View source for Sanda (sport)

{{short description|Chinese self-defense system and combat sport}}
{{for|Japanese terms and names sometimes spelled Sanshou|Sanshō (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox martial art
| logo         =
| logocaption  =
| logosize     =
| image        = Wushu sanda one of the sports.jpg
| imagecaption = 
| imagesize    = 
| name         = Sanda / Sanshou<br />{{nobold|(散打 / 散手)}}
| aka          = Sanshou, Chinese boxing, Chinese kickboxing, free combat
| focus        = [[Hybrid martial arts|Hybrid]]<ref>{{cite news|title= The Professor of hiSanshou
| work = Kung Fu (fighting Technics) Magazine|url=http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=826|access-date=2010-05-30}}</ref>
| country      = [[Republic of China (1912-1949)|Republic of China]]
| creator      = 
| parenthood   = ''[[Changquan]]'', ''[[bajiquan]]'', [[Northern Shaolin]], ''[[shuai jiao]]'', [[Chin Na]], [[Wushu (sport)|wushu]], [[Choy Li Fut]], [[Tai Chi]], [[piguaquan]], [[Kickboxing]]
| famous_practice = [[#Notable Practitioners|See below]]
|hardness=[[Full-contact]]}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| title = Sanda
| c = {{linktext|散|打}}
| t = 
| s = 
| l = free fighting
| tp = 
| p = sǎndǎ
| w = 
| altname = Sanshou
| c2 = {{linktext|散|手}}
| t2 = 
| s2 = 
| l2 = free hand
| tp2 = 
| p2 = sǎnshǒu
| w2 = 
}}

'''Sanda''' ({{zh|c=散打|p=Sǎndǎ | Tamil=சண்டை}}), formerly '''Sanshou''' ({{zh|c=散手|p=Sǎnshǒu}}), is the official full-contact kickboxing [[combat sport]] of [[China]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ZG1tmt7nmkC&q=sanda+china&pg=PA21|title=Journal of Chinese Martial Studies 01.2009|access-date=11 January 2015}}</ref> In [[Chinese language|Chinese]], "Sanda" originally referred to independent and separate training and combat techniques in contrast to "[[Taolu (martial arts)|Taolu]]" (pre-arranged forms or routines). 

Sanda is a fighting system which was originally developed by the [[People's Liberation Army|Chinese military]] based upon the study and practices of traditional [[Chinese martial arts]] and modern combat fighting techniques; it combines boxing and full-contact kickboxing, which includes close range and rapid successive [[punch (strike)|punches]] and [[kicks]], with [[wrestling]], [[Takedown (grappling)|takedown]]s, [[throw (grappling)|throws]], [[sweep (martial arts)|sweeps]], kick catches, and in some competitions, even [[elbow (strike)|elbow]] and [[knee strikes]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G9kDAAAAMBAJ&q=sanshou&pg=PA111|title=Black Belt|date=1 October 1998|website=[[Black Belt Magazine]]|publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc.|via=Google Books|access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8P9eDwAAQBAJ&q=sanda+wushu&pg=PA108|title=A Complete Guide to Kung Fu|first1=Antonello|last1=Casarella|first2=Roberto|last2=Ghetti|date=15 July 2017|publisher=Enslow Publishing, LLC|isbn=9780766085428|access-date=11 March 2019|via=Google Books}}</ref>

