Called “one of the world’s best-protected” martial arts secrets, kung-fu san soo believes the best defense is a good offense.
Kung-Fu San Soo, an ancient Chinese art of self defense, has been shrouded in “veil of secrecy” for more than 4000 years, making it one of the oldest, yet least known and least understood martial arts in the world today. In fact, it is probably one of the world’s best protected secrets. There’s a sort of unwritten “code of silence” that still surrounds the art, meaning that many of its practitioners simply believe the art should remain reasonably anonymous and as far from the public eye as possible. I, however, do not share this believe. I did not make this unpopular decision lightly and i believe it is now time to share this art with the rest of the world.
San Soo Connection
Grandmaster Jimmy H. Woo introduced the art of kung fu san soo to the United States approxamitely 30 years ago, and has since promoted only about 50 first generation American masters. I am the 33rd in the line of succession.
Kung-fu san soo cannot be literally translated into English because it is a concept, not a definable art. Generally speaking, san soo is practiced by a man who is articulate with his hands in a combat situation and can perform a variety of movements with them. In short it is the immediate neutralization of an oppenent at the instant he makes any aggressive movements towards you whatsoever. Kung-fu san soo is offensive in nature and possess both “internal” and “external” qualities. Since the study of just one of these qualities would be insufficient, most of the san soo schools teach both.
Kung Fu san soo is based on highly scientific principles of physics and leverage dealing with predictable responses and reactions of the human body. The techniques can be instantly changed to suit any situation and do not follow a set pattern.
The origin of this art is obscure and no one actually knows for sure the exact details of just how this scientific information was obtained. It it believed by many, however, that hundreds of thousands of Chinese prisoners of war and imprisoned slaves were tortured and put to death to obtain this information. The results of this so-called experimentation resulted in not only the basis for the san soo art but also for its counterpart, the art of Chinese acupuncture. San soo deals with the destruction of the human body; acupuncture with the healing of the human body. A true yin and yang relationship.
The Chinese discovered that whenever a target on the human body was struck, a predictable reaction would take place. This reaction would then expose various other targets that could also be struck, and their reactions would expose even more targets. The Chinese also discovered that not only would those reactions expose targerts, but in most cases they would also put the target in the most vunerable situation.
Acupuncturist Dr. Bruce Canning, a licensed doctor of Oriental medicine practicing in Westwood, Calif., states, “The kidney is the root of life. The heart is important to the flowering of the human spirit. There is an internal pathway that runs from the kidney up through the inside of the body and tranports chi into the heart. If you injure the root, the flower withers. If you cut off the root, the flower dies.” So it is with kung fu san soo. If you punch a man in the kidney, not only would it injure the organ, it will also expose the heart to attack and could cause an effect of interruption of the flow of chi to the heart. A second example works on an entirely different principle. If you were to hit a man under his nose, it would break his nose and knock his head straight back to expose his throat. Also, his throat would be stretched out to its fullest extent. This would make the throat extremely vulnerable to serious injury. These are just two examples of how the external puching combinations of kung fu san soo work. There are literally thousands more. It is no surprise why these techniques are said to be so effective and dangerous, and why so many people want them to remain a secret.
Let me clear up a great misconception about the monks and the invention of the kungu-fu art. Even though the monks of old were not the actual inventors of kung-fu san soo, they did play a significant role on its behalf. In the confines of their monasteries, the monks organized and perfected the art, making it among the finest combat arts in the world today. They found both the best ways to learn and teach the art. They were also the first to record its secrets. Realizing that a novice of the art could not fight on the same level as that of a master, the art was organized into four major fighting levels. These four levels of effectiveness, on their own, develop enough skill and coordination to help a student progress to the next level.
The first level is defense and offers only a basic understanding of real self-defense tactics. At this level, when an oppenent actually throws a punch, you block and then counterattack. Even though this type of self-defense will work, it is not considered to be overly effective in a real combat situation.
The second or intermediate level of effectiveness can be very effective in a street situation. In this instance, students are taught to block an attacker’s punch and to counterattack all in one motion. In other words, you are actually hitting your opponent at the same time you are actually blocking his punch. If you simultaneously block and punch, you not only are inflicting immediate injury, you are also rendering him incapable of throwing that follow-up blow.
The third and forth levels of kung-fu are advanced, and they completely eliminate the necessity of blocking. The third level simply avoids the opponent’s punch either through ducking or by moving out of the way and simultaneously striking the opponent. This is using your opponent’s power against himself. You literally let your opponent run right into your punch. This level utilizes attacking your opponent at angels and helps a person of smaller stature neutralize someone of much greater size and strength. The rule of thumb on attacking at angles is that if your opponent is deemed to be bigger and more powerful, it is not a good idea to attack from a frontal or head-on position. Why not let your attacker charge and commit himself, before veering to one side or another and attacking him at an angle from your new power zone.
The fourth and final level of effectiveness is among the most sophisticated forms of unarmed combat known to man. Its principle is simple: You attack your opponent at the very instant he initiates his attack. It sounds easier than it actually is, however. To hit your opponent while he is in the process of hitting you requires great skill and ability. First you must train to recognize exactly when your opponent is going to begin to throw his punch. Good fighters won’t tell you when the punch is coming, but many will telegraph their moves through body language. For example, if a man has a gun pointed at your chest, he will probably do three things before he pulls the trigger. First, he must decide to actually pull the trigger. Then he will anticipate the recoil of the weapon by squeezing down on the gun, shown by a tightening of the fist. Third, in anticipation of the bang or loud noise, he will probably squint his eyes. This is what I call the “point of no return.”
If he exhibits these signals, he will pull the trigger. In this case, you must react decisively and with great speed and accuracy or you will be shot. A lot of fighters will also give themselves away as they approach this “point of no return.” It is one of the goals of the fourth level to recognize this point, and to attack at that very instant. It is important to note here that masters of kung-fu san soo can throw punches without triggering the defense mechanisms of their opponents; therefore it is difficult to know just when they will initiate their punches. The most obvious signal of intent, of course, is when your opponent cocks his fist. Other signals include: turning the head to one side, scratching the nose with the thumb and forefinger, or rubbing the chest just before attacking.
The study of kung-fu san soo teaches us that whenever you find yourself in a combat situation, you put your life on the line. You never know what your opponent will do if he happens to knock you off your feet. The premise makes the psychology of this art easy to understand. You must never give your opponents a chance. We do not assume a fighting stance, nor do we warn our opponents before we strike. You do not let a man get man up. Period. You finish him because it is necessary and he has forced you to do so. We do not fight because we have been promoted to do so, only because it has become necessary. Winning is all that matters. If you lose, you may lose more than just the fight.
It has been said that kung-fu san soo has no beauty. Even though the techniques, when practiced under controlled studio circumstances, are beautiful to watch, there is nothing pleasing about kicking a man in the groin, poking your fingers into his eyes, or stomping on his throat.
Let us all remember that kung-fu san soo was created for one purpose and for one purpose only: combat. And we do not fight unless we have to. Each situation requires a set of individual responses. You do not kill a man who has stepped on your shoes, nor do you merely stun a man who is trying to kill you. You must use equal but adequate restraint. If a man tries to kick you in the groin, he should be kicked in the groin. If a man tried to break your arm, he should have his arm broken. We owe it to ourselves and others to defend ourselves with kung-fu. Maybe next time the other guy will think twice before making the same mistake.
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by Peasant Soldier
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