What is Shou Shu?
What is Shou Shu?
Shou Shu is an American hybrid martial art founded by Al Moore Sr. in California during the 1960s. The system was designed for real-world self-defense and draws from a mix of traditional and modern influences — including Kenpo, Kung Fu, and Shuai Jiao.
What Makes It Unique?
What sets Shou Shu apart is both how it’s taught and what it teaches.
At its core is a movement-based learning system, built on principles of body mechanics, angles, timing, and power generation. Students develop balance, timing, pressure, and ability to defend themselves. From early training, students learn to move with purpose and use the whole body efficiently — whether striking, or throwing.
A signature part of the system is its use of seven animal styles:
Bear, Tiger, Mongoose, Crane, Mantis, Cobra, and Dragon.
Each animal represents a different energy, mindset, and strategy, offering a framework for understanding movement.
- Bear
- Tiger
- Mongoose
- Crane
- Mantis
- Cobra
- Dragon
As students progress, they don’t just “copy” the animals — they internalize their mechanics and strategies, learning when and how to apply them in motion.
Organizations
Today, Shou Shu is practiced under several different banners and associations. While all share roots in Al Moore Sr.’s system, each group has evolved in its own way, with different leadership, curriculum structure, and training emphasis. Despite these differences, they all carry a piece of the original system and continue to share its core mission: teaching practical, powerful martial arts rooted in the Shou Shu legacy.