As part of the development of [[sport wushu]] by the [[Government of the People's Republic of China|Chinese government]], a standard curriculum for Sanda was developed. It is to this standard curriculum that the term ''Wushu Sanda'' is usually applied. Sanda may also involve techniques from any other fighting style depending on the teacher's mode of instruction.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G9kDAAAAMBAJ&q=sanshou&pg=PA111|title=Sanshou|last=Cheng|first=Mark|date=October 1998|website=[[Black Belt Magazine]]|access-date=11 January 2015}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Lutadores de Wushu competiram em Ceilândia pelo título Brasiliense.jpg|thumb|A Sanda match in [[Brazil]].]]
Sanda's competitive history is rooted in barehanded ''elevated arena'' or [[Lei Tai]] fights in which no rules were observed.<ref name="About Sanda">{{cite web|title=About Sanda|url=https://www.australiansanda.com.au/about-sanda/}}</ref> However, Sanda as a competitive event developed in the military as these bouts were commonly held between the soldiers to test and practice barehanded martial skills, ability and techniques. Rules were developed and the use of protective gloves etc. was adopted. It was originally used by the [[Kuomintang]] at the first modern military academy in Whampoa in the 1920s. In 1928, the Central Kuoshu Academy was formed, and they sponsored a full-contact tournament. When the Kuomintang government moved to Taiwan, they began holding a full-contact tournament in the 1950s, calling it lei tai.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=272|title=Full-Contact Kung Fu|last=Marian K. Castinado|work=[[Kung Fu Magazine]]|access-date=2010-05-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314194241/http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=272|archive-date=March 14, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The sport was also adopted as a method by the People's Liberation Army of China, and subsequently civilian competitions developed. Sanda's curriculum as a competitive sport was developed with reference to traditional Chinese martial arts, but since the goal in sports is "winning the match", techniques were adapted to make the activity scoring-oriented. This general Wushu Sanda curriculum varies in its different forms, as the Chinese government developed a version for civilians for self-defense and as a sport.

==Curriculum==
The generalized modern curriculum practiced in modern wushu schools is composed of different traditional martial arts fighting styles from China and Western Boxing, but mainly based on scientific efficiency. Wushu Sanda is composed of Chinese martial arts applications including most aspects of combat including striking and grappling, however when Wushu Sanda was developed as a sport, restrictions were made for safety reasons as well as to promote it as a non-violent sport. Examples of such restrictions included no blows delivered to the back of the head, throat, spine or groin and the discontinuation of the combat when any of the fighters fall to the ground. However many schools, whether traditional or modern, practice it as an all-round martial arts system with no restrictions, only adapting their training in relation to competition rules prior to the event.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/sanda-chinas-most-popular-combat-sport/|title=Sanda:China's most popular combat sport|last=Matuszak|first=Sascha|date=October 21, 2015|work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|access-date=2015-10-22}}</ref> Sanda tournaments are one of the two disciplines recognized by the [[International Wushu Federation]].

'''Hand Strikes'''
* Jab
* Cross
* Hook
* Overhand
* Uppercut
* Back-fist
[[File:Sanshou.jpg|thumb|Two Dutch fighters in a [[sparring]] session of Sanshou.]]
'''Elbows and Knees'''
* Horizontal
* Vertical
* Diagonal

'''Kicks'''
* Front Kick
* Side Kick
* Sweep Kicks
* Spinning Back Kick
* Roundhouse Kick
* Axe kick
[[File:Championnat national du 13 & 14 juin 2009.jpg|thumb|Sanda fighter attempts a [[double leg takedown]] on his opponent]]
'''Throws'''
* Hip Throw
* Shoulder Throw
* Sweep
* Double leg takedowns
* Single leg takedowns
* Body lock takedowns
* Kick catch throws
* Trips
*Scissor takedown

One can see Sanda as a synthesis of traditional Chinese fighting techniques into a more amorphous system and is commonly taught alongside traditional Chinese styles, from which Wushu Sanda techniques, theory and training methods are derived. The emphasis of Sanda is on a more amorphous fighting ability.
[[File:Sanshou (San da) - kick (practice fight) Katwijk, dec 4, 2006.JPG|thumb|A Sanda kick]]

==Sport variation==
'''Yundong Sanda''' ({{zh|c=运动散打|p=Yùndòng Sàndǎ}}) or '''Jinzheng Sanda''' ({{zh|c=竞争散打|p=Jìngzhēng Sàndǎ}}): A modern fighting method, sport, and applicable component of Wushu / Kung Fu influenced by traditional Chinese Boxing, in which takedowns & throws are legal in competition.

