Kuoshu / Lei Tai

[rox]

Are these types of competition still held on your areas? Here in Brazil, they became rare after China has adopted wushu and sanshou as the 'state official competition'.

I never heard of a Lei Tai competition here, with no chest protection and such, but there used to be plenty of kuoshu tournaments; it seems like they are going to put it back(few like sanshou, guys here like $$$). There will be a kuoshu tournament here in my area in april, I'm looking forward to be in it.

Anyone with histories to tell?

 

[InvisibleFist]

What's the difference between kuoshu and sanshou? I thought they were pretty much the same thing.

 

[rox]

The rules are pretty much different: sanshou is more about throws; you cannot even perform a sweep if you need to touch your hand on the floor. Kuoshu doesn't allow throws(because of the equipment).
Also, the head gear is bigger in kuoshu, but the gloves are much lighter.

Kuoshu tends to be much faster than sanshou, but both lack a little reality, you can punch hard a thosand times and the opponent won't feel it.
The closed helmet does really annoy me! I can't see anything with it.

 

[Darksoul]

-I wonder if the limit on the vision would help you focus more on your opponent. For example, I'm thinking about sensitivity. Not only should you be able to see your opponent, but also to feel them. That way, if you vision is limited, say you get into a fight and you're temporarily blinded, you could still defend yourself. How much equipment is there in this type of fighting?


A---)

 

[rox]

That would be very good, but my style fights very much on the outside, we don't develop much touch response in the earlier levels... (I started only a year ago)

 

[InvisibleFist]

Did a little web searcing on this. Looks like Kuoshu is Taiwanese rules, and SanShou is PRC.

Kuoshu uses the light gloves and head protection, as you said, but nothing on the feet! That must hurt!

 

[rox]

Here it is optional. You can use leg protection, but some guys prefer not to, so that they can atack your legs and hurt them!

There is chest equipment, too.

 

[Darksoul]

-It sounds like you may be learning to fight on the inside when you reach higher levels, though I think you mentioned about moving away and trying other styles. I guess if someone had to choose between fighting inside or out, one would go for the inside. Both are important though. Having only been there a year, I'm sure you haven't seen all that your art has to offer. I know I have only scractched the surface of praying mantis. I would say to keep training hard and often, even if and when you decide to move. Let us know if you do.


A---)

 

[rox]

Thanks for the advice, but my life got a one-year delay, I'm not moving this year.

I see some techniques and training for inside fighting on the higher levels, but almost everyone fights on the outside, including the two instructors. I'm trying to complete my fighting skills with knowledge I get elsewhere(I already imported the bong sao from wing chun), but I am still looking forward to learn another style later.

But anyway, fighting on the inside is pretty though on a Kuoshu tournament, because you can't strike where it hurts and the opponent has a huge helmet. Usually, it turns to be one punching the other like a boxer; the heaviest one usually winning.

This training got me thinking: no realistic tournament is possible!

 

[7starmantis]

So what are the differences between san shou and Kuoshu?

7sm

 

[rox]

The rules are pretty much different: sanshou is more about throws; you cannot even perform a sweep if you need to touch your hand on the floor. Kuoshu doesn't allow throws(because of the equipment).
Also, the head gear is bigger in kuoshu, but the gloves are much lighter.

Kuoshu tends to be much faster than sanshou, but both lack a little reality, you can punch hard a thosand times and the opponent won't feel it.
The closed helmet does really annoy me! I can't see anything with it.

The main differences are much about the equipment.

 

[7starmantis]

What equipment is used in Kuoshu that isn't used in san shou? What weight are the gloves in Kuoshu? What kind of head gear is used, when you say closed, do you mean with a face mask? You said the rules are different, what are the rules that exist in kuoshu that dont in san shou? Or just what are the basic rules to kuoshu?

7sm

 

[rox]

Sorry, by closed I mean with face mask!

In kuoshu, you're forbidden to clinch, because of the equipment; in sanshou, the main techniques are throws.

 

[7starmantis]

oookay