Sanda
WHAT IS SANDA?
Sanda 散打 or Sanshou 散手 originated from Chinese to mean ‘free fighting’ or ‘free hand’. Based upon traditional Kung Fu systems, Sanda was originally developed to enhance the fighting style of the Chinese military. It is a full contact Chinese kickboxing system. Although it is similar to other kickboxing styles, the sweeping and throwing of Sanda makes it a completely different way of fighting.
Sanda is fought on an elevated and square platform surrounded by protective mats, also called "Lei Tai". Sanda uses punches, kicks, sweeps, throws, seizing and catchng to throw or push the opponent outside the Lei Tai. In some competitions, the use of elbows and knees are allowed. The fights are fought in 2 rounds consisting of 2 minutes with 1 minute rest in between them. A third round is used to determine the winner if it is a draw. A fighter can win by points, knock out, or surrender. During fights, fighters can clinch on to each other, but only for a few seconds. If the clinch is not broken by the fighters, and if neither succeeds in throwing his opponent within the
time limit, the referee will break the clinch. If a fighter ends up out of the platform, the fight will be stopped and resumed when both fighters are back on the platform.
The equipment for Sanda fighters includes
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Head guard
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Chest guard
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Shin guards
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Groin guard
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Mouth guard
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Gloves
LEI TAI
In the old days if a fighter wanted to make a name or prove to be the best, the fighter would either create a platform or stand on an existing one. This fighter would fight countless fighters that joined on the platform and fighting would continue until there were no challengers left. Fights were conducted with hand-to-hand combat as well as battling with weapons. The fact that there were no rules for these fights often resulting in death or serious injury.
There were also organized events to control all the violence on the streets, bars and ships. Most of these fights were held in town squares with some having rules and some didn't. Fights on the platform could occur randomly, as well as by invitation. They were used to settle disputes or to prove the superiority of one martial system over another system. In the end, whichever fighter remained standing was not only the winner of that fight, but also was acknowledged as the best fighter in the area and knowing the best style of martial arts.
One example of one of these fights occurred in the year 1928 during a national competition in Nanking. This event attracted hundreds of the best Chinese martial artists from all over. The fighters used hand-to-hand combat, weapons, and wrestling to fight on a Lei Tai. With each fighter competing to solely prove superiority over the other fighters, the fights were intense. After the first several days, this intensity led to the halt of the competition. It was feared that the fighting was resulting in the deaths of some of the greatest martial arts masters of the time.
Nowadays, Sanda represents the modern development of fighting on a Lei Tai, but with rules in place to reduce the chance of serious injury. Many Chinese martial art schools teach or work within these rule sets of Sanda, while working to incorporate the movements, characteristics, and theory of their own styles.