Sanda appears much like kickboxing but includes many more grappling techniques. Sanda fighting competitions are often held alongside taolu or form competitions. Sanda represents the modern development of Lei Tai contests, but with rules in place to reduce the chance of serious injury. 
Many Chinese martial art schools teach or work within the rule sets of Sanda, working to incorporate the movements, characteristics, and theory of their style.

Chinese martial artists also compete in non-Chinese or mixed combat sports, including boxing, kickboxing and [[mixed martial arts]]. Sanda is practiced in tournaments and is normally held alongside taolu events in wushu competition. For safety reasons, some techniques from the self-defense form such as elbow strikes, chokes, and joint locks, are not allowed during tournaments. Competitors can win by knockout or points which are earned by landing strikes to the body or head, throwing an opponent, or when competition is held on a raised lei tai platform, pushing them off the platform. Fighters are only allowed to clinch for a few seconds. If the clinch is not broken by the fighters, and if neither succeeds in throwing his opponent within the time limit, the referee will break the clinch. In the U.S., competitions are held either in boxing rings or on the raised lei tai platform. Amateur fighters wear protective gear.

'''"Amateur Sanda"''' allows kicks, punches, knees (not to the head), and throws. A competition held in China, called the "King of Sanda", is held in a ring similar to a boxing ring in design but larger in dimension. As professionals, they wear no protective gear except for gloves, cup, and mouthpiece, and 
'''"Professional Sanda"''' allows knee strikes (including to the head) as well as kicking, punching and throwing.

Some Sanda fighters have participated in fighting tournaments such as [[K-1]] and [[Shoot Boxing|Shoot boxing]]. They have had some degree of success, especially in Shoot boxing competitions, which is more similar to Sanda. Due to the rules of Kickboxing competition, Sanda fighters are subjected to more limitations than usual. Also notable competitors in China's mainstream [[Mixed martial arts|Mixed Martial Arts]] competitions, [[Art of War Fighting Championship]] and [[Ranik Ultimate Fighting Federation]] are dominantly of wushu Sanda background. Sanda coach, [[Zhao Xuejun]] played a significant role in helping transition Sanda fighters to MMA.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MMA fighters in struggle for recognition in China - People's Daily Online |url=http://en.people.cn/90779/8115349.html |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=en.people.cn}}</ref> Although it is less common, some Sanda practitioners have also fought in American Mixed Martial Arts competitions such as the [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]] and [[Strikeforce (mixed martial arts)|Strikeforce]]. Sanda has been featured in many style-versus-style competitions. [[Muay Thai]] is frequently pitted against Sanda as is [[Karate]], [[Kickboxing]], & [[Tae Kwon Do]].

==Military variation==
'''Junshi Sanda''' ({{zh|c=军事散打|p=Jūnshì Sǎndǎ}}): A system of unarmed combat that was designed by Chinese Elite Forces based upon their intense study of traditional martial arts such as traditional Kung Fu, Shuai Jiao, Chin Na and modern hand-to-hand fighting and combat philosophy to develop a realistic system of unarmed fighting for the Chinese military. Junshi Sanda employs all parts of the body as anatomical weapons to attack and counter with, by using what the Chinese consider to be the four basic martial arts techniques:
* Da &ndash; Upper-Body Striking &ndash; using fists, open hands, fingers, elbows, shoulders, forearms and the head
* Ti &ndash; Lower-Body Striking &ndash; including kicks, knees and stomping
* [[Shuai Jiao|Shuai]] &ndash; Throws &ndash; using [[wrestling]] and [[Judo]]-like takedowns and sweeps, and
* [[Chin Na|Chin-Na]] &ndash; Seizing &ndash; which includes jointlocks, strangulation and other submissions

==Competitions==
The '''[[International Wushu Federation|International Wushu Federation (IWUF)]]''' promotes [[Wushu (sport)|wushu]] and is the governing body for wushu in all its forms worldwide. Sanda and [[Wushu (sport)#Taolu|taolu]] (forms) are the two categories of competitive sport wushu. The IWUF is recognized by the [[International Olympic Committee|International Olympic Committee (IOC)]].

