Southern Praying Mantis

[The Xia]

Thanks Sam, that was very interesting.

[bamboo bug]

The Xia,

There are more interesting questions answered by "SharingMantis" on the jooklummantis forum.
Come by and check it out.

bb

[Sam]

You're Welcome Xia.

[Doc Stier]

Roger Hagood, the Mantis King, answers your questions here:

What a hoot! Perhaps only in his dreams. With all due respect to Roger Hagood, he is a pretty good marketer of his school and website, but his SPM skills were never enough to qualify him as the Mantis King. And as long as Masters like Sifu Gin-Foon Mark and Sifu Henry Poo Yee still breath, among numerous others, including several Sifus of their same generation of practitioners, top students, and immediate family members like Elliot Mark, he never will be the Mantis King, IMO.

I agree that virtually all of the Southern Praying Mantis Styles share a common Hakka heritage coming out of Fujian/Fukien, and bear a closer physical resemblance to one another than some other families of styles do, like the major styles of Tai-Chi Chuan for example. Although different styles of SPM may include different Form Sets in their teaching curriculum, and oftentimes several different versions of each individual Form Set within the same school or style, they nonetheless share is very unique and similar stylistic appearance in their respective movement patterns.

During the 8+ years that I learned from Sifu Mark, I was taught no fewer than 3-5 different versions of Form Sets like the Sam Bo Gin Set, the Half Lily Set, the Hard Mantis Set, the 18 Point and 108 Point Mantis Sets, and others, as well as several different versions of various Two-Person Sets or Drills. Master Mark always said that the Sam Bo Gin Set best represented the essential core of the SPM Systems, which is why it was usually the first Set taught, and why this Set is a part of every SPM Style in one version or another.

Doc

[gabe]

What a hoot! Perhaps only in his dreams. With all due respect to Roger Hagood, he is a pretty good marketer of his school and website, but his SPM skills were never enough to qualify him as the Mantis King. And as long as Masters like Sifu Gin-Foon Mark and Sifu Henry Poo Yee still breath, among numerous others, including several Sifus of their same generation of practitioners, top students, and immediate family members like Elliot Mark, he never will be the Mantis King, IMO.

I agree that virtually all of the Southern Praying Mantis Styles share a common Hakka heritage coming out of Fujian/Fukien, and bear a closer physical resemblance to one another than some other families of styles do, like the major styles of Tai-Chi Chuan for example. Although different styles of SPM may include different Form Sets in their teaching curriculum, and oftentimes several different versions of each individual Form Set within the same school or style, they nonetheless share is very unique and similar stylistic appearance in their respective movement patterns.

During the 8+ years that I learned from Sifu Mark, I was taught no fewer than 3-5 different versions of Form Sets like the Sam Bo Gin Set, the Half Lily Set, the Hard Mantis Set, the 18 Point and 108 Point Mantis Sets, and others, as well as several different versions of various Two-Person Sets or Drills. Master Mark always said that the Sam Bo Gin Set best represented the essential core of the SPM Systems, which is why it was usually the first Set taught, and why this Set is a part of every SPM Style in one version or another.

Doc

"Mantis King" is what he calls himself. I think his posts over there indicate that he includes northen mantis in his kingdom, in addition to jook lum and chu gar. I guess you don't agree.

[Angelo F.]

Hello everyone,

Wondering if anyone knows of any Southern Praying Mantis schools in the Chicago-land area. I believe there is one in Algonquin, Illinois. I met a Sifu who taught in this city back in May of last year at the USKSF tournament in Madison, Wisconsin. I really enjoyed talking to him because he was very passionate about his art and I could see he was a fighter.

I am trying to locate a Southern Praying Mantis seminar so I can learn more and experience some of the system.

I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin so this is the reason I am choosing Illinois since it is a rather close drive. However, I have heard that Gin Foon Mark has his headquaters in Minnesota. If anyone knows of a SPM seminar please post.

Thank you for your time.

Angelo

[Mike Sheng]

I think that is a Chu Gar Mantis school in Chicago.I remember an artical in Inside Kung Fu magazine in the early 90s on that particular school.You might want to google it.

