Shuai Jiao, San soo, Tai Liu

[shaolin_allan]

Wasn't sure which forum to post this in as Tai Liu is supposedly a southern system and I would assume the same of San Soo as it's said to be from Choy Li Fut. ok, i've seen 3 wushu styles that use gi's and belt systems. From what i've heard and seen, shuai jiao is very legit. Would you guys say San soo and Tai Liu Chuan Fa are legit systems? The tai liu website calls its forms 'katas', just wanted to know what you guys think.

[htowndragon]

......san soo is kempo

tai liu is....

[bakxierboxer]

......san soo is kempo

There has been a real problem over the last couple of decades in that people are continually confusing kenpo/kempo & gumbo.....

http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=gumbo&gwp=16

Pick one......

[shaolin_allan]

I just had a san soo sifu send me an email, offering to check out a san soo forum which is very nice of him. I also agree that kenpo and kempo can be very different and neither are san soo. does anyone else have any input on the legitimacy of the systems I listed in the topic?

[htowndragon]

i dont believe san soos historic claims, jimmy woo was a contemporary/student of ed parker and put together some stuff for san soo.

though i will admit i like the practicality of the system

[Lama Pai Sifu]

There has been a real problem over the last couple of decades in that people are continually confusing kenpo/kempo & gumbo.....

http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=gumbo&gwp=16

Pick one......

don't forget kendo!

"What makes a style" some people ask?

It's apparently three things - an "N", "M" or "D"!!!!

[shaolin_allan]

I see what you're saying now, I didn't know that jimmy woo was a student of ed parker, if that's the case then san soo has no lineage. I was told it was a really bad skeleton version of choy li fut, but i could be wrong.

[jdhowland]

Shuai jiao is a generic term for chinese wrestling, not a particular style. Quality varies but it's mostly good since training involves competition. Chan Dung Sheng's style has a belt ranking system patterned after Kano's ranking system for Kodokan judo and uses the quilted cotton belts that were devised for judo competition about a hundred years ago. The jackets are canvas vests in the mongolian style and are not influenced by japanese dogi except for the material. Shuai jiao players also tend to follow chinese or western fashion and wear trousers or shorts instead of embroidered mongolian speedos. Shuai jiao exists in other schools, as well, with their own forms of ranking and costuming.

Jimmy Woo's san soo is twentieth century californian and carries on the ranking and uniforms established by Ari Emperado and Ed Parker for their systems. San sou is also a generic term for free fighting contests.

A few chinese styles have used uniforms resembling karate gi because that was what was available or expected when they came out of the woodwork and became commercial franchises, mostly in the 1950s and '60s. Until the Bruce Lee craze hit north america it was harder to find chinese-style uniforms outside of chinatowns and chinese community organizations. By the early '70s, though, dozens of kenpo/karate schools were changing their signs to read "Kung Fu" and parading around with chinese clothing and weapons and a bewildering variety of ranking systems leading up to the "supreme dragon grandmaster sensei" sort of nonsense. Mind you, i'm not saying a supposedly chinese style is not legitimate if it uses costumes or ranks from another culture. Ed Parker's kenpo was essentially ryukyu kempo basics, but he did learn some real chinese stuff. But, to me, it means: "Warning: Eclectic Mishmash Taught Here."

Be well,

jd

[TenTigers]

actually, cross over gi type tops were worn in China and adopted by Japanese. The MANDERIN collar and frog buttons were brought in by the Manchus, so if yuo are a system that was involved in overthrowing the Chiing Dynasty, a Gi type top is perfect.
We used to wear them, because I like a good strong canvas Gi. It resists tearing and you can grab it. We went over to the frog button tops because the students wanted them and thought they looked cool. ok, fine, whatever.
As it turned out, they ended up preferring t-shirts, and I am the only one who wears a frog button top. How the heck did THAT happen?!
(I guess the inmates are running the asylum!):)
Actually, I wear it only for "professional reasons": it lets people immediately know who the Sifu is. This was based on advice from several successful school owners.
I actually like it. Although, when I'm training, I wear the t-shirt, but when I'm teaching, I wear the satin uniform. The students actually want to see their teacher looking different, separate from rank and file.
(but I do miss my heavyweight canvas-but I make up for it when I do seut-gow. Shuai-Jiao uniforms are very cool in my book. They are super thick and heavy and take alot of abuse)

[shaolin_allan]

Do you practice shuai jiao tentigers? or what styles do you teach? Also ive noticed no one has posted on tai liu chuan fa yet. I wonder if anyone knows of the style?