Hello All!

I stumbled upon this informative little site by someone named “Baoding”. Thank you “Baoding” for all your work putting up and maintaining the site. It is a useful resource for all interested in things Shuaijiao. Here is a link to his informative blog too (Chinese)

“Baoding” appears to be in Taiwan learning/teaching Shuaijiao. If anyone knows the address or contact details for the gym then contact me and i will put them up for all to see. (I would like to start building a database of Shuaijiao training spaces around the world)

Anyway, he/she has some interesting video that includes some routines demonstrated by Chang Dawei as well as some other more common video of Chang Dongsheng.

There is this routine too. It is called “The 2nd Routine of The Wrestling Fist”. Not sure who the “Old Foreigner” is demonstrating it, but i like his jacket. It is interesting for me to see as I have yet to encounter this kind of Shuaijiao training in China. Anyway, if you take a look at the photo album, it appears he had reason to be dressed up as he was about to become a disciple of someone in Taiwan (who please? if anyone knows - i recognize David Chang. Who are the other 2?)

The site also contains an picture that illustrates David Chang’s Shuaijiao lineage. You can see it here.

And here is a Chinese breakdown of the Chang’s Baoding style.
There are many other interesting photos to browse too, 22 albums in all. The site is in Chinese, but navigating a few photo album is not too hard. You do have to open them one by one though for some reason.

Here are a few I liked

Keep Smilin’

Michael

A special welcome to Ayten and Jochen from Germany.

After initially contacting me in December last year, the pair of Mantis practitioners have arrived in Beijing to learn Shuaijiao at the source. Ayten and Jochen have been martial arts practitioners and teachers in Germany for many years specializing in Mantis styles that they have learned both in Germany and in many previous trips to China. Although they have trained and competed in Sanda competition, this is their first exposure to pure Shuaijiao. With Master Li, Coach Ma and Coach Li training them over the next 13 days, I’m sure they will take a tremendous amount of knowledge back with them to Germany to practice and master till they return in 2008 for a second helping.

Here is Ayten & Jochen’s training schedule:

• 0900 - 1030 Shuaijiao Semi-Private with Coach Ma Jianguo (Certified Master Coach, China Shuaijiao Association Competition Official; Beijing Shuaijiao Association Deputy Secretary) - Monday to Friday
• 1500 - 1630 Shuaijiao Semi-Private with Coach Ma Jianguo
• 1930 - 2100 Shuaijiao Sparring with Coach Li Deshun (Certified Coach, National Shuaijiao Referee) and his team - 3 nights/week
• 0900 - 1100 Shuaijiao Apparatus/Basics Training with Master Li Baoru - Saturday & Sunday

Of course, making this kind of experience a reality requires planning and discipline on your behalf… but it is entirely possible as Ayten and Jochen have proved.

Start the ball rolling and contact me for details

See you in Beijing!

Keep Smilin’

Michael

A Report from Galu - Inner Mongolia Referee and Translator

The 7th European International Shuaijiao Championships was held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain from October 12-14th 2007. Teams came from Italy, Spain, France, Britain, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, Basque, totaling 10 different countries and regions in Europe. In addition, the European Shuaijiao Union and the tournament organizing committee invited the China Team, the Chinese Inner Mongolia Team and Chinese Taiwan Team to compete and perform in the tournament.
This tournament was refereed according to the newly revised 2007 Shuaijiao Competition Rules.
Several of the China Team athletes had to take part in domestic competitions, which prevented them from attending this event. The nine athletes of Chinese Inner Mongolia Team fought in the 48 kg women’s event. In addition, they put on a wonderful traditional Chinese-style wrestling performance that won praise and audience’s applause. The Chinese Taiwan Team from Taiwan Police University consisted of eight athletes and 2 coaches also competed.

On October 12, the organizing committee held the grand opening ceremony and a welcoming dinner in the athlete’s hotel.
In the evening of October 13, the awards ceremony and closing ceremony were held in the Vitoria-Gasteiz Stadium.

Before the ceremonies began, Ms. Galu - a referee from China - read a greeting from Chinese Shuaijiao Association Vice-President Shen Zhigang. That was followed with the Chinese Inner Mongolia Team leader presenting gifts that included traditional Shuaijiao jackets and boots to the event hosts, organizing committee and members of European Shuaijiao Union. Next, the president of the European Shuaijiao Union as well as other officials awarded certificates and badges to the referees from various countries.

