San Soo

[Drunken Monkey]

y'know, i can't actually figure out what san soo is supposed to be in cantonese....

 

it might help me figure out a meaning to the name.

 

anyone know what it is?

[White Warlock]

San soo translates to mean "sparring" or "fighting." So, basically, what is generally practiced in the class is the san soo of tsoi li hoi fut hung-ga.

No, I'm thinking of san soo. I'll find some of the things I've seen and post them.

There is a lot of contention on the 'exact' history of tsoi li hoi fut hung-ga, as there is with just about every Chinese martial art system. I wouldn't give such arguments much credence. Instead, you should check out the system itself. You'll see, in no time, this isn't some makeshift backyard wannabe style. In its beautiful simplicity there lies an underlying complexity rivaling the vast majority of martial art systems pounding the streets for attention today. In no uncertain terms, this is a style that has come full circle, which in itself shows its authenticity and ancient roots.

 

But, it's silly to waste time and energy attempting to defend the validity of a system's origins. What truly matters is if one learns and grows from it. That the system is viable and is not diluted by false applications and claims of mystical abilities.

 

San soo is real, it's ugly, it's in-your-face. A lot of people don't like that, but it's not the responsibility of a san soo instructor to cater to the squeamish expectations of prey. Instead, its their responsibility to snap them out of this 'victim' mentality.

[Treebranch]

Very well put White Warlock. Nice!

[delta1]

San soo is real, it's ugly, it's in-your-face. A lot of people don't like that, but it's not the responsibility of a san soo instructor to cater to the squeamish expectations of prey. Instead, its their responsibility to snap them out of this 'victim' mentality.

 

That summs up my feelings on martial arts pretty well. Nicely put!

[Drunken Monkey]

so san soo as in 'loose hands' get it....

 

that kinda implies that what is taught is actually the applications of something from a form (or something similar) without the actual teaching of the form.

 

if you get my meaning...

 

is that how they teach?

 

'little techniques' so to speak.

[White Warlock]

Odd, i could have sworn i responded to your query there DM. But, it looks like i never did. Ah well.

[Vito]

while i dont have any experience with it, my impressions are that its serious stuff. however, there is no such thing as a dim mak, and any school claiming teach/know one, or even that one exists, should be looked at with a lot of skepticism.

[White Warlock]

there is no such thing as a dim mak, and any school claiming teach/know one, or even that one exists, should be looked at with a lot of skepticism.

I have 'never' encountered dim mak training in san soo, although nothing prevents a crosstrainer from teaching san soo AND some garbage system like Dillman's pressure points, simultaneously.

 

In any event, i do not recall it ever being in any of the training regimens, and was never exposed to any so-called killing touches. San soo has always been about the down and dirty, not the flashy and mysterious.

 

Anyway, vito... i really haven't seen sufficient informed calls on your part for you to make such definitive claims. The existence of Dim Mak, or similiar death touch abilities, has been an issue of contention among some of the most knowledgeable martial artists, acupuncturists, and doctors for ages. So far, i'm inclined to agree with you that dim mak does not exist... but i'm not willing to say it with such assuredness, and i've been studying for quite some time.

 

Let's end this tangent though. To claim that san soo purports to train in dim mak does sully the name of a good system. As well as i've been able to tell, it does not provide training in dim mak. It does, however, provide ample training in chin-na.

[Drunken Monkey]

Odd, i could have sworn i responded to your query there DM. But, it looks like i never did. Ah well

 

don't worry about it...

 

i'm used to being ignored.

 

in any case, from what i've read around these parts,

 

it seems to me that the teaching methods is a lot like wing chun and kempo

 

where speed/force/pressure is built up over time

 

and the original 'moves' are broken down

 

and put back together again as required.

 

sound about right?

[White Warlock]

Yes. There are the ah soo lessons (commonly known as the Basic 45), the futga lessons, basic 8 foot and basic 8 hand techniques, plus a myriad of other lessons, including the elitist numpi lessons. Full forms are presented during and after learning part or all of a set. It really depends on the instructor's preference and their 'modifications' to the training regimen.