What is your favorite style of mantis and why?

[phantom]

Why did you pick the style of mantis that you study instead of another style of mantis?

[8StepStudent]

The reason I pick 8 Step was because it's a truly COMPLETE system and has credible people to back it up. Also it has been tried and proven effective.

[BaguaMantis]

Favorite mantis so far is 8 Step. My school's lineage generally starts off 8 step and moves to 6 harmony, but my Sifu studied 7 Star and Wah Lum breifly while his Sifu was recuperating from a collapsed lung. I have yet to get into any 6 Harmony yet, so this opinion may change once that happens.

the Wah Lum double dagger form I learned was very cool too.

--Jared--
The journey of 1000 miles begins with a broken fan belt and a leaky tire.

[8stepsifu]

Its the only one I know. I am curious about 6 harmony though. I check the web periodically and all I can find is a picture of a circle of people in some park doing a punching drill.

8Step Sifu

[KNH13]

That's a hard question to answer. Everyone will be biased because of the style they're learning. I like Wah Lum, but I've also been taking it 12 years.

I really don't know anything about the other styles of praying mantis. Only if someone was able to compare all 12 styles would have a better picture of their differences.

I've heard of 6 harmony, 7 star, 8 step, jut sow (Wah Lum), Tai Chi, being practiced. I really haven't heard of the other styles being practiced. Have you heard of the other styles in use?

[KNH13]

oh yeah, I did look at eagle claw first, but I decided to go with Wah Lum because I heard it had everything for me, hand techniques, leg techniques, lots of weapons, acrobatics (I wanted to be able to do the same things they do in the movies!) and they also had fighting.


I learned about the different styles of praying mantis after taking classes.

[LongfistMantis]

Ive also heard of Secret Gates Praying Mantis, Sticking hands praying Mantis, and my style: Long Fist Praying Mantis

LongfistMantis /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[MiamiMantis]

It would probally be fair to say in "anytown" USA you are only going to find one style of Praying Mantis close enough that you would find comfortable to travel to, therefore most likely you will take that style of Mantis and not have the luxury of being able to compare systems unless you are in a huge and populated city like New York or San Francisco.

[Mantis_Hand]

in all honesty, I chose Wah Lum because it was closest to me. I live in an area dominated with Tae Kwon Do and nothing else... nothing. I wanted to learn a traiditional chinese art and I couldn't do that without travelling a little. I discovered Wah Lum through one of those infoshows on TLC that featured Master Chan and my Sifu and it seemed like an awesome style. tons of weapons, great empty hand. Someone in a post above really nailed it. I wanted to move like Jackie Chan and Donny Yen and Jet Li and... the list goes on.

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[8stepsifu]

I live in New Hampton, New Hampshire and you live in North Hampton. Is that far? Have you ever wanted to learn 8 Step Praying Mantis? I am a certified instructor of both 8 Step and Tai Chi Chuan. Check out www.8step.com (http://www.8step.com)

8Step Sifu

[Mantis_Hand]

I saw your posts here on the board and asked my sifu is he knew anything about 8 step mantis and he didn't.

I also looked up New Hampton on a map to see how far your school is from me should I ever need to move on from Wah Lum. Hopefully I won't, I love this style and am brutally loyal to it. Looks to me like you're up in the lakes region if I'm not mistaken. I'm down by the mass border on the seacoast. Quite a trip. However, there's really no one in my area that teaches Tai Chi Chuan and is something I'd love to learn eventually.

I'm still pretty curious about the differences between the mantis styles. What are some of the major differences between Wah Lum and 8 Step?

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[8stepsifu]

And I didn't know there was a Wah Lum school up here. It's good that you are loyal, stick with it and good things will find you.

8Step Sifu

[Papieboni]

In my opinion, (God knows everyone has one)It is a hard to answer such question unless you have studied all of the mantis or seen it performed or applied over a great deal of time, However, previously, I studied and still practice traditions of Wah Lum and found it to be a good system, more of a performanc art, good forms and drills for basics and to develop power, flexibility and strengh, However, In terms of fighting, touching hands, playing hands and applications, I find the 7* system to be a excellent fighting system. Not to put any other system down, I just haven't met anyone YET from Wah Lum that can actually apply the system as it is, like 7* can be applied. You really need no or not much adjustment You can take it straight to the street.

[7kicks]

Mantis Hand where is your school located? Who is your sifu? I live close to your area and I am currently looking to start training in wah lum again.