The closing dinner on the 13th included jubilant ethnic music and singing from Spain and lots of rhythmic applause, and shouting as athletes and officials in high spirits bought this successful event to a close.

Participating countries included:

China
China – Inner Mongolia
China – Taiwan
France
Italy
Sweden
Spain
Poland
Portugal
Switzerland
Germany
England
Ireland
USA
Venezuela
Bangladesh

A special congratulations goes to Alessio Pasciulli. Already 5-time Italian Champion, he succeeded in capturing the European Championship for the 3rd time in a row.

The Lovely Galu - Inner Mongolia Referee and Translator

Coach Ma Erning - Inner Mongolia Team Coach, Referee, and Galu’s Husband

Some Taiwan Team members

Some of the gifts presented

2007年中国式摔跤欧洲国际锦标赛

第7届中国式摔跤欧洲国际锦标赛，10月12—14日在西班牙维托亚市举行。参加本届比赛的有中国、意大利、西班牙、法国、英国、德国、瑞典、瑞士、波兰、巴斯克等10多个国家和地区的代表队，除了欧洲参赛国家外，欧洲摔跤联盟和本届组委会还特别邀请了中国队、中国内蒙古队和中国台湾队参加本届锦标赛的摔跤比赛及摔跤表演。

本届比赛力求与《2007版中国式摔跤竞赛规则》接轨，因此比赛过程非常严谨、正规。由于中国国家队部分队员参加国内的比赛，时间冲突没能前来参加本届比赛。由9人组成的中国内蒙古队参加了本届锦标赛女子48Kg的比赛，并进行了精彩的传统中国式摔跤表演，得到了全场观众的赞誉和经久不息的热烈掌声。中国台湾队是由台北警官大学的8名学生，包括团长、领队10人组成的摔跤队参加了本届赛事。

10月12日组委会在维托亚体育馆举行了隆重的开幕式，晚上在各国运动员下榻的酒店举行了盛大的欢迎晚宴。
10月13日晚举行颁奖仪式和闭幕式。

颁奖开始前，由来自中国的裁判嘎鲁女士，宣读了中国摔跤协会副主席沈志刚先生的致辞。紧接着中国内蒙古队向主办、承办本届比赛的单位及欧洲摔跤联盟的部分成员国赠送了礼物——摔跤衣、摔跤靴。接下来，欧洲摔跤联盟主席及其他官员向来自各国的裁判员颁发了证书和证章。

13日的闭幕晚宴在西班牙欢快的民族音乐、民族歌唱中，伴随着各国参赛官员和选手们有节奏的掌声、欢呼声和尽情地舞蹈中拉下帷幕。

I WANT these statues.

I WANT the whole set…

They are the perfect thing for the Shuaijiao fighter’s home, and would look sensational in the Gym too. Even using them as trophies for Shuaijiao tournaments would be awesome.

Check them out… prices and details coming with the Shuaijiao shop soon!!!!

If these turn you on then let me know!!!

Michael@shuaijiao.tv

Keep Smilin’

Michael

Shuaijiao.TV is about promoting all things Shuaijiao and Shuaijiao-related.

There is so many Shuaijiao-related things happening out there that i need everyone’s help… If you have some news, views, opinions, results, articles, ideas, techniques, historical information, photos, video etc… anything you think might be important or interesting for Shuaijiao people around the world to view, please send it to me and i will post it.

My wish and intention is for Shuaijiao.TV become an open platform for the promotion of real Shuaijiao outside of China.

If you want to do the same then mail me on: michael@shuaijiao.tv

Keep Smilin’

Michael

On Saturday October 20th everyone who is anyone in the Beijing Shuaijiao world turned out for Tian Chi Shuaijiao Center’s grand opening . Successful business man and Shuaijiao fan Yao Dongjun’s dream to open a dedicated place for professional Shuaijiao fighters to live and train full time became reality with the opening of the center in the eastern districts of Beijing.

