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Greetings to everyone,
I will soon be updating the site. If you sign in the guestbook once when you visit, you will be notified when new updates occur. Make sure you leave an email address for contact. Also there will be a free raffle to guestbook users comming up soon. The names will be dropped in a hat and a winner picked out at random. There will be a page set up to show prizes and report winners.
Note to Li kuei, I have no email address for you. Leave one on the site or email me at
sevenstarmantis@hotmail.com
about the double axe book.
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Sifu Carl
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Hello Sifu Albright,
I'm new to this forum and I just checked out your excellent website. Very informative with very cool pics!!! I noticed the pic of Chiu Leun which brought back a flood of memories. Hence, my post.
Many years ago I trained in the Northern 7-Star Praying Mantis system under an excellent teacher and fighter (the best kung fu fighter I've ever seen) in NYC, who also happened to have studied under Master Chiu Leun. His name is Sifu Raymond Nelson and he had a Mantis school in the Bronx.
Coincidentally, I happened to bump into a very old friend in Manhattan several weeks ago who had also trained in Raymond's school during the time that I had. After much reminscing, we got to talking and inquiring about Sifu Nelson. We haven't heard about him in ages.
This is a shot in the dark, but it's very likely that you may have known and trained with him at Master Leun's school when it was on Mott Street. I was wondering if you were acquainted with Sifu Nelson and if so, if you heard or know of anything about him? I have tried searching on the web but to no avail.
Anyways, thank you in advance for your time, patience and many insights that you have posted on this forum.
Sincerely,
--rmata2001
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mrata,
Yes, I have known Raymond Nelson for many years. He use to be my constant sparring partner at the old school because he never got tired of fighting. He has stopped teaching because of illness. I don't really have the particulars, but I believe it is life threatening. Maybe connected to something in Nam or something. You can email me at
sevenstarmantis@hotmail.com
and I will update you on his status as I learn more about it.
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Sifu Carl
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Hello, Sifu Albright! I consider it a real pleasure to talk to you. I just want to know, after doing hard traing in a twoman brass ring fightin set, do you need to apply dit da jow on your arms after doing them? If so, would dit da jow be enough to heal the damage? If not, what else would you use? Would Tylenol or ibuprofen help? I do not mean to annoy you here. I am just looking out for the safety of my well-being, as well as some peace of mind.
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Curious,
Whenever you train any ANY method that involves the brusing/banging/beating of the body, you should always compliment this type of training with some sort of jow. The different types that are available stagger the mind. Every school has their specific formula and there is a lot available commercially.
The "Rings" have their own special problem.They not only bruise but they pinch the skin as well. The rings also bang against the back of the wrist causing damage to the more delicate bones where the wrist joins the hand. Dit da jow should definately be used. I recommend two types. First any of the commercially available wine based jows will be good enough for the general training. But at least 4 times a month you ned to use a type of ointment that contains camphor such as Kwong Lop Gong or even Ben Gay in a pinch.
This type of medicine is specific to the bones in and around the joint area of the wrist. And should also be used at the elbow area. Even though the elbow isn't being struck, the joint is being shocked from the jerk of the rings as they slide forward and stop suddenly at the wrist so be sure not to overlook this.
When you apply jow to the arms or other parts of the body, be sure to rub the jow in using the knuckles. This stimulates points alond the meridians and ensures that the jow goes into the intended area and is not soaked up by the palms. Of course when training the palms, soak away.
As far as the use of Tylenol or asprin, I condone the taking of asprin (if your stomach can take it) or Tylenol before each class or training session. This reduces stress on the body and infact many doctors encourage taking aspirin or Tylenol once a day to reduce the chance of heart attack as well as other ailments. In addition your pain threshold will be raised and you can train harder and more comfortably.
When my sifu comes back fom China, we will have at least 4 types of training medications that he will prepare. They will be offered in the 4 sale part of our web site. This will be a couple of months away I estimate.
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Sifu Carl
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When you say use Ben Gay in a pinch, what is a pinch?
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Curious,
It means if you can't do any better. You need medicine in the joint area while training. So if you can't find the Lop Kwong oil or the like, use Ben Gay or liquid heat. The camphor in the medication is what is important.
