Shaolin Kung Fu ›
Tai Chi ›
Lion & Dragon Dance ›BEFORE YOU LEAVE
You wanna be the first to hear about all news of our school and get special offers?
Yes, I Want This »
Sanda Training in China
Learn Sanda, also called Sanshou or Chinese kickboxing, where it comes from. At our martial arts school in the Yuntai Mountains in Henan, you train six days a week in a small group with English-speaking Shifus who have won Sanda titles themselves, at a school led by a national Sanda referee. You start with stance, footwork and clean technique, and build up to punch and kick combinations, throws and sparring. No experience needed.
No experience neededPunches, kicks & throwsSmall groupsEnglish-speaking Shifus
散打free fighting
6days a week
1 weekminimum stay
1price, all-inclusive
All-inclusiveSanda training, room, 3 meals a day and free pickup
$690 / month (VIP)Less per month for longer stays · All prices ›
Sanda trainingWhat is Sanda?ProgramHeadmaster & refereeWho it’s forBenefitsCoachesSanda vs. kickboxingFAQ
Sanda training in China
Technique, fitness and fighting spirit, every day.
At our school, Sanda is not a weekly class. You live on campus, train six days a week and have the time to build what a fighter needs: fitness, strength, speed, timing and clean technique. Your day starts with conditioning, then you drill footwork, punches and kicks, work on pads and bags, practise throws and, once your basics are solid, spar. Your Shifu corrects you directly, in English, and adapts the training to your fitness and goals.
Small groups
Sanda groups are small, usually fewer than ten students. Your Shifu sees every technique and corrects you right away.
Pads, bags & combinations
Most of the training is technique: punch and kick combinations on pads and bags, until they become automatic.
Want to combine styles? Many students train Shaolin Kung Fu during the day and join the evening Sanda classes on Wednesday and Friday, which are open to students of all styles. See the training schedule.
What is Sanda?
The fighting side of Chinese martial arts.
Sanda (散打), also called Sanshou (散手), is the full-contact fighting discipline of Chinese martial arts. In the West it is often called Chinese kickboxing. It combines punches from Chinese boxing, kicks from traditional Kung Fu and throws from Chinese wrestling (Shuai Jiao). Sanda was originally developed by the Chinese military, which combined these techniques into one practical fighting system, and today it is a full-contact sport with national and international championships. Together with Taolu, the forms, it is one of the two disciplines of modern Wushu.
What makes Sanda special is the mix: you can catch your opponent’s kick and throw them, so you learn to strike and to wrestle standing up. There is no ground fighting.
散打Did you know?
散 (san) means free or loose, 打 (da) means to hit or to fight. Sanda is «free fighting»: unlike forms, nothing is choreographed, and you react to a real opponent.
Our Sanda program
From your first stance to sparring.
Stance, punches & kicks
Fighting stance, footwork and defence first, then straight punches, hooks and uppercuts, front, side and roundhouse kicks, and how to combine them.
Throws & takedowns
Catching kicks, sweeps and throws from Chinese wrestling. You also learn to fall safely, so throws become part of your game.
Sparring
Controlled sparring with protective gear, under your Shifu’s supervision. You start when your basics are solid, and the intensity grows with you.
Conditioning & competitions
Running, strength, speed and endurance training every day. If you want, your Shifu prepares you for a competition. It is always voluntary.
Your goals decide the focus. Fitness, self-defence or competition: tell your Shifu what you want when you arrive, and they plan your training with you.
A school led by a national Sanda referee
Rules and standards, known from the inside.
Our headmaster, Shi Yan Lin, is not only a 32nd-generation Shaolin monk. In China he is a national-level Sanda referee, the highest national grade, and since 2024 he has also been an international kickboxing referee certified by WAKO. He has refereed Sanda at the National Games of China and at national championships, and in 2025 the Chinese Wushu Association awarded him the 6th Duan.
For you, this means that your training follows the real rules and standards of the sport. In 2025, our school also hosted the Sanda championship of the city of Jiaozuo.
Free & without obligation
Ready to start your training?
No deposit and no application fee. You only pay after you arrive at the school.
- Start any week
- Invitation letter for your visa
- Free pickup in Zhengzhou
Sanda for beginners and experienced fighters
At any level, with your own goals.
Beginners
No experience needed. You start with stance, footwork and basic techniques, and sparring only comes once your basics are solid.
Experienced fighters
Coming from boxing, kickboxing or Muay Thai? Add kick catches and throws to your game, or prepare for a competition.
Women
Sanda is a great choice for women who want to get fit and learn to defend themselves. You train with partners who suit your level.
Kung Fu students
Sanda shows you how Kung Fu techniques work against a real opponent. Many students combine both.
Benefits of Sanda
What the training does for you.
FitnessEndurance, strength and speed in one workout.
Self-defenceTechniques you have tested against a real opponent.
Reactions & timingYou learn to read an opponent and react fast.
Calm under pressureSparring teaches you to stay focused when it counts.
ConfidenceEvery round you finish makes you stronger.
RespectMartial virtue first: respect for your partner and your Shifu.
Learn Sanda from champions
Coaches with competition and teaching experience.
