Due to the respect for the founder of Kungfu To’a, no one else uses this sash; this sash can only be worn by Ebrahim Mirzai himself.  The other six faculties include the following (see Tawassoli, 2005:20):

5.1 Second Faculty: the second faculty is about gaining experience in medical knowledge and healing methods, including Asian healing methods, such as herb therapy, different types of massage, and Chinese acupuncture.

5.2 Third Faculty: the third faculty requires gaining knowledge and experience in the field of psychology and hypnosis.

5.3 Fourth Faculty: the fourth faculty includes the study of philosophy and art.

5.4 Fifth Faculty: the fifth faculty contains studying some general natural sciences, such as chemistry, physics, and mathematics to strengthen the mind.

5.5 Sixth Faculty: the sixth faculty requires some studies in astronomy.

5.6 Seventh Faculty: the seventh faculty is about studying history, different religions, zen, meditation, and studying the secrets of human energy (see Tawassoli, 2005:20).

6. Bonkan: Breaking Test in Kungfu To’a

Kungfu To’a has one of the most spectacular and demanding breaking tests among all the modern styles of martial arts.  Although not every member is required to do breaking test, many high-level practitioners of the style choose to do these tests.  The objects chosen for the breaking testinclude ice blocks (see Dehghanian, 1982/1360:73, Pur Qolami and Dadashi, 1983/1361:365),tiles (see Dehghanian, 1982/1360:72, Pur Asl, 1982/1360:33, Pur Qolaminejad,1982/1360:22), stones (see Dehghanian, 1982/1360:76, Pur Qolami and Dadashi, 1983/1361:364,and Tawassoli, 2005:219), bricks, and large pebble stones.  Dehghanian (1982/1360:72) explains thatbreaking test shows the penetration power of Kungfu To’a practitioners againsthard objects.  Dehghanian stresses thatthe goal of breaking test in Kungfu To’a is not to show off or to show externalpower.  Rather, breaking test reveals theinternal hidden power that can be used by each individual to break hardobjects. 

            Tawassoli (2005:218) complains that nowadays many martial artists use the breaking test with extreme external physical power; that is not the original idea of Kungfu To’a.  Tawassoli (2005:219) adds that to execute the breaking test correctly, one needs to follow the seven principles:

a) Based on the physical formula F=mv2, the faster the strike, the stronger the penetration power and the breaking effect on hard objects.

b) The hard objects should be held stable and should not wobble, otherwise the penetration power will be distributed on the surface instead of on the point of penetration.

c) The powerful strike should be exactly executed in the middle of hard objects.

d) The parts of the body used for breaking tests, such as elbows, fists, and heels should be constantly conditioned and hardened.

e) Meditation and breathing techniques play an important role in breaking tests.

f) Simultaneous execution of the strike and exhalation are very important.

g) In breaking extremely hard objects, the will and the determination of the Kungfu To’a practitioner play a very important role (Tawassoli, 2005:219).

7. Fighting Techniques and Self-Defence

Kungfu To’a is a complete martial art system that integrates a wide array of striking and grappling techniques.  In sparring, the strikes are executed in full-contact fashion.  This means that all parts of the body are hit with full force.  At higher levels, theparticipants can also strike the head via kicking techniques.  In Kungfu To’a, there are no gloves, andtherefore, punches to the head are not allowed, although feints with the handsto the head are allowed.  Due to the hardbody conditioning and a complete array of striking and grappling techniques,the practitioners of Kungfu To’a are trained to fight in full-contactenvironments.  As an example, one canrefer to Master Babak Tawassoli, who won the German Master title in Savate(full-contact martial art) and who was also very successful in Thai Boxing andwon against the German Master in Thai Boxing, Linder, in a Thai Boxing match(see

>Tawassoli, 2005:10).

