taking a punch

[wtf]

What is the Praying Mantis way of training to take a punch? How do you train to take a punch in the stomach? Just do sit ups? Leg raises? Have someone punch you in the gut? When taking a punch are you supposed to tighten your abs before you get hit? What if you don't see the punch coming? Do you tighten your abs after? Exhale your breath when you get hit?

I heard boxers train so they can have their bodies relaxed and still take shots to their bodies. This is so they can conserve their energy to survive a dozen round of boxing. I do not know what their methods are though.

[EARTH DRAGON]

kinda takes the whole training not to be hit out the window doesnt it? What I mean is why train your body to do something that you spend many many hours to train your body to do something MOVE! my sifu always said whats the best way not to get hit.... its not to get hit. wether you block or redirect or move before the strike is excecuted` the end result is the same. Muay tai fighters train their legs to withstand kicks to the shin, but why don't other styles? I dont mean to sound as though mantis fighters cannot be hit, but yourt first 5 years of training should be focused on not being there when the punch is thrown. Therefore no conditioning is necessary.

http://www.kungfuUSA.net

[BeiTangLang]

Our system just teaches us to avoid getting punched there......... :D :D :D

"It's all the same; Only the names have changed........."

[mantis108]

Just out of curiousity, and I stress that this is not to start a flame war between any and/all mantis clan(S), I thought 8 Step trains in Iron Body as well? Again, I am just curious and meant no disrespect so please don't fry my a$$. :D

Mantis108

Contraria Sunt Complementa

[Tainan Mantis]

I went to visit my Grandteacher when he was 70. Named Li Hong Jie of Plum Flower Mantis. He asked me to punch him in the stomach as hard as I could. This is an a old man I'm thinking, but my teacher says go ahead. As I'm punching at him he starts laughing at me saying," No power, it doesn't hurt."
So I start wailing into him, this was after 8 years of training, but it was a joke to him. It was as if there was a basketball in his belly. No tightness of muscles, just inflation. I've met several more old masters like this in Taiwan. I'm sure there are people in the states who can do this too.
They call it Pai Da Chi Gung. This means to use air to withstand the force of blows to the body.
No tightening of stomach muscles is necessary. Just practicing inflation of different parts of the body.
In Secret Door Mantis and some other schools of mantis the bu chuei punch of one hand is accompanied by a hard hit to the chest with the fist of the other hand.
Maybe some other people have such stories?

[wtf]

Maybe I am stretching this analogy, but if you are a careful driver, there are no need for seatbelts. Since you drive safely you won't get into an accident, there for seatbelts are not necessary.

It may be few and far between, but I would imagine even the best martial artists who wins their unavoidable encounters get hit once in a while. Those that do get hit, I'm sure tried to block or move from the path of the strike.

[Mantisman]

To avoid a punch the first thing it to feel it!
pushing hand is the best way to learn to be not hit! My sifu always say that feel your ennemy.That the secret to avoid everything, and keep practice! :D :D

[YMS]

I believe all martial artists should do some form of conditioning training. When you take on multiple attackers there is a good chance of you getting hit and if you are really affected by one hit and they get the upper hand, you're finished.
Tainan Mantis this is the basic level of conditioning where you use air pressure to take hits. Later you learn to move chi through your body to take hits.

RaVeR

[wtf]

Tell me more about "pushing hand" and Tainan Mantis. It sounds interesting. Any websites I can be directed to for more information about this?

[Tainan Mantis]

Sorry don't know of any websites.But in Wei Hsiao Tang's PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF PRAYING MANTIS book he has the method poem for the chi gung that my Shr ye did.

[EARTH DRAGON]

where is that book published? wei xiao tung is my grandmaster or sifu 's teacher but since his death in 1984 I have nevere seen any books written by him, is there a place to order it via the interent? do you know who published it? if I can not find it in the US could I send you money to purchase it for me and mail it back ? please let me know

http://www.kungfuUSA.net