kung fu san soo

[san soo]

i would like to get some opinions and thoughts about kung fu san soo. the general public response is that san soo practisioners are no more than thugs who do not fight fair. what do you know about san soo? what is your opinion about the art?

[Pacificshore]

Don't a whole lot about San Soo, but a friend of mine who studies it isn't a thug

 

Other than that seems to be a fairly comprehensive art, perhaps minus the grappling portion as it is a striking art.

[White Warlock]

san soo = tsoi li fut hung ga

 

I would disagree, based on the fact many other systems, or approaches to combat, have been presented with different origins. Also, i have found 'no' system that has indicated it originated from tsoi li fut hung ga. In fact, the opposite was presented in one place, stating that Jimmy Woo had earlier on been a practitioner of tsoi li fut, and then modified his studies with his own 'observations' as a... thug. The similar origins of both systems seem to substantiate this.

 

The statements of san soo practitioners being merely thugs is clearly bogus. But i understand much of this labeling is based on statements Jimmy Woo had made on more than one occasion, in which he had indicated having worked as a 'thug,' or 'collector' prior to moving to the States.

 

These comments are not to take away from the art, which i have studied as well and found to be one of the most comprehensive of the systems i've had the opportunity to study thusfar.

[Rich67]

Disagree. I studied San Soo, and I second many of Warlock's statements. I am no thug. Furthermore, people say San Sooers don't fight fair??? Let me ask you this: since when is any fight (aside from tourneys) "fair"? Out in the street, anything goes! There is no "fair" in a real knock-down, drag-out, fight for your life brawl. And the people who feel this way have lived sheltered lives in the dojo where "light face contact" is warned by the ref, and they haven't been in a true fight for their life. Sorry. San Soo is a violent art, but it doesn't teach its practitioners to be "thugs". They are simply people who want to take training to the next level- learn to be more offensive than defensive, and cause maximum damage to your opponent before he can do the same to you. Hesitation will get you injured, and weak, ineffective techniques have no place in San Soo. Eye gouges, throat grabs, groin strikes, throat strikes, etc. are all stressed and encouraged. But to call it the tree trunk of other MA's may be a little strong of a statement. It certainly is a strong branch on that tree, but I think the trunk may be comprised of other styles first.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

i would like to get some opinions and thoughts about kung fu san soo. the general public response is that san soo practisioners are no more than thugs who do not fight fair. what do you know about san soo? what is your opinion about the art?

 

We have a long time KFSS school locally that I've visted many times, seen many demo's, and talked at length to the head instructor. From waht I've seen, they teach pure aggression, no defense at all, and used (they don't any more) to encourage their students to start fights to test their skills (yes, thugs!)

 

The promote black belts in 4 years generally, and (this is weird I think) promote one additional black belt every consecutive year after that. In that school, they have maybe a dozen or more people that are 6-7th Dans and above.

 

You ask my opinion of the system...it's OK if they get in on you and are fighting someone with little fighting background. But personally, I think a good defensive counter fighter would eat them for lunch.

[White Warlock]

Shorin, could you provide the name of this instructor? I have a suspicion, which i indicated to you sometime back, and would like to be able to verify this.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I'll PM it to you if you don't mind.

[White Warlock]

That's fine.

[iron duckee]

The promote black belts in 4 years generally, and (this is weird I think) promote one additional black belt every consecutive year after that. In that school, they have maybe a dozen or more people that are 6-7th Dans and above.

 

hey hey. just because you promote to black belt in 4 years, and that there's several 6th/7th degree students doesn't mean a thing. on average, it takes about 12 years to become a master; and even then, you're not done and still continuing learning.

 

i thought it was all understood that all a belt [ranking] was, was for holding up your pants=]

 

-- iRON DUCKEE=)

[Snakeeel]

I was a student of san soo many years ago at the old Frank Woolsey studios. While it was a very aggressive and sometimes brutal style, I would not consider any of the students or instructors "thugs". When involved in a real street fight where your life may be at risk, there is no such thing as fighting fair. To this day, 25 years later, I feel confident that I could handle just about any situation that may come up. I've only had to use it twice. Once against multiple attackers and once one on one. There was no contest. Both fights were over in seconds and I was unscathed in both instances. I did not fight fair but I walked away...they eventually were able to.