Shuai Jiao Techniques

Shuai Jiao is the martial art of Chinese wrestling, with its roots in the traditional wrestling styles of China and Mongolia. The goal in a Shuai Jiao match is to force the opponent to touch the ground or mat with his hands, his hips or his knees. It is focused exclusively on throwing the opponent to the ground.

  1. Ban Zi

    • "Ban Zi" or "throwing skills" are the techniques of Shuai Jiao wrestling. They consist of two core aspects: maneuvering the opponent into a position where his balance can be broken, and applying a trip to throw him to the ground. It isn't usually possible to simply throw an opponent down, so the wrestler begins by trying to work the opponent into an awkward position. When the opponent feels that his position is untenable somehow, he will be forced to move to adjust it. It is at this point that it becomes possible to move his center of gravity into an unbalanced posture, after which he can be tripped successfully.

    Grabbing the Opponent

    • An opponent cannot be unbalanced until he is grabbed, so successfully grabbing the opponent and holding him is a major component of Shuai Jiao wrestling. Of course, while the wrestler is attempting to grab his opponent, the opponent is also attempting to grab him. Both wrestlers make use of footwork techniques to try to get in position to effect a grab, or to try to elude a grab. There are also techniques for breaking out of the opponent's hold. While it might seem that grabbing and avoiding the grab are something that happens prior to the use of technique, they are actually major factors in determining the winner of a match.

    Tripping Techniques

    • The methods of tripping an opponent are the core techniques of Shuai Jiao. "Xiao Ban Zi" techniques are based on tricking an opponent into making an error and then applying a very fast and subtle movement to throw him down. "Da Ban Zi" techniques are large throws made with physical power after having established a solid controlling hold on the opponent. "Dui Lian Ban Zi" techniques are small tripping maneuvers used when in face-to-face position with the opponent. There are techniques for throwing the opponent when your back is turned to him, for throwing the opponent based on the theory of "yin yang" or opposing energies, and many other variations.

    Styles of Shuai Jiao

    • There are several different styles of traditional Shuai Jiao, each of which uses different techniques. The Mongolian style favors larger wrestlers. The Beijing style emphasizes sudden moves to break the opponent's structure. The Tianjin style uses circular motions. There is also a style called "Baoding," or "fast wrestling." The Baoding style is based on suddenly throwing the opponent to the ground as soon as contact is made.