Welcome to Gaia! ::

I don 't know much about wushu.

But flipping and dodgeing would always be useful....

Wushu I believe would be useless, only because they removed all of the fighting aspects. It'd be fun, but impractical. Sure, flipping looks handy, but you could also be caught off guard, trip fall, it's all about the circumstances. So, all in all, I guess if you had other martial arts experience, I do suppose it'd be very handy. On it's own though, IMO, it'd be worthless.

Calling Wu Shu useless in a fight is silly. You might as well call Tae Kwon Do useless in a fight, because hey you might not have room to kick. Or call any school that uses forms useless, because you can't stick to the form in an improvised, unpredictable fight situation.

Like all martial arts, the usefulness of Wu Shu in a fight is determined by the ability of the student to apply what s/he knows in a useful way. In a fight, I'd take my SIL over *several* other martial artists that I know, and she's a little chick who studies Wu Shu. The other people study other arts, but have the mental flexibility of a brick wall. Hell, for that matter I'd appreciate the crap out of her bf's help, who doesn't do much martial arts at all but does a fsck-ton of break-dancing. It's all about applying what you know. ...And, of course, the Thai elbow. ninja (We've been watching Thai MA flicks.)

Although my knowlage is limited I did think this: If you're thinking about getting into a fight and someone starts rolling and flipping around all over the place then you're going to think twice about fighting them anyway. In the animal kingdom, alot of fights are sorted before they even get physical!

I repeat in a different way: Every art adds something to those who learn from it. Denote: Those who learn from it.

Kung Fu Elements is the name of my book Taiji Quan, Xingy Quan, Baguazhang, Chi Na, San Shou, Monkey style, Wing Chun ,Chang Quan, Zui Quan. This is not all but you get the idea Wu Shu means martial arts and this is just there way of competing agains each other.

If you want combat effective and you like Muay Thai look at San Shou.

http://www.wushulin.com/styles_fm.htm

Also San Shou is like chinese boxing and about as rough as muay thai here is a little history, tips, rulesand stuff (this is really long)
San Shou/Sanda is a martial art which was originally developed by the Chinese military based upon intense study of various traditional methods. San Shou is a compete martial art that teaches punching, kicking, leg kicks, knees, elbows, kick catches, sweeps, takedowns and throws.

In 1924, the Guomindang (Nationalist Party) established the Whampoa Military Academy in Guangdong province, China in order to train the party's leadership and create a modern military force. The Chinese endeavored to create a method of training their military forces in close quarters combat. The Whampoa military instructors studied the existing Chinese martial arts traditions and created San Shou.

In 1991, China introduced an amateur sport version of San Shou.

In 1997, the first attempts were made both in China and in the United States to establish professional matches. These matches are refeered to as San Da, an older term which was originally used to describe full contact fighting.


Rules
1) All professional matches are conducted in a boxing ring

2) Legal techniques include punching, kicking, low kicks, sweeps, throws and takedowns. Knee strikes are currently legal in professional competition in China.

3) Competitors have are allowed to clinch and are given a period of time in which to kick, punch or throw before they are separated. Throws completed after this period will not be considered by judges. Kicking the legs in the clinch and/or punching out of the clinch is legal.

4) Competitors are allowed to catch a kick and sweep the supporting leg.

5) Illegal techniques include elbow strikes, direct kicks to the knees or any joint attacks, kicks or punches to the back of the head, kicks or punches to the spine, strikes to the groin, and head butts.

6) Shorts are MANDATORY.
No head gear is allowed in professional matches. All competitors must wear a groin cup and mouth piece.



Tips on San Shou
Tip 1: Know the Rules
To be successful, the Sanshou athlete should be very familiar with the rules. The rules allow all stylists equal opportunity to score and win, regardless of their martial art, so the best fighters are the ones who know the rules as well as they know their martial skills. Otherwise, you might neglect to execute valuable moves, or find yourself penalized for an error.

The first rule of Sanshou to keep in mind is that you can kick, punch and grapple. You can also strike the same place consecutively-except the head-in less than one-second intervals. Points are awarded in a one, two, or three point systems.

It is equally important to remember the rules about losing points. Cautions are issued to encourage good sportsmanship-a device to forewarn the competitor about losing control. The warning penalizes the competitor for an action that previously received a caution and to prevent the competitor from further illegal tactics. The caution earns a -l point and the warning earns -2 points against a competitor. If a competitor is given six cautions or three warnings, he will forfeit the bout. If a competitor is thrown out of the fighting area twice, he will forfeit the bout.

Tip 2: Know How to Fall
The most successful Sanshou competitors have experience in grappling to know how to fall. During falling they instinctively round up the body while landing, to prevent damage to the spine. They also hold and tuck the head to protect it. Their knees are bent and they land on the hip to prevent injury to the ankles and knees. And since you never know how you'll be hit, you should learn how to safely fall sideways, forward, and backward. Spar with a grappler to be familiar with the technique.

It is advisable to learn some throws-and be thrown by them to experience what the technique is like on the receiving end, If you are only a puncher or a kicker without any grappling techniques in your arsenal, then all I can say to you in Sanshou competition is "Good luck!"

