People have often argued that Shuo Shu is impractical and ineffective, hence the reason most of us don't want to get involved in some sort of a competition.

Well, most Shou Shu martial artists won't get into the ring to demonstrate their skills, and the reason is totally different from the assumption above.

For one, Shou Shu wasn't meant for sports or competitions. Its principles cannot work in a ring fight unless rules are relaxed. But if rules are relaxed, then there is no Shou Shu.

It's an efficient way of defending oneself on the streets. A student who learns Shou Shu is one who will equip themselves with Beast Knowledge because this martial art is translated to mean fighting way of the beasts.

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The fighting style itself mimics the fighting motion of7 different types of animals. These are seamlessly combined to work harmoniously with one another so we can have a vast array of self defense weapons to rely on.

The fighting way of the 7 beasts won't mean anything to anyone who hasn't taken their time to study this wondrous art of fighting. It is total crap to the average Tom, Dick and Harry. But it is a golden knowledge to people who understand how effective and efficient those techniques can work together to achieve a common goal.

Each one of the animals exhibit a special motion when resisting an attack. Also, each one of the animals creatively utilize the laws of physics to generate immense power, although in different ways.

So when you have a combination of all the 7 animals' fighting motion, you get a system that creates an immense power that can be used to bring out a desired effect.

Each animal represents a complete martial art. Nevertheless, if you separate these animals so that they can act individually, this is not known as Shuo Shu. Instead, it's known by the individual animal's name.

Every fighting system is extremely fast and efficient. They are guided by strict principles, and this adds some sort of limitation to the equation. But also, it is for this reason that the fighting will seamlessly transition among the 7 animals.

A Shoushuer does not constrain themselves to a particular fighting style -- as popularized in many Kung Fu movies. Instead, he uses all animals because he is trained from the word go to utilize all strengths at once.

Obviously this reminds us of the weaknesses of the individual animals which make up Shou Shu martial art system. In as much as these animals have their own strengths, they also have weaknesses too, and that's the reason ShouShu must combine all their strengths to cancel out their individual weaknesses.

A fighter will therefore transition seamlessly such that it is not apparent which animal style they are using. Ultimately, this creates one effective system that exhibits a fighting style that none of the 7 animals are able to achieve. Because of this complex combination, new principles emerge, giving the fighter the advantage that could not be realized using one beast alone.

Martial art is not sport. In fact, the term martial art was used to refer to hand-to-hand combat in the battlefield. So in essence, martial art only refers to the skill of fighting a hand to hand battle -- as was the case centuries ago. For this reason, ShouShu will never be used as a sport. It will not be applied in a competition or anything close to that. It is purely for self defense purposes, or if you like, street fighting.

Most people treat casual punches as mere tools of asserting dominance. But I want to sound a fair warning out there to anyone who might think there is a safe way to punch someone. Truth is, there isn't. Unless you're participating in a mixed martial arts bout where a lot of parameters are formed with safety as priority, you should know that one punch can send someone to their grave. Worse still, it could see you getting prosecuted for murder.

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So, isn't all this worth it? Of course not, and here's why:

Punches occur everywhere around the world, and at least dozens of those result in deaths annually. Another research claimed that people are more likely to get punched in Texas than in any other state in the U.S. In my view,  I don't see any correlation or reason why you'd most likely get punched in Texas than in any other place.

Anyway, young, energetic men around the globe continue to be fooled with the idea that they can settle their differences with a punch. In the ideal world, it is thought that male dominance can be determined by throwing a punch or two on the offender.

Image credit: Pixabay

The idea of the movie fight myth has sunk into the minds of young men around the world. They believe that at worst, punches would only result in a few bruises and maybe drops of blood trickling from one corner of the lip.

This lie is further carried forward by the popularity of mixed martial arts today. You've probably watched it on wrestling, where two professional fighters last for between 3 or 4 rounds and emerging out of the fight with only few bruises, or if you like, minimal injuries.

Okay, that is for the professionals. But how about an amateur blow from a guy who has never stepped into any Karate, Wing Chun or Shou Shu class?

An amateur punch up ignores a lot of parameters that are often present in fights which take place on the streets.

The streets don't present ideal atmosphere for performing mixed martial arts, let alone a single punch. It is not the punch that will kill you here, rather, it's the impact of the concrete you're most likely going to fall on that will inflict maximum damage on you.

If you smacked your head on a concrete as a result of a punch, it would be extremely disastrous, trust me. Many people have not liked the outcome either. It's pathetic, and sometimes lawsuits often get involved. I am sure you wouldn't want this kind of thing to happen to you irrespective of which side you were taking in the fight.

Why typical casual punches are different from those in MMA

If you have been trained in MMA or any other martial art for example, you wouldn't spar on the streets, right?

All sparring classes take place in a safe atmosphere where participants are not likely to get hurt in the event of one fighter sending the other one to the ground. So we cannot debate that street fights are not dangerous, and especially if you're not trained. Just keep off.

On avoiding street fights

A real street fight is often chaotic. Dynamics are not predictable here because a punch or punches could come from different dimensions.

