Mantis Fist

[tri2bmt]

I assume from what I've seen that mantis uses alot of finger strikes. I'm curious what they use to condition and strengthen the fingers and hands.

[dre]

Yes. . .but you han punch with the hard ridge of bone at the end of your forearm without changing from the claw. . .

[Obsidian Mantis]

A lot of people make the mistake that we attack using the finger of the Mantis Claw - this is not true! I think it's probably due to the fact that people watch too many of those dodgey ''Crouching Mantis, Leaping Fish'' style Wushu flics. People look at the way the Wushu mantis guys don't change from their claw and assume that that is how we attack.
You don't see that many mantis guys going 'ound with broken fingers do you?

[count]

I agree with OM. Many people make that mistake from seeing the mantis gou. Same for us in bagua. Most people think it's all palm strikes. LOL. Still, finger conditioning is a good topic. I'm a fan of internal conditioning. Pressing the fingers together and finger tip pushups. Rope pulling. Throwing the leather, sand bag around. These are all good. Let's hear from some of the advanced Mantises on the board. What kind of finger training have you done/taught?

[Olethros]

People look at the way the Wushu mantis guys don't change from their claw and assume that that is how we attack.

Well, pokin' someone in the eyes with those two fingers doesn't take much conditioning....unless your opponent does Iron Eyelids excersises.

[MightyB]

Striking small sandbags and using lots of dit da jou. There's a whole series of strikes that are done to the bag, one of which is a finger strike and then a grabbing motion. You need two people for the drill, a sandbag, and a traditional Chinese bench (looks like a saw horse).

One person straddles the bench and holds the sandbag while the other drops into a deep horse stance (ma sig) and strikes the bag. The exercises that you do are very specific in technique, cadence, and rhythm. You will need somebody that knows the exercises to teach you.

[dre]

Nothing special here , I just merely

!) Soak in Jow

2) Hit hard stuff (bag, wall , someone else's face)

3)Soak in Jow.

4) Repeat 1-3

[NorthernMantis]

Leaping fish:D

[Crazy Bugger]

Whatever you do, do not try this method.


First soak the fingertips in jou, then put the dit da jou in a visine bottle. Drop 3 to 5 drops of the jou in each eye. This will burn and hurt like pepper spray. The intense searing pain is normal and vision will return after about 45 minutes of intense crying/eye watering. However one doesn't have to wait for vision to return in order to build powerful fingertips and eyes. Start poking yourself in the eyes. Start slow and soft, one can never be too careful. Then work up in intensity and power. Alternate fingers. Eventually one can work up to pencils and other sharp pointy objects.
Imagine how much fun you will have when someone goes to poke you in the eyes and hurt their wimpy little fingertips instead!

(By the way this is a joke, don't do this.)

[PaulLin]

Originally posted by MightyB
Striking small sandbags and using lots of dit da jou. There's a whole series of strikes that are done to the bag, one of which is a finger strike and then a grabbing motion. You need two people for the drill, a sandbag, and a traditional Chinese bench (looks like a saw horse).

In internal view that I known of, dit da jou is only using for injuries, it can't give you more qi in body but just use more of what you had. To a qi balance way one should practiced with natural qi condition to tell you what should be done and how much should be done. Rather than using external stuffs to numb you qi senses just push blood circlation up to a unbalanced way to acheive external goals. On the other hand, external arts may have different view.



One person straddles the bench and holds the sandbag while the other drops into a deep horse stance (ma sig) and strikes the bag. The exercises that you do are very specific in technique, cadence, and rhythm. You will need somebody that knows the exercises to teach you.

Yes, Sand bag taining is very helpful. The sandbag we practiced, instead of punched into a unmoved bag, you toss the bag to others. Toss in a way that is similar to a full puch or kick, then practice grib, control, pull, redirect, and tosss out again. In that way, not only grib and hand conditioning is done, you also train on real strike-handling skills and reflexes.

[PaulLin]

Originally posted by Obsidian Mantis
A lot of people make the mistake that we attack using the finger of the Mantis Claw - this is not true! I think it's probably due to the fact that people watch too many of those dodgey ''Crouching Mantis, Leaping Fish'' style Wushu flics. People look at the way the Wushu mantis guys don't change from their claw and assume that that is how we attack.
You don't see that many mantis guys going 'ound with broken fingers do you?

In the system I practiced in, this is very true. Other then use finger to grib, hook, and cut in defense or attack only on eyes or throat. Our finger training, no more then standing postures, hold body in push-up postion(or against a tree) with straight fingers, or finger push up.

[woliveri]

Hey, didn't you guys ever see Remo Williams the adventure begins?? Very effective use of one finger attacks :D :D :D

Actually, though, another less obvious useage of the Mantis Claw is actually the back of the hand in attack at the wrist.

[PaulLin]

Hey, you are cheating by not using your fingers to strike here:D No fair!

[yu shan]

Hi PaulLin and Woliveri,

My Kung Fu brother`s user name is humble1, he is the friend I have been speaking about that is in search of CMA , in your area.

Oh, my Mantis claw techn. for the day. I strike my morning bisuit, to see if it`s done...

[PaulLin]

Well, most people think of conditioning the hands, leg, or other parts, they always think of make it hard and tough like an iron weapon.
In the internal, it was valuing more of how much force can be produce, how efficient the forces can pass into the opponent's body without wasting frictions on the outter body, and what will the forces be doing after got in. All of that needs the maximum ability of being extreamly soft and extreamly hard(I called it condenced rather) in an extreamly short time. So for conditioning in Internal Arts, it is no more than training how to be maxium relaxed in actrual application.

[Obsidian Mantis]

That's a good post Paul! The contrast between the internal and external styles is always interesting and I'm always discovering more and more about the subject. The differences between the methods and philosophies of body conditioning are something that I shall have to research!
Thanks mate!
Peace.