Shifu Gao Pengyi
Sanda champion at the 1st International Martial Arts Competition in Jiaozuo 2023. Teaches stance, punches, kicks, throws and sparring, with a plan tailored to your age, fitness and goals.
Shifu Li Hao
Former soldier and National First-Class Sanda athlete, Sanda champion (80 kg) at the National University Games 2023. Teaches footwork, combinations, defence, sparring and conditioning.
“Martial virtue first, then martial skill.”
Shifu Gao Pengyi · Meet our masters
Sanda student experiences
Hard training, real progress.
“If you come to practice kung-fu or sanda, you will not be here to relax but to surpass yourself and to overcome your pains every day.”
Tony, France · Read more (Tony)
“Before coming here, I never did any Kung Fu. It was so nice to see how much progress I could make within this short amount of time.”
Anne-Sophie, Switzerland · 5 weeks · Read more (Anne-Sophie)
“I definitely got stronger and more flexible after 3 months. The longer you stay, the more it feels like family.”
Mahina, New Zealand · 3 months · Read more (Mahina)
Sanda vs. kickboxing, Muay Thai and MMA
What makes Sanda different.
| Style | What is allowed |
|---|---|
| Sanda | Punches, kicks and throws, including catching kicks. In amateur rules also knees to the body. No elbows, no ground fighting: the fight stops when a fighter goes down. |
| Kickboxing | Punches and kicks. Depending on the rules, also knees. No throws. |
| Muay Thai | Punches, kicks, knees, elbows and the clinch. Throws are very limited. |
| MMA | Striking, throws and ground fighting, including submissions. |
Rules differ between organisations and between amateur and professional events. Sanda is also a good base for MMA: Cung Le and Muslim Salikhov came to MMA from Sanda.
Read more: history, the Lei Tai, self-defence and Sanda vs. Kung Fu
The history of Sanda
Fighting with real contact has always been part of Chinese martial arts. The roots of modern Sanda go back to the 1920s: the Whampoa Military Academy used it in its training, and in 1928 the Central Guoshu Academy held a full-contact tournament. Later, the People’s Liberation Army adopted Sanda for its training, and it developed into the modern sport with national and international championships.
The Lei Tai
Traditionally, Sanda is fought on a raised platform without ropes, the Lei Tai. Pushing or throwing your opponent off the platform scores points. Today, many events, especially professional ones, also use a boxing ring.
Is Sanda good for self-defence?
Yes. Sanda trains strikes, kicks and throws against a resisting partner, and you learn to stay on your feet. That is exactly what matters in a real situation. Your Shifu always teaches you to avoid a fight first.
Sanda or Kung Fu?
Sanda grew out of traditional Kung Fu and uses many of its techniques, but without forms: it is all about fighting. Kung Fu also includes forms, weapons and the philosophy behind them. Many students combine both. More about Shaolin Kung Fu.
FAQ
Sanda training in China: your questions.
What is Sanda?
Sanda, also called Sanshou or Chinese kickboxing, is the full-contact fighting discipline of Chinese martial arts. It combines punches, kicks and throws, and is one of the two disciplines of modern Wushu.
Is Sanda the same as Sanshou?
Yes. Both names describe the same martial art. Sanshou (散手, «free hands») is the older name, Sanda (散打, «free fighting») is the official name of the sport today.
What is the difference between Sanda and kickboxing?
Both use punches and kicks, but Sanda also allows throws, for example catching a kick and taking your opponent down. That is why Sanda fighters learn to strike and to wrestle standing up.
Can I learn Sanda as a beginner?
Yes. No experience is needed. You start with stance, footwork and basic techniques, and your Shifu adapts the training to your fitness.
Do I have to spar?
Sparring is part of Sanda, but you only start once your basics are solid, always controlled, with protective gear and under your Shifu’s supervision. The intensity grows step by step.
Do I need my own protective gear?
Yes. For hygiene reasons, every student buys their own protective gear, such as gloves, head guard and shin guards. In China it is very affordable.
Can women learn Sanda?
Yes. Sanda is a great way for women to get fit and learn self-defence. You train with partners who suit your level.
Can I combine Sanda with Kung Fu?
Yes. Many students train Shaolin Kung Fu during the day and join the evening Sanda classes on Wednesday and Friday, which are open to all styles.
Can I take part in Sanda competitions?
Yes, if you want. Competitions are always voluntary, and your Shifu prepares you for them.
Do I get a Sanda certificate?
Yes, if you want one. At the end of your stay, you can take an exam and receive a certificate after at least two months of training.
How long should I stay to learn Sanda?
You can join for as little as one week. We recommend at least one month to build solid basics. With three months or more, you train combinations, throws and sparring at a much higher level.
How much does Sanda training in China cost?
With VIP prices, one month costs $690, all-inclusive with training, room, three meals a day and free pickup. One week costs $290, and the monthly price goes down for longer stays, to $490 per month for 12 months. See all prices.
Do the Shifus speak English?
Yes. Our Shifus speak English and correct you directly, without a translator.
Is Sanda an Olympic sport?
No. Sanda is fought at the Asian Games and at international Wushu championships, but it is not an Olympic sport.
Combine your training
Mix styles during your stay.