Sanda's curriculum was developed with reference to traditional Chinese martial arts. Later it was also adopted as a method by the People's Liberation Army of China. It was originally used by the Kuomintang at the first modern military academy in Whampoa in the 1920s. Rules were developed and the use of protective gloves etc. 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. Sanda's competitive history is rooted in barehanded elevated arena or Lei Tai fights in which no rules were observed. Sanda may also involve techniques from any other fighting style depending on the teacher's mode of instruction. It is to this standard curriculum that the term Wushu Sanda is usually applied. However, as part of the development of sport wushu by the Chinese government, a standard curriculum for Sanda was developed.

Sanda, the free combat, is often taught alongside Wushu Taolu (forms) training. Sanda is a fighting system which was originally developed by the Chinese military based upon the study and practices of traditional kung fu and modern combat fighting techniques it combines full-contact kickboxing, which includes close range and rapid successive punches and kicks, with wrestling, takedowns, throws, sweeps, kick catches, and in some competitions, even elbow and knee strikes.

Sanda ( Chinese: 散打 pinyin: Sǎndǎ), formerly Sanshou ( Chinese: 散手 pinyin: Sǎnshǒu), also known as Chinese boxing or Chinese kickboxing, is the official Chinese full contact combat sport. Sanshou, Chinese boxing, Chinese kickboxing, free combatĬhangquan, Bajiquan, Northern Shaolin, Shuai Jiao, Chin Na Two Dutch fighters in a sparring session of Sanshou.

Wushu taolu basic training pdf