A simple verbal confrontation could see you ''eating up'' an unexpected punch which could see you losing a tooth or worse still, hurting you in the process.

Apparently, in the situation where two young men are participating in a fight because either of them want to prove a point, there is never any form of order such as one that typically exists in an MMA fight. No one says, ''Okay, young boys, I want a good clean fight. Ready...... go!''

This is what I call a surprise attack situation -- where a weapon hits you off-guard. Surprise attacks don't always come from behind you anyway.

Also, you should keep off from ''drunken'' fights or those which young men engage in when out in the bar. With too many bottles of beer, your mind is probably intoxicated already. While alcohol may fool you into believing you're the strongest man on earth, that may not be necessarily the case, and thus a fight would cause a lot of damage on you (considering your status quo).

MMA fighters are often conditioned to take in hard blows. The same applies to every other sports fighter out there - if they've been trained sufficiently.

Natural pressures select them. Combat sports fighters generally don't enter the ring unless they've been through countless hours of training or hard sparring during which their coaches will determine if they are physically fit and capable of undertaking a cage fighting scenario.

Combat sports are highly regulated to eliminate a significant chance of injuries. For this reason, mixed martial art fighters will be matched up by their equal in terms of experience and weight.

Finally, if you don't have any self defense skills, it's dumb to try fighting or participating in some sort of fighting which, obviously involves punches. Otherwise, you'll be like a sitting duck to every punch that is directed at you.

P.S

There's also another issue that I have seen out there -- people rushing to find out why others are fighting, and they blindly enter the fight as if this fight was there's.

If you don't have any training, God knows whatever you're going to contribute in that fight. But as for me, I can assure you that your lack of training will be met by another surprise you least expected. You might fail to block a punch coming your way, or better still, you might end up pulling the flight, fight or freeze kind of response. Whatever move you make, you will most likely invite trouble.

Next: Flight, fight or freeze

Participating in MMA requires that you invest in decent MMA gloves before you can think of anything else. Irrespective of how good an athlete you are in this sport, if you don't have the right gear, your performance will suffer.

Perhaps MMA gloves should be treated as one of the fundamental things you should have before stepping into any ring out there. And since we're using the word ''must'' here, there's a strong possibility that these things will enhance your athletic performance.

First though, choosing the correct weight and material is essential to getting a good pair of MMA gloves that fit correctly without slowing your performance down.

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So, what is the right kind of material you should look for in any MMA glove out there?

Leather gloves

They are certainly the best and most expensive for that matter. But the reward is well worth it since they fit snugly and also last longer.

Also, the kind of material you choose depends on which purpose you're using the pair of gloves for. If you want MMA gloves purely for fitness purposes, you won't need to put so much emphasis on the material. But if you want a pair of gloves exclusively for training purposes, you will definitely go for leather instead.

Artificial leather

Starters who haven't developed their MMA skills would be fine going with artificial leather gloves. This also applies to kids who might want to participate in MMA.

However, the problem with artificial leather is that it will quickly wear out as the athlete develops speed, stamina and power.

If you're on a budget, I'd recommend these ones. But if you're willing to spend a few more bucks for the right kind of gloves, just buy leather instead.

Style of MMA gloves you're choosing

For students who participate in MMA sparring, it is better to go with simple gloves that don't require cumbersome work when putting on.

Some fight gloves are designed with a lace mechanism to tie on the hand. This normally gives the athlete a snug fit onto their hands.

Typical gloves will have some sort of padding on the knuckles with a closing mechanism. You could also go for gloves built with Velcro enclosures too.

The benefit of Velcro enclosures is that you can tie them up or remove them without the help of another person. In fact, if you're just an average MMA fighter, you could go with gloves designed with Velcro enclosures since they are a good fit for regular training.

Weight of gloves

Gloves come in weights that vary between 6oz to 20oz. Professional MMA matches will use 10oz gloves. But as for you,  12, 14 to 16 ounce will serve your training purposes well. On the other hand, if you're concerned with more protection, you could choose to buy 20 ounce gloves instead.

However, there's a secret you need to learn when it comes to using MMA gloves. If you're preparing to participate in a 10 ounce gloves MMA fight, you might find sparring with heavier gloves quite useful since it will significantly increase your speed when it comes to fighting with lighter ones.

Here's a breakdown of all the weight specifics to look into:

16oz ---- for professional MMA fighters
14oz------ Ideal for sparring
120z------ good for starters
10oz------- starter size for both men and women, can also be used in competitions
8oz------Ideal for women and teenagers
6oz----- Ideal for kids between 7 and 5 years

Color

Color is a matter of personal preference, sponsor or club requirements. Therefore, I would advice that you pick a color that keeps you happy.

Safety of an MMA glove

Modern gloves come with a safety feature known as thumb lock. This feature is useful because it prevents accidental eye gouges or thumb injuries that might happen during a match.

Also, make sure you find a suitable MMA head gear for your sparring sessions. These too are available in different materials and colors to suit your preference.