With so many martial arts out there we often find ourselves wondering which of these arts truly is superior. The fact of the matter is no single art can really be regarded as superior but some of the newer hybrid arts can definitely make a valid claim at that title. San Shou unlike any other martial art combines two distinctively different arts to create a fighting system that is quite extensive and capable of dealing with a myriad of different circumstances.
Kickboxing is known as the most well rounded striking martial art due to the fact that you have more weapons at your disposal in the form of your hands and your feet. The one aspect of kickboxing that was sorely lacking is its ability to both takedown an opponent and defend against takedowns. Enter Shuai-jiao also known as Chinese wrestling. Wushu is the most popular form of kung-fu and Shuai-jiao is the most popular form of grappling in China. The way in which these two arts compliment each other makes you wonder why it took so long for them to be combined to form what we now call San Shou. The word San Shou also spelled Sanda means unbound hand and is a martial art that was created to closely resemble an actual confrontation. The fact of the matter is you may know how to kick and punch but what happens if an assailant decides to grab you?
San Shou is the official self defense of the Chinese army which is a testament to its effectiveness in unarmed combat. In 1991 San Shou became an integral part of the Wushu world championships and started to popularize as a sport. The matches take part on a Lei Tai which is a raised platform much like a sumo wrestling ring. The techniques of San Shou consist of kicking, punching and takedowns. Chokeholds and arm locks were omitted from competition in order to keep the fights as lively as possible. The fact that San shou addresses all the ranges of fighting (kicking, punching and grappling) makes the matches quite real. The matches consist of two, two minute rounds and points are awarded for effective strikes and takedowns. It is unfair to compare San Shou to any traditional martial art, as it is much more then striking and also a lot more then just grappling.
The search for a complete martial art should stop right here. San Shou covers everything you would need to know in order to survive an attack. The only thing that puzzles me about San Shou is its lack of popularity through out the rest of the world. Here we have a martial art that allows you to kick punch and grapple yet the majority of our society hasn't heard of it. The fact is that there aren't many San Shou clubs in North America but if you happened to be one of the lucky ones who does have this martial art in your city, do yourself a favor and give it a try. You won't be sorry!
I'm sure you've heard about the different personality types: Type A's are those that are very competitive and goal-oriented and Type B's are the people who are more relaxed and laidback about life. Well, recently in the news, there has been talk about a third personality type, Type D. Type D's are those who are often negative, hostile, depressed and moody and they are often insecure and tense in social situations.
You probably know which personality type fits you the best and there are pros and cons to each type. For example, while Type A's are likely to succeed at everything they do or at least work themselves to the bone trying, they also often under a lot of stress. Type B's are unlikely to experience stress because stressful situations tend to encourage them to get the job done and are usually quite unlikely to get irritated about the small things. Type D's may or may not accomplish what they need to do because they are often in a distressed state of mind.
There is something that can help you balance your personality to increase your success (at whatever it is you want to succeed). Martial arts can give you the skills to balance the negative sides of your personality with the positive sides. Here's how:
If you're a Type A, you need something to help you relax and reduce stress. Training martial arts not only helps you reduce the same stress that other physical exercises do through the release of endorphins, it also helps you mentally as well. Training martial arts requires you to create a body-mind connection like no other sport or activity because you need to clearly focus and concentrate on the moves your practicing. A training session will allow you to clear your mind of work and anything else that might be causing stress in your life.
Type B's can also benefit from martial arts because even though they are often even- tempered, everyone can use a fun, exciting physical outlet. Martial arts can offer this in a way that few other physical activities can. First of all, training martial arts is a full-body training. Practitioners don't have to switch between upper and lower, abs and gluts. Additionally, martial arts training is always evolving to meet the practitioners growing skills and levels.
The last personality trait, the Type D's can find great benefit from training martial arts. There is a sense of calmness and spirituality that comes with successful training that most type D's could use in their lives to help balance out the negative emotions and thoughts that cause distress in their lives.
There are so many more benefits than those listed here including increased confidence, increased flexibility and increased self-defense abilities. Why not give it a try? No matter what type of personality you are, there are ways that martial arts can make your life even better!
Both Michael Russell & Robert Jones are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Michael Russell has sinced written about articles on various topics from Celebrities, Dieting and Diabetes Treatment. Michael RussellYour Independent guide to . Michael Russell's top article generates over 2240000 views. to your Favourites.
Robert Jones has sinced written about articles on various topics from Martial Arts, Writing and Martial Arts. Robert Jones runs 3 successful martial arts schools in Bellevue, Lynnwood, and Federal Way Washington. For over 20 years he has been helping families to improve their lives through the practice of martial arts. To help people choose a good school he has. Robert Jones's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.