Scoring in Sanshou

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Wushu’s sanshou discipline involves a simple scoring system that helps the judges to determine the winners of the respective rounds. A competitor may be awarded zero, one, or two points per circumstance. A bout consists of three rounds, and, after each round, the judges will announce a victor based on the number of points received. The competitor who wins two rounds will emerge the overall winner of the bout.

A round may also be automatically won if the competitor’s rival has been given two forcible countings within one round. This occurs when the rival has been struck to the ground and is unable to get up for some time. The officials will then begin to count according to a stipulated number of seconds. If the fighter is able to stand up within this period of time, he or she may continue the match. However, it will still be deemed a forcible count. In addition, if a competitor’s rival falls off the arena twice, he or she will also win the round.

Two points will be awarded to a competitor if:

• the rival falls off the arena
• the rival falls to the ground but the competitor is still standing upright
• he or she successfully strikes the rival’s head or trunk with an appropriate lower limb technique
• he or she stages a fall, bringing the rival down and quickly standing up again
• the rival is given a forcible counting
• the rival commits a personal foul (three of these result in disqualification)

One point will be awarded to a competitor if:

• he or she successfully strikes the rival’s head or trunk with an appropriate fist technique
• he or she successfully strikes the rival’s thigh with an appropriate lower limb technique
• he or she stages a fall, bringing the rival down, but is unable to stand up quickly enough
• the rival does not make an attacking move within the eight seconds after the start
• when the rival stages a fall but is unable get back on his or her feet within three seconds
• when the rival commits an error not associated to combat ie. failing to bow to the judges, attempting to run away from the fight

No points will be awarded to a competitor if:

• his or her moves are neither accurate nor effective
• both opponents fall to the ground or off the arena simultaneously
• the rival falls intentionally as part of his or her move
• he or she makes a grappling hold attack on the rival

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