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Sifu Carl
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Sifu Albright,
You said that you condone taking a Tylenol or aspirin to increase the threshold of pain and reduce stress on the body. I am wondering about the logic behind that statement. Pain is an alarm system that somthing in our body is wrong. If you increase the threshold of pain, damage may still be done to the body, in fact more damage may be done to the body before you feel it. You can push yourself harder, but just because you don't feel the pain, doesn't mean nothing is wrong. And if you can do more damage while not feeling it, then how does that reduce stress on the body? I think analgesics have their place, but when training, they can cloud the mind and dampen reflexes. No disrespect is intended, I am just wondering.
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In all situations
be aware, be mindful, and be
indomitable.
Wandering aimlessly invites attack.
But if one is attacked,
retreat three times
before retaliating.
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Lawclansman,
If I send you a blank tape can you record yourself doing a few forms for me? And some technique as well?
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Iron Monkey,
It is OK that you question things. This is the way we learn. I feel no disrespect by it. Nor is it disrespectful to disagree with someone.
As to your questions about asprin, I take asprin before training and have done so for the last 8 years. I don't know what type of asprin you have taken that "clouds the mind" but I have never had it happen to me nor my students, nor anyone I have suggested the idea to. I am speaking from experience not pipe dreams. And as I have mentioned before, many doctors are now advocating this for everyday stress. This is also becoming used with more frequency in other sports related activities from weight lifting to track. As well as treatment for some types of heart conditions.
As for the body being able to percieve pain, take an asprin and in a short while pinch yourself and I am positive you will feel it. The pain threshold is raised but not by much. You will still feel everything you felt before the asprin. But the ability to handle the pain will be under slightly more control.
The main point of taking the asprin is really for the stress involved in training. The jolting of the body, stomping of the feet, shouting sounds, listing to the yelling out of instructions by the instructor etc. Some people cannot take asprin so Tylenol is the next thing I would recommend. But it is important to remember not to overdo it. Only once a day for training purposes. Again it is only a recomendation, not a requirment. I don't MAKE anyone take asprin at the school. I discuss with them, as I am doing here and let each person decide what is best for themselves. Again I reiterate, question everything. Too many people are out there underqualified to teach are misrepresenting themselves and their teaching. I always welcome the opportunity to explain anything that is not clear.
Mantis Boxer,
I am thinking about putting together a short demo tape of some of my material. Anyone interested? email me privately. The cost would be $16.00 plus postage.
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Sifu Carl
[This message has been edited by LawClansman (edited 08-04-2000).]
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Sifu Albright, I do not mean to be a pain, but I just wood like a Sifu's point of view on this. What is the proper way to use a praying mantis wooden dummy?
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Also, where can I buy Kwong lop Gong? Do you sell it? how much does it cost? Where is the address of your school?
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Curious,
The address of the school is on the website
www.7starmantis.com
190 4th Ave. Bklyn NY 11217
This is a new school that I just moved into with a partner that teaches Jujitsu among other things. Starting Septemper we will have the school hours posted for my clases. Right now I am having class on Thursday nights at 8:00 throughout the rest of the summer.
I think that you are wandra in my guestbook so I didn't answer the question there as I answered it here.
If you don't live in NY I'll see how much it will be to order it from me.I'll check the price in Chinatown next week.
As for the wooden dummy, the "proper " way to use the dummy varies from style to style. There is no basic agreement on how to practice.So any way you practice it will be right according to some school or another.
We advocate using the dummy to learn angular movements and not to crash into the dummy with your arms but to bump or bounce the arms against the dummy arms. We have our own set of practice movements with the dummy as does many other styles. See Lee Kam Wing's book "Seven Star Praying Mantis Kung Fu" writen by Leung Ting for examples of mantis techniques used on the wooden dummy.
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Sifu Carl
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Thanks, sifu albright. I think it probably be better for me to wait until a find a sifu before I do any training with brass rings or wooden dummies. Still, I would like to know the price of the Kwan Lop Gong, just for my future refernce so that when I am ready for the training, I will know how much money that I will need for it. Peace, and God Bless.
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