===World Wushu Championships===
{{Main|World Wushu Championships}}
{| class="wikitable"
! width=20|Number || width=50|Year || width=250|Host City, Country
|-
| align=center|1 || align=center|[[1991 World Wushu Championships|1991]] || {{flagicon|China}} [[Beijing]], China
|-
| align=center|2 || align=center|[[1993 World Wushu Championships|1993]] || {{flagicon|Malaysia}} [[Kuala Lumpur]], Malaysia
|-
| align=center|3 || align=center|[[1995 World Wushu Championships|1995]] || {{flagicon|United States}} [[Baltimore]], United States
|-
| align=center|4 || align=center|[[1997 World Wushu Championships|1997]] || {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Rome]], Italy
|-
| align=center|5 || align=center|[[1999 World Wushu Championships|1999]] || {{flagicon|Hong Kong}} [[Hung Hom Bay]], Hong Kong 
|- 
| align=center|6 || align=center|[[2001 World Wushu Championships|2001]] || {{flagicon|Armenia}} [[Yerevan]], Armenia 
|-
| align=center|7 || align=center|[[2003 World Wushu Championships|2003]] || {{flagicon|Macau}} [[Freguesia da Sé]], Macau  
|-
| align=center|8 || align=center|[[2005 World Wushu Championships|2005]] || {{flagicon|Vietnam}} [[Hanoi]], Vietnam
|-
| align=center|9 || align=center|[[2007 World Wushu Championships|2007]] || {{flagicon|China}} [[Beijing]], China
|-
| align=center|10 || align=center|[[2009 World Wushu Championships|2009]] || {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Toronto]], Canada
|-
| align=center|11 || align=center|[[2011 World Wushu Championships|2011]] || {{flagicon|Turkey}} [[Ankara]], Turkey
|-
| align=center|12 || align=center|[[2013 World Wushu Championships|2013]] || {{flagicon|Malaysia}} [[Kuala Lumpur]], Malaysia 
|-
| align=center|13 || align=center|[[2015 World Wushu Championships|2015]] || {{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Jakarta]], Indonesia 
|-
| align=center|14 || align=center|[[2017 World Wushu Championships|2017]] || {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Kazan]], Russia 
|-
| align=center|15 || align=center|[[2019 World Wushu Championships|2019]] || {{flagicon|China}} [[Shanghai]], China
|-
| align=center|16 || align=center|[[2023 World Wushu Championships|2023]] || {{flagicon|United States}} [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]], United States
|-
| align=center|17 || align=center|[[2025 World Wushu Championships|2025]] || {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Brasília]], Brazil
|}

=== Sanda World Cup ===
{{Main articles|Sanda World Cup}}
{| class="wikitable"
! No. !! Year !! Host City, Country
|-
| 1 || 2002 || {{flagicon|China}} [[Shanghai]], China
|-
| 2 || 2004 || {{flagicon|China}} [[Guangzhou]], China
|-
| 3 || 2006 || {{flagicon|China}} [[Xi'an]], China
|-
| 4 || 2008 || {{flagicon|China}} [[Harbin]], China
|-
| 5 || 2010 || {{flagicon|China}} [[Chongqing]], China
|-
| 6 || 2012 || {{flagicon|China}} [[Wuyishan, Fujian|Wuyishan]], China
|-
| 7 || 2014 || {{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Jakarta]], Indonesia
|-
| 8 || 2016 || {{flagicon|China}} [[Xi'an]], China
|-
| 9 || 2018 || {{flagicon|China}} [[Hangzhou]], China
|-
| 10 || 2025 || {{flagicon|China}} [[Jiangyin]], China
|}

==Notable practitioners==
{{for|practitioners of Sanda|Category:Sanshou practitioners}}
{{Dynamic list}}

===Sanda===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Liu Hailong]]
* [[Kong Hongxing]]
* [[:zh:宝力高|Bao Ligao]]
* [[:zh:张开印|Zhang Kaiyin]]
* [[Hossein Ojaghi]]
* [[Hamid Reza Gholipour]]
* [[Mohsen Mohammadseifi]]
* [[Erfan Ahangarian]]
* [[Khadijeh Azadpour]]
* [[Shahrbanoo Mansourian]]
* [[Elaheh Mansourian]]
* [[Hüseyin Dündar]]
* [[Gülşah Kıyak]]
* [[Mohammed Al-Ashwal]]
{{div col end}}