Tip 3: Use Selective Techniques
The intelligent competitor thinks to use the techniques that can score the most points while being relatively easy to apply. The best move should be simple, effective, and involve the least physical contact to pose the least risk. Fancy moves rarely win matches. The ideal technique is both offensive and defensive concurrently. The principle is that every defensive move should lead to an offensive maneuver and an offensive move should be defensive so as to protect the competitor when he executes the attack.

Use select techniques from your style. In this way, you present the style's essence instead of fighting at random. Attacks must be in combinations of one or two moves instead of consisting of a single punch or kick. The striking technique should be followed either by a fake, setup, or entrapment.

Tip 4: Strategize
Strategy is the determining factor in a fight. For example, one excellent strategy is that instead of relaxing as you break off an attachment, you should execute a technique to score. This teaches the true martial artist that strategy is as important during separation as during the approach.

Another aspect of strong strategy is to execute clean, easy, and fast techniques. If an opponent throws a roundhouse, for example, instead of catching the leg and grappling, simply lift the leg up high to make the opponent lose balance and fall: an easy two points. This teaches the athlete to watch the two-second time limit. Don't be stubborn in grappling,

If an opponent throws a punch or a kick you must respond, or else the opponent will receive a clean score. The proper blocking posture will prevent you from being penalized for unresponsiveness; if you respond, there is no loss of point. The idea is that if an opponent moves, you must move. If he changes, you must do the same. Measure your relationship with the opponent; be aware at all times: eyes and head up, lower back straight and leg bent a little.

As you develop your strategy, remember that a clean counter such as sweep or takedown while you are still standing is a three points. Three of these techniques win the bout, and in order to win in a Sanshou match, you only have to win two out of three bouts.

Tip 5: Be a Well-Conditioned Athlete
To win at Sanshou, prepare yourself both mentally and physically. In your physical training, you must have proper footwork. It must be light, mobile, swift, and balanced. You must also perfect skillful technique to accompany your footwork. Be fluid in application of your technique: You cannot fight like a judoka, a boxer, or a tae kwon do practitioner-you must fight like all of them combined. You must know all the ranges of combat: kicking, punching, and grappling.

In your mental preparation, you need a strong will to win, and a killer instinct to dominate your opponent. Never give up. Fight each match as if it is your last. During the tournament, you must be confident with your technique and ability: All those hours of training should pay off now. It's too late to back out. You must advance because the fire is getting nearer and nearer-but you have to remain cool.

Tip 6: Listen to Your Coach
Fear is always present when you are in the business of combat. In a mortal struggle, the animal instinct of preservation will often emerge, but having your sifu or senior in your corner gives you a psychological advantage. A good coach will instill and secure the athlete's confidence.

But the role requires more than moral support. A coach should also collect information, help to prepare a strategy for the athlete, and schedule his bouts. If unfair decisions are being made, the coach should protest on the athlete's behalf. He should watch that the stage and the equipment are prepared, and that the fight will take place at the right time and against an equal competitor. A good coach will also keep a close eye on the psychological state of his athlete, and make sure that the competitor is not distracted. In an ideal situation, the coach does everything but the fighting.

Tip 7: Fight with the Mind
While the coach is on your side, advising and instilling confidence, your job is to fight. But don't think that this only involves the body. To fight as effectively as possible, you need to mentally process comparisons between you and the other fighters. Measure each competitor's strength and weaknesses. Start by asking a few important questions: Who are the potential rivals in the tournament's process of elimination? Who might be the toughest opponent? As the tournament progresses, what are the patterns and strategies being used by each competitor? Who are the best conditioned and show the greatest determination? Once you gather as much information as you can, just be calm, conserve your energy, and plan your strategy with your coach's advice.

Trial by Fire
Above all else, remember that your movement must be fluid. Fancy techniques, unreasonably lowered stances and long stances are generally not effective in sparring. Footwork must be mobile. Kicking, punching, falling, and rolling must all be part of your strategy,

At its highest level, Sanshou attempts to let each individual style use its most effective techniques in free sparring. Sanshou will help Wushu practitioners to know Wushu's true essence. Through this trial by fire, one truth becomes clear: which techniques work and which ones do not.




A little more info.


Amateur San Sou
Sport San Shou utilizes striking, kicking and wrestling but not "submission" ("Na") and/or ground grappling. Originally, elbows and knees were utilized in inter-military San Shou competition but they have been removed from the international sport version which was established in 1991 with the first world championships.


Professional San Sou
Also called San Da
In 1997, the first attempts were made both in China and in the United States to establish professional San Shou matches conducted in a manner similar to other kickboxing styles such as Muay Thai. Matches are conducted without the protective gear (without headgear, shin guards and the chest protector) and are held in a boxing ring. The Chinese often refer to professional San Shou as "San Da" an older term which was originally used to describe full contact fighting. Professional San Shou/San Da has grown incredibly over the last three years and professional San Shou fighters have recently fought successfully in the K-1 kickboxing promotion and in the Japan Shootboxing Association.