As with many opening ceremonies in China, it started with about a million firecrackers and was followed with all the official introductions and speeches. After that the fun began with a demonstration of Shuaijiao and shuaijiao-related stuff. The first demonstration was of Zhong Fan, which is a bamboo pole about 6 meters long with flags and bells on it. It is quite heavy and easily blown over and in spite of those difficulties Coach Zhou and his team of wrestlers managed to do all sorts of amazing things with it. My favorite trick was kicking it up and catching and balancing it on his nose… I will post a video of the demonstration shortly

That was followed with a demonstration of Shuaijiao and Shuaijiao training methods. I was the only foreigner there so i found myself on the list to demonstrate some Dabangzi movements along with the rest of our team demonstrating other now rarely seen traditional training methods.

Tian Chi Shuaijiao Center is a great facility for learning Shuaijiao with awesome coaches and national champions. It has to be the best training facility for Shuaijiao outside of Tianjin and Wuhan sports institutes. Fully equiped with tradtional training apparatus and slightly harder mats than i am used to, fighters can live, eat, and sleep Shuaijiao. Many of the guys who trained with us have moved to Tian Chi for fulltime training and Master Li Baoru spends as much time as he can spare out there coaching.

Those Shuaijiao elders present included: Wang Deying, Li Baoru, Liu Yusen, Li Liugen, Li Mingyuan, Ma Jianguao, the National Wrestling and Judo Governing Body President, and many other past national champions and coaches.

I will post the video and photos shortly

Keep Smilin’

Michael

ps. If you are looking for a hardcore Shuaijiao experience, 2 weeks on the mat at Tianchi with all their champions and awesome coaching staff would put your game into an entirely new league… it can be arranged!

Send me mail on michael@shuaijiao.tv

Shoubo is an ancient name for Martial Arts in China.

Actually, in the Northern Song dynasty there were Shoubo competitions in China. Unfortunately, we don’t know what it looked like today and it is no longer practiced in the Middle Kingdom. My guess is that whatever it looked like, Shuaijiao was probably a big part of it due to the prominence of Shuaijiao in early competitions and combat in China.

Interestingly, the name - Shoubo -  has been recently borrowed by Shanghai Shuaijiao teacher Yuan Zumou to describe a new hybrid martial art that combines Shuaijiao(thousands of years of history) and Sanshou(invented about 30 years ago).

It is interesting that he chose to combine Shuaijiao with Sanshou. I thought Sanshou was already a combination of Shuaijiao with other striking skills.

Anyway, best of luck to Yuan and the International Federation of Shoubo. I look forward to seeing it become a method for more people to become aware of China’s most interesting and beautiful art: Shuaijiao.

Check out their site here… its in English!

Keep Smilin’

Michael

We are putting a shop together slowly but surely.

Very soon you will be able to purchase quality Shuaijiao training products directly from Shuaijiao.tv all at very reasonable prices.

Jackets, VCDs, Training Apparatus to begin with and then T-shirts, patches, and collectors items a little later on

Come back soon and check them out!

Keep Smilin’

Michael

Hi Guys,

I have some footage to share with you all but guess what?

Youtube is blocked in China!!!

I feel like my left arm has been cut off… and I’m left handed

Yes, we are not free over here to watch or upload what we want. We have what is fondly known as a Net Nanny who lovingly watches out for our moral and mental well-being. All things Falungong are blocked. All things yellow (porn) are blocked too. And there is an ongoing war between the Net Nanny and certain blog sites too… not Wordpress thankfully.

I will look into using a local Chinese site to load my videos onto from now on… that might be the safest option, but the interface is in Chinese.

Any other options i could consider?

Keep Smilin’

Michael

PS. there are 120 foreigners coming to China for the Taizhou International Shuaijiao Invitational in November… it was a surprise to me as everything seemed very unorganized. So, if any of you guys are going, drop me a line on michael@shuaijiao.tv

Here is a boy’s heat from the 2nd day of competition.

I was surprised by the level of expertise in some of the kids between 12 and 16. But who wouldn’t be if  you grew up on the grasslands knowing that the only way you are gonna get a decent-looking wife is if you are a great wrestler?

I managed to find some coverage of the Inner Mongolia National Shuaijiao event in July. I am just figuring out how to put it up on this forum without stepping on some toes… i.e. I’m waiting for permission. Hope it comes soon!

I got the Xingjiang Minority fights from Li Baoru too… and guess what…they were on VHS! Wow… it’s been a long time since i used my VHS player. I will get it transfred to DVD real soon

Keep Smilin’

Michael