choy lay fut question...

[Supervillain]

hello everyone..

I practice northern praying mantis and i know very little about choy lay fut. I was hoping that some of the knowledgeable choy lay fut people here could answer a few of my questions...

In the style of mantis I practice there is a big focus on two person forms and drilling techniques from the forms. Does choy lay fut focus on form drills for techniques and body conditioning? If so, does this type of training start at the very beginning, or is it saved for the more experienced?

Thank you for your help!

[sean_stonehart]

I can't speak for all CLF schools & lineages, but in mine we do a fair share of drilling with techniques from sets in 2 man fashion. That in & of itself does a good bit of body conditioning, but we also have a couple of two man sets that give plenty of conditioning.

Plus... would it really be southern kung fu without a healthy dose of sam sing? ;)

[Eddie]

Some northern mantis share some moves with CLF. Power generation and footwork is totally different though, but I think its easier for someone who learned Northern Mantis first, to learn CLF. CLF players moves differently, and although I prefer CLF applications, fighting and just about everything else, I like the “ looseness” of movement from Mantis. I’m letting my son learn Taijimeihua Mantis and tong beiquan first (even though he doesn’t understand any of it yet), and then later I will let him learn CLF.

But I know Im going to get slammed for this, but Im allowed my own opinion. I think CLF is much more practical and much more direct than mantis. For fighting, I suggest CLF above any other. Incidentally, that how CLF ended up in South Africa. My old Sifu and his instructor were part of Chan Poi’s Wah lum group. They called Chan Poi and asked him to recommend a good fighting style and a good fighting teacher. Chan Poi recommended Grandmaster Lee Koon Hung. Now Im not implying anything with that statement, so don’t read to much into it.

Oh yes, and I have only been doing taijimantis for little less than a year now, so Im hardly anyone to speak of it, but my coach is a good friend of mine and we often have chance to play around.
Eddie

[Supervillain]

thanks for the info!