result being something that more or less resembles a modern kickboxing-derivative. It is no surprise then that the early developers of Sanda partially referenced martial arts such as Boxing and Muay Thai for guidance in selecting certain techniques and directing the development of some of their own fighting methods and tactics.
However, coming from numerous CMA backgrounds themselves, these developers also knew that the vast majority of the techniques they ended up adopting already existed in various CMA styles (as illustrated previously), hence why they even utilized traditional CMA terminology in naming many of these techniques in their training manuals for a period of time.
... Ultimately, the biggest obstacle preventing Sanda from solving CMA's problems is CMA practitioners themselves: if even we don't own it as CMA, why should anyone else?
Excerpt from "Comments:"
Mason Zhong wrote:In hindsight, the omission of certain content (that I’ve left for future articles) has perhaps distorted my message, which I would articulate as: yes, sanda has been partially influenced by foreign disciplines such as boxing and Muay Thai, but that’s no reason for the CMA community to reject it as an acceptable evolution of CMA because:
1. Virtually every technique can still be found in CMA.
2. There are still plenty of distinctly Chinese influences, e.g. side kick, kick catches, sweeps, Shuai Jiao, lei tai, etc.
3. Most people have a blatant misconception of what CMA fighting should look like, due to misinterpretation of techniques, influence of kung fu films and wushu forms etc.
4. Martial arts (should) evolve and adapt, and CMA is no exception.
5. Martial arts have always influenced each other, and again CMA is no exception (e.g. even Shaolin arts partially had Indian origins)
6. The evolution of TCMA into sanda predates the 1979 sports convention.
Hopefully this message will come out more clearly when my other articles get published.