RECOMMENDATIONS for MANTIS videos?

[gilgamesh]

hi,

my school doesn't teach praying mantis, but i studied a little 7 star praying mantis in the past and would like to do some independent study until i can join a 7 star school in the future. i know i will not be able to do all the proper drills alone, but can anyone recommend any good (and inexpensive) videos and/or books that I can use for 7 star praying mantis?

i browsed jon funk's site. his videos seem thorough. i wouldn't be interested in going through the whole series, but possibly the first four. any comments on those?

thanks for your help!

gilgamesh

[Sifu Bok Se Teung]

Yes, his videos are good to learn from and he always makes himself available to help his distant learning students.

[bungda07]

Greeting Sifu Bok Se Teung,

Do you study the Praying Mantis system? If so, what style. Is Praying Mantis system part of curriculum there?
V/r

Steve M.

[Tainan Mantis]

I recommend my video.
Of all MA videos I have seen on kung fu, including mantis it is the only one that shows the traditional training method of fighting for two people.

This includes hand kicking and throwing drills.
The form taught is actually Eagle Claw, basic form I teach of nearly 30 movements.
It includes single person as well as two person form.
I teach it as first form because all moves can be found in Mantis, but traditional Mantis has little for beginners to study, IMHO, as far as forms are concerned.

I posted another thread which includes clips from the video.

[MantisifuFW]

Tainan,

Please include information on contacting you and price with shameless plug...

Thanks,

Steve Cottrell

[RSA]

You plug yourself quite any how. Nothing like being humble.

[MantisifuFW]

Tainan,

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect those who differ with me.

But I appreciate your willingness to come on line and offer the information you have gained at great expense and effort. You do so without reserve and have given a great deal to us all.

As for others who's opinion may differ, I judge and give weight to the opinions of others based upon how much they give to the community and share in positive terms and contribute to the body of knowledge. I hope you will do the same.

Tainan, thank you, Shifu Lee Kam Wing and Sifu Funk for sharing your training and techniques with all of us.

BTW, I understand from conversations that Sifu Carl Albright will soon have commercial videos of his own! I encourage him to do so and eagerly await his contribution to the body of knowledge by offering Shifu Chu Leung's approach to Tanglang. Perhaps the ground broken by you guys will mean that he will not have as much criticism when his videos come out. Perhaps he will not be spoken of as self promoting because you guys have already broken ground for him and taken the heat, in a manner of speaking.

I appreciate how you guys put their skills and opinions on the line for the rest of us to benefit. Many criticize all of you for your work and they are free to do so, but I appreciate you guys. And I hope that you continue to do so.

Sincerely,
Steve Cottrell

[RSA]

I am not criticizing (who am I to criticize) I just made an observation. People can do what ever they want. You brought up Lee Kam Wing and John Funk I don't ever see them on here promoting their own videos. I think it is wonderful to post and talk about what you have learned. But even he said it himself it is a shameless plug. And why are you being so sensitive about it? Who knows maybe I will by the video tape too. Just making an observation.

[BeiTangLang]

Nah, you won't buy a copy, "I am not repulsed by knowledge but I believe in my Sifu and I don't need to go anywhere else."-RSA, Mantis Quarterly thread.
You have everything you need in your own kwoon!
(Which also kinda makes me wonder why you waste your time in here reading other peoples thoughts & ideas in mantis)

Just making an observation.

[ursa major]

Hey gilgamesh good for you for checking into Mantis ! I have a few videos by Sifu Funk, good quality recording, great instruction, definitely worth the cost. He mixes a weapon set with a hand form on some of the tapes as well which is a bonus.

Tainan Mantis you are teasing us how about posting the cost and contact info for your tape ? I am very interested and may end up buying a copy.

thx,
UM.

[RSA]

I never said that I didn't like reading or seeing other types of praying mantis or kung fu in general. I said that I don't want to be taught by an outside source. But again that doesn't mean I don't like reading or seeing other typers of mantis. And yeah I might buy Tainan's video. (if he is generous enough to let me) I already have two of Lee Kam Wings videos. I find them very interesting. But I am not learning mantis from them. There is a difference between enjoying mantis but not wanting to learn from anyone else and there is nothing wrong with that. You guys really have to stop being so sensitive and you have to read things much more carefully and read everything don't pick and choose.

[mantis108]

I highly recommend it that anyone who are interesting in Mantis SHOULD own one of Tainan's video. In fact highly recommend can't really express my appreciation of what his effort and generocity is about.

I agreed hundred and twenty percent of his plug. Tainan presented it really really clear in his first video "Babu Lianhuan Quan", which is an eagle form not a mantis form yet the methods and the drills for understanding, practicing and applying are of mantis. He also has a "beta" version video on Meihualu (plum blossom path), which he told me is not ready for the public but he was generous enough to give a sneak preview (sorry man, I can't help but broke my silence). I must say if you have bought his first video, you will absolutely blown out of your mind with this one. I have never studied the Meihualu form. This video provides the form, the drills (both from the form and supplimentary drills), and the Quanpu. I am talking every move of the ENTIRE form. He also included, perhaps just for me, his Sihing's performance for comparison. This goes beyond being generous. This is being ultra meticulous. From a slow learner such as myself, I found it no problem whatsoever to learn the form. Those who know me or have worked with me know that I am not a fan of form. After viewing Tainan's videos, I gain yet another level of appreciation and respect for the mantis heritage that is handed down from the pass masters. Not only do I see the form as it is, but also see the reason why this particular form in some lineages replaced the Bengbu which is by many considered one of the 3 mother forms of PM. If you think this hard working and generous man is not humble just because he is confident of his material, which I have nothing but praises, you would miss out on a lot. Of course, it is free will and free choice to follow your own heart.

As I have said before, his effort is somewhat a reflection and continuation of his teacher Shrfu Shr Zhengzhong's greatness. Shrfu Shr also had material that are marvelous. Unfortunately, his stuff are now very hard to find.

I agreed whole heartedly with Sifu Cottrell that great works from great people of mantis community are greatly appreciated. We as mantis practitioners owe them a great debt. They need to be recognized and celebrated.

I post this not for a plug but for expressing my utmost gratitude towards a great friend, a kind brother, and a superb human being.

Sincerely,

Robert Hui (Mantis108)

PS, try PM Tainan or look up the thread about his video. I think I have a thread on my forum about it too. Anyway good luck in your search.

[BeiTangLang]

Since the topic is out there, any other folks presenting videos for the mantis community?

[gilgamesh]

hey all, found the post that mantis108 referred too. sifu kevin's video sounds very interesting...

http://forum.kungfumagazine.com/foru...t=tainan+video

so are all the drills and the form itself taken from the eagle claw system but have applications for the mantis practitioner, or is anything from the video from a mantis style, such as 8 step mantis?

thanks for all the replies; as more people reply about other videos released as well as their experiences with sifu kevin's video i will buy a video

[Ronin BaBu]

www.cmaod.org has great mantis videos.