What IS praying mantis?

[northshaolin]

Lately, I've been interested in the praying mantis style. What IS the praying mantis style like though? I heard it's a routine style where everything is like self- defense. So is it really like memorizing all these steps and applying them to an offender? Alright thanks for your time.

[8stepsifu]

check out www.8step.com (http://www.8step.com)

Thats just one type of mantis.....there are more.

Seven Star is the most famous.

It's fighting, I guess it's main characteristic would be the grab and punch. The mantis hook is used for fighting, but not nearly as much as the fist or palm.

[robertwilliam]

- 8-step sifu is probally right about the seven star it is the most world recognized, but there are probally 20 or so other branches of praying mantis - some more recognized than others.The few that I know of are 8-step, 7-star, 6-harmony,plum flower,tai mantis,leg detecting, draging hand,secret door, jade ring - there are others.Check out some books and see what fits you, and then try to find a school.Praying mantis is by no means a routine style, or system but an intricate,complete, layered art that has proven itself in battle.I would have to say that most fighting systems of the world would memorize steps or techniques and apply them in a self defense situation - after a long time, and hard training the defense, and offense flows naturally.As 8step sifu pointed out, one of the basic charicteristics of mantis would be the mantis grabbing techniques.To learn basic effective techniques in mantis shouldn't take a super long time - to attain the essence of manits could take a lifetime.

[jediman]

Wah Lum is a northern style of PM kung fu.

http://www.wahlum.com/

[northshaolin]

There is this one studio nearby, which teaches praying mantis. I asked the sifu there what style he teaches and he said, "Praying Mantis." He said that praying mantis consists of seven star and 8 step. He said that they are all just about the same, so he teaches praying mantis overall. So is he just BSing me? Is he actually teaching authentic gung fu... Or is he just trying to trick me into going?

[jediman]

Sounds kinda fishy. Is the school a "Kung Fu" school, or is it just some guy teaching in his garage? There are 12 styles of PM, and dozens of KF styles. If he's not specific, he's BSing in my opinion.

[northshaolin]

I learned a little 8 step pm, and a lot of the stances look the same though. This is a real studio, not the garage kind. I'm not very sure though.

[robertwilliam]

Yeah, I would be wary of that guy, unless of course he knows some of both.Is he a sifu? Does he have, or come from legit lineage? Seven star is one complete system, and 8-step is a complete, and completely different system.Both are mantis, yes, but each has their own Qi Gung, weapons,hand forms,weapons forms,stepping patterns,fighting philosiphy, stratigery (ha, ha funny) training methods etc. etc... I don't think that they are made to be combined, and therefore,I think he is bs ing.A little of this and a little of that isn't going to work.

[northshaolin]

My current sifu does have a certificate. I'm getting kind of suspicious because I'm learning shaolin long fist from him right now, and a lot of kicks are those of tae kwon do. I'm not sure if I'm right though.

[JJMantis]

In CT, there is a rather popular sifu Malee chow. When I called and talked to her, she said she taught "northern and southern mantis". Actually, she is a wushu and tai chi practicioner, based on info I read on the web site and in a magazine write up of her big tournament. I've never seen a wushu mantis I like. You can tell the difference by too flashy of technique and that horrible stance they use - looks like a low, leaning back stance from karate.

On the issue of extra kicks not inherent to the system. This goes back on the cross training issue. It's not a bad idea to see what other techniques are out there. And a good way to defend against something is to train in it. ie, learning to fight with a knife should help you defend against it. As far as how certified your sifu is... "Jack of all trades, master of none" may or may not apply. Bruce Lee only learned 1/3 of wing chun. (See "Tao of Gung Fu") But go read some of the many profiles of Chinese masters in a kung fu magazine. Training half way in a dozen styles has been around a long time, and the guy always ends up teaching what he knows.

[wutangstyle]

I have learnt a little praying mantis as part of the chin woo curriculum but my knowledge of p mantis is that its based on quick steps and grappling techniques.I have noticed a lot of breaking techniques within the forms I have learnt but any good teacher should be able to demonstate thses techniques for you!!