Not much, really, generally it means fighting. Kung Fu San Soo means Kung Fu for fighting, even when we found Jimmy’s school in China they could not figure out why he used those words for the name of his Art. His first Art was Choy Li Fut which are 3 of the characters on our belts, with (Hung for power/strength, not the Hung Ga family) and Fut to honor Buddha. Why he used Kung Fu San Soo does make some sense especially in his mind because he saw that the first Americans who did not want learn all of Kung Fu, they only wanted to learn how to fight, so that is mostly what he taught them. I remember hearing some of his students say, “did you see those other Kung Fu guys, they looked like sissy’s working out in a park. Old San Soo had very wide circular punches which he was taught however somewhere along the line he tightened them up and his punches stemmed more from his core rather than the wide loose swinging shoulder (arm/shoulder) movements of Choy Li Fut, which I prefer. Remember, he told a student when asked what he would we learn after the Aikido’s/Chi-na’s and Ju Jitsu’s/Basic 45, he said “that’s it, your done”. He felt after the self defense was taught, we would be on our way. Wrong. Don’t let anyone fool you. There are some out there that say Frank’s Ah Soo were taught to Frank and they are better. No one else ever, heard the word “Ah Soo” and when Jimmy was asked he said he did not say it and the word has no meaning. I was there when Frank was trained I know what he was taught. I have read and watched those lessons and there is critical info and tactics left out that you need to know. I am not trying to make anyone look bad, I am trying to bring back real info so our Art will flourish in the future, not just made up stories. If you are having trouble understanding any of those lessons, I will help you the best I can. If you want to still call them Ah Soo that is fine but I would like to see them taught as give. Jimmy also told a few stories that though the research we have done were not as happened, these came from his family in China and I also found some in the US. I heard the Frank has recently passed on, may he RIP.
Ron Gatewood
Really facinating info, I was a backyard student of a Frank Woolsey Black belt in the early 70’s, I was taught the Ah Soo, Fut ga ,Choy li ho, and some ” Numpi”. I broke away from that teacher and began studying at JHW associate school in Long Beach, CA under Sifu Bill Hallowell. The lessons were quite different, but he allowed me to retain my Brown belt that I had earned in my 2yrs of study🙏 I was saddened when SIFU Bill had to close his doors. Never continued my study to earn my Black belt, but have taken the time to study Filipino, Malaysian, boxing, etc. Kung Fu San Soo is still my roots and base. Grateful for Grandmaster Woo and all my teachers from many lands. Thank you !