===Kickboxing===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Fang Bian]]
* [[Wei Rui]]
* [[Daniel Ghiță]]
* [[Cătălin Zmărăndescu]]
* [[Andrei Stoica]]
* [[Bogdan Stoica]]
* [[Dong Wenfei]]
* [[Jia Aoqi]]
* [[Yang Zhuo]]
* [[Bai Jinbin]]
* [[Zhu Shuai]]
* [[Xu Yan (kickboxer)|Xu Yan]]  
* [[Xie Lei]]
* [[Jin Ying]]
* [[Qiu Jianliang]]
* [[Wang Cong]]
* [[Zheng Junfeng]]
* [[E Meidie]]
* [[Wang Kehan]]
* [[Liu Ce]]
* [[Ouyang Feng (kickboxer)|Ouyang Feng]]
* [[Kiew Parunchai]]
{{div col end}}

===Mixed martial arts===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Zhang Weili]]<ref name="renwu">{{cite web|title=人物·张伟丽：走上国际赛场的"格斗女孩"|url=http://hebei.hebnews.cn/2019-04/04/content_7378378.htm|access-date=2019-07-19|author1=白云|website=河北新闻网|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404012115/http://hebei.hebnews.cn/2019-04/04/content_7378378.htm|archive-date=2019-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=邯郸少林智勇武术院毕业生张伟丽"打"破中国UFC纪录！|url=http://www.sanchengjiaoyu.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=6&id=1036|access-date=2019-07-19|website=河北新教育}}</ref>
* [[Cung Le]] 
* [[Glenn Kaisler]]
* [[Eduard Folayang]] 
* [[Joshua Pacio]]
* [[Tom Woods]]
* [[Kevin Belingon]]
* [[Priscilla Hertati]] 
* [[Lumban Gaol]]
* [[Muslim Salikhov]]
* [[Zabit Magomedsharipov]]
* [[Khasan Magomedsharipov]]
* [[Shamil Musaev (fighter)|Shamil Musaev]]
* [[Bozigit Ataev]]
* [[Karimula Barkalaev]]
* [[Karl Albrektsson]]
* [[Shamil Abdurakhimov]]
* [[Norma Dumont]]
* [[Song Yadong]]    
* [[Pat Barry (kickboxer)|Pat Barry]]
* [[K.J. Noons]]
* [[Alessio Sakara]]
* [[Mark Eddiva]]
* [[Song Kenan]]
* [[Li Jingliang]] 
* [[Yan Xiaonan]] 
* [[Su Mudaerji]]
* [[Zhang Mingyang]]
* [[Tofiq Musayev]]
* [[Timur Khizriev]]
* [[Arkadiusz Wrzosek]]
{{div col end}}

===Lethwei===
* [[Dave Leduc]]

===Professional boxing===
* [[Alessandro Riguccini]]

==See also==
* [[Kickboxing]] 
* [[Folk wrestling]]
* [[Kumite]]
* [[Shoot boxing]]
* [[Sambo (martial art)|Sambo]]
* [[Muay Thai]] 
* [[Lethwei]]
*[[Pradal serey|Pradal]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons|Sanda}}
*[http://www.iwuf.org/ International Wushu Federation official Website]
*[http://www.kungfuchampionship.com ICMAC - Official ISKA Sanctioned Sanda & Kung Fu Tournaments Worldwide]
*[http://www.ikfkickboxing.com/SanShouRules.htm International Kickboxing Federation - IKF - official website - Sanshou Competition Rules]

{{Wushu (sport)}}
{{martial arts}}
{{Kung fu schools}}

[[Category:Chinese martial arts]]
[[Category:Hybrid martial arts]]
[[Category:Mixed martial arts styles]]
[[Category:Events in wushu]]
[[Category:Sports originating in China]]