[ChukaSifu2]

If you are looking for the Chuka SPM school in Chicago area. e-mail me at chukasouthernprayingmantiskungfu@hotmail.com. I teach out of the Wauconda,Il. area Northwest suburb of Chicago. about 10 miles west of I-94 on Il. Rte. 176
We are not assosiated with the teacher you had met from the Algonquin school though.
I teach Chuka(ChuGar) SPM under Sifu Sammy Wong.

Sincerely,
Sifu Tony Blum - Chuka Tong Long Kung Fu

[ChukaSifu2]

The Inside kung fu article of Chugar by Wilber Rymes is the Chuka School.

[Angelo F.]

Thank you Mike and Tony for your replies.

I was hoping to find a seminar in Southern Praying Mantis.
The Sifu I spoke with in Madison with Sifu Richard Gamboa. It took me a while to remember his name. He was very good.

Other than a seminar, are there any good dvd's or videos on this art?

Also, I am not sure of the difference between some of the "styles" i.e. chow gar, choy gar, iron ox, look jum (sp?). I am not trying to start a which style is better just trying to get more infomation.

Thanks for your time.

Angelo

[Sydney_Mantis]

Thank you Mike and Tony for your replies.

I was hoping to find a seminar in Southern Praying Mantis.
The Sifu I spoke with in Madison with Sifu Richard Gamboa. It took me a while to remember his name. He was very good.

Other than a seminar, are there any good dvd's or videos on this art?

Also, I am not sure of the difference between some of the "styles" i.e. chow gar, choy gar, iron ox, look jum (sp?). I am not trying to start a which style is better just trying to get more infomation.

Thanks for your time.

Angelo

Hi mate

I practise Chow Gar SPM in Sydney, Australia. Our Grandmaster is Henry Sue from the Great Grandmaster Dr Nat Yuen lineage. GM Henry Sue is based at the headquarters in Queensland and Great GM Dr Nat Yuen is in Hong Kong. Great Great GM Ip Shui passed on everything to Great GM Dr Nat Yuen, which has now been passed to GM Henry Sue and is now Custodian of the art in Australia.

If you want further insight on Chow Gar SPM, please visit our website: www.chinesekungfuacademy.com

As for the difference between the types of SPM, from a lot of Googling around, I believe they have the same concept but only different ways of practicing it.

All the best in your training.

Regards

[Jade Tigress]

Thank you Mike and Tony for your replies.

I was hoping to find a seminar in Southern Praying Mantis.
The Sifu I spoke with in Madison with Sifu Richard Gamboa. It took me a while to remember his name. He was very good.

Other than a seminar, are there any good dvd's or videos on this art?

Also, I am not sure of the difference between some of the "styles" i.e. chow gar, choy gar, iron ox, look jum (sp?). I am not trying to start a which style is better just trying to get more infomation.

Thanks for your time.

Angelo

Hi Angelo,

I started training with Sifu Gamboa about 2 years ago at his school in Algonquin. You’re right, he is VERY good and I love my training.

He gives seminars regularly, in fact he recently returned from California and will be leaving for New Jersey next week. He has also given seminars internationally, traveling as far as Africa and China.

If you are interested in training or learning more about SPM, Sifu Gamboa is your man, he is truly passionate about the integrity of the art.

If you want to speak with him he can be reached at 800-566-5586, he’d be more than happy to talk with you and I’m sure he’ll remember your name. I'm always impressed when people approach him from some prior contact and he always remembers who they are. But again, that speaks of his passion for people and the art.

I wish you the best in your pursuit of SPM training. If you choose to contact Sifu Gamboa you will not be disappointed.

[Angelo F.]

Thank you for your responses Sydney and Jade.
Sydney, I will look at the link you provided.

Jade, thank you for your reply.
Yes, Sifu Gamboa is very good. I am actually a Wing Chun practicitioner but would like to learn more about Southern Praying Mantis and I believe (like you said) Sifu Gamboa is the man and he is also very personable.
Does your school have any seminars coming up that would cover the basics of SPM?
Can you send me a schedule of events or direct me to your school's website?

Also are there any good dvd's on SPM available?

Thanks again for your responses.

All the best,

Angelo

[Jim Roselando]

http://www.chinamantis.com/

[TongLongJai]

Hi

has anyone brought that eBook? and would like to review it? is it work US$49.95 for an eBook?

espeically the chow gar and chu gar parts

it looks interesting but as a student .. i'm poor / a cheap skate hehe

Thanks