            Nevertheless, Tawassoli (2005:10) stresses himself that there are no organized matches in Kungfu To’a, as Kungfu To’a does not accept the gaining of trophies and medals in championships.  There are no weight categories in Kungfu To’a fights; after each sparring session or fight, both participants bow to eachother and show respect.  There is nowinner or loser in a Kungfu To’a match. The goal of Kungfu To’a is to prepare the mind and the body for thetasks one faces in life.  Neverthless,from the martial point of view, masters of Kungfu To’a have proved again andagain that in full-contact matches, they can be very successful.  Sparring or fighting in Kungfu To’a is called mobareze and is fought in a circlecalled otaymeh.  Tawassoli (2005:30) explains that otaymeh or otaymi is the place for fighting, for taking the examinations andtests of Kungfu To’a, and for a master to demonstrate the techniques to hisstudents.  It is a circle and has adiameter of 3.5 to 4.5 meters.  In themiddle of this circle, there is a white circle of 40-50 cm (Tawassoli,2005:10).  Dehghanian (1982/1360:64)states that mobareze in Kungfu To’a is thehighest achievement done by Kungfu To’a practitioners and adds that fighting inKungfu To’a is not a physical combat between human beings, as Kungfu To’a looksdown at such activities; instead,  it isa fight against ignorance and the way to perfection.  Kavusi, et al. (1982/1360:4) distinguish betweenthree types of fighting in Kungfu To’a: a) mobareze-yekelasik (classical fight) that involves a preset fight with a limited number oftechniques, mobareze-ye nime kelasik (semiclassical fight) that involves a limited number of techniques but theindividual tactics can be chosen by each fighter, and c) mobareze-ye azad (free fight) that has no limitations, in whichindividual fighters can choose their techniques and tactics as they wish.

            Further, Kavusi, et al. (1982/1360:4) distinguish between the following types of fighting in different levels of the white sash to the green sash:

a) Ana-To’a: mobareze-ye kelasik (classical fight) and mobareze-ye nime kelasik (semi classical fight)

b) Ata-Do and Su-To: mobareze-ye nime kelasik (semi classical fight) in the form of one-to-one fight

c) Sam-Sama-E and Mayan-Na: mobareze-ye nime kelasik (semi classical fight) one-to-one and mobareze-ye azad (free fight) one-to-one and one against two

d) Ko-An-Na Westa-Mayana.and Wei-Ma-Bato: mobareze-ye azad (free fight) in the form on one-to-one, one against two, one against three, one against four, one against five, and one against six.  Note that multiple attackers do not attack at the same time. Normally, two attack at the same time and then change off when twoothers enter the fight.

            Self-defence in Kungfu To’a plays a very important role.  Normally, one cannot separate the training of Kungfu To’a from self-defence, as all moves of this martial art are geared to self-defence, taking the fact into considerationthat Kungfu To’a does not have sporting events and championships.  Nevertheless, a number of moves arespecifically geared to self-defence. These include empty-handed self-defence, self-defence against multipleattackers, as well as defences against sticks, knives, and other types ofweapons.  One of the major differences ofself-defence in Kungfu To’a and fighting in Kungfu To’a is that in self-defenceall punches and fingers strikes to the head and face are allowed and executedfor empty-handed self defence, including grappling techniques, see Jalilzadeh(1983/1361:151-178), Judaki (1981/1359:21-39), Pur Asl (1982/1360:12-58, 77-93), Pur Qolami &Dadashi (1983/1361:112-131), and Tawassoli (2005:234-264), for self-defence againstknives, see Judaki (1981/1359:48-56), Pur Asl (1982/1360:66-75), and Tawassoli (2005:265-270),self-defence against staffs and short sticks, see Judaki (1981/1359:40-47) andTawassoli (2005:270-279).

8. Conclusion

Kungfu To’a was founded by Grandmaster Ebrahim Mirzai, who was a member of the Iranian army in the 1960s.  In the beginning, Kungfu To’a was taught to the members of the Iranian army.  Later, it was also taught outside of army circles.  Due to the charisma of Ebrahim Mirzaiand the efficient and powerful techniques of the art, the number ofpractitioners of Kungfu To’a rose to over ten thousand members in the firstyear; today, Kungfu To’a has over 200,000 active members in Iran and is themost popular martial art in the country. As described above, practitioners of Kungfu To’a are bound to a set ofprinciples and rules prescribed in an oath, known as the oath of Kungfu To’a.  This martial art system has a wide array ofwarm-up exercises meant to make the body flexible and at the same time tostrengthen the body.