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6hmantis
09-19-2000, 04:03 AM
How many differnt types of weapons are there in 8 step mantis? /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

8stepsifu
09-20-2000, 03:47 AM
I asked Master Sun a while ago and he said the Tradition 18 weapons. Then went on to say that weapons are only extentions of the hands and so they aren't important. Thats why I wrote post a while back on "what are the traditional 18 weapons?" I think bullwhip, knives, and throwing blades/stars are a few.

Beyond that they're the usuall staff, strait sword, broad sword etc. I hope the steele whip is one of them. I wan't to learn that.

8Step Sifu

wahlum1820
09-22-2000, 08:06 AM
I am glad to hear that the 8 step system does incorporate weapons training. I had lived in Buffalo, NY for 8 months for a job and I trained with Sifu George Lisjack. (I hope I spelled it correctly) One day while working out we started talking about weapons in the 8 step system and he had confessed that he only knew broad sword and that his knowledge was very small..in fact it was a very short form.
Of course I was shocked becuase in the Wahlum system we tested on weapons...in the 8 step system do you start learning weapons at a very high level?

8stepsifu
09-22-2000, 07:43 PM
Weapons in 8 step have been usually taught after Sifu level and usually weapons with more street value like a 38., throwing darts, knife fighting and generally things that can be concealed. Thats changing though due to public demand. After the next Sifu camp October 2, there will be a sash where a different traditional weapon is incorporated into each of the sets. Cool stuff. I can't wait to learn them. The 8 Step system hasn't changed, but the way its organized and presented has been influenced by Tae Kwan do, Karate, and other martial arts schools throughout the country. Every new student asks when they get to learn weapons so why not? Weapons are fun. I think the weapons will be like broadsword, staff, strait sword, and maybe a soft weapon, I don't know for sure, so I'm speculating. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

8Step Sifu

6hmantis
09-24-2000, 05:42 AM
In the USA 8 step the weapons form are the hand forms with a weapon added because the master was never ever trained in 8 step praying mantis weapons. So the Sifu Lisjack that you talked about would teach the same forms ( which no one in the world has ever seen) These forms are weak and easy to enter aginst. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

molum_jr
09-26-2000, 12:36 PM
When I arrived at James Sun school, I had already crosstrained in several styles of CMA. I was a bit crazy carrying my weaponry around town all the time - youth.... Often I would carry a broadsword, cane, spear, chainwhip, wooden samarai sword, and some esoteric soft weapons.

I would often train by myself and Sifu would drop in look around and see my stuff and play around with them and then head back to the sifu's class and regular class. He knows some weaponry skills, but at that time I have only seen him teach some cudgel techniques to one student.

I asked him about 8 steps weaponry (like the many hundreds of 8 steppers after me have also). Since we had a casual/easy talking relationship, he informed me that 8 steps had a few weapons and that his favorite was the bullwhip. That was that.
His concentration while he was playing w/my stuff was the same as going one-on-one with him. Those who have had the priviledge to go hand to hand w/him KNOW what I'm talking about. I've never seen that intensity, calmness, and execution skills with other taiwanese mantis people.