how effective is Mantis?

[GreyMystik]

ok, i posted once before but got very small response, so i'm hoping some more mantis players out there will respond this time! please tell me, in your opinion, just how effective Praying Mantis KungFu is in a street fight, and how long YOU think it takes to get to a comfortable level where you can use your mantis style effectively? Thanks in advance to all who respond...

[8StepStudent]

Praying Mantis is very effective in a street fight. If you don't believe me then just check out the 8 Step homepage http://www.8step.com and read the history section specifically where it talk about how Master Wei took out a mob of angry Koreans. Like I said before about martial proficiency, I never kept track of it, but I'd probably say once you get to the Black Belt ranks probably even before that I would say too. Also Master Sun in an interview talked about how people in general though Kung Fu couldn't help you in a street fight, but he told the interviewer that he begs to differ and he can teach you how to use it in the street. All in all it's very effective

[Papieboni]

Praying Mantis Kung Fu is very effective art if applied properly and efficiently. This is the true about any kung fu, no matter how different the art is.

Whatever art u study, if you train hard and is dedicated to leaning the true essence of the system you will be able to use it in the street or elsewhere.

How long does it take? I think that would depend on you!, the time you have to dedicate, your ability to accept information, process it and apply it, and a lot of of other variables.

[phantom]

B.K. Frantzis claims that prating mantis is most afriad of Hsing-I, I think because Hsing-I people place there hands in a way that is impossible to penetrate, and that Hsing-I has some charge that is impossible for mantis to block. What do you guys have to say bout this? I do not mean to disrespect you or your art. I love mantis myself. i just question B.k. Frantzis's laim about Hsing-I' superiority, although I really like Hsing-I, also.

[MiamiMantis]

How good your Mantis becomes depends on what you put into it. Remember it's the man that makes the system, not the system that makes the man. Mantis is just as effective in self-defense as any other system of kung fu, Northern or Southern. You have to keep in mind that when kung fu was in it's development, that were no AK 47's or assualt rifles or guns, so it's hard to prepare for those situations. Of course there are those out there who have been training for "20 years" and can pull out a man's heart and show it to him while it's still beating, or at least they think they can. Do you want to take a chance that your technique will disarm the person or that it will not and you get shot?, maybe fatally?. What about your kids and wife or parents?, you don't do them any good dead. My point is use common sense,and don't be a hero. I rather lose my wallet then my life. Fight the battles you can win. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

[Hua Lin Laoshi]

Generally my response to people who ask about the effectiveness of any given style is this:
The traditional arts survived because the practitioners survived. That quite often meant taking a life or multiple lives. The modern versions have possibly been watered down for various reasons but there are more than enough usable techniques in any style if you look, study and experiment. I've found that slight variations in what I learned produce some very interesting results.

[8StepStudent]

Dealing with the Hsing-I I don't know about other mantis styles, but 8 Step contains some Hsing-I in it, so I don't think we'd be afraid of something we knew.

[BaguaMantis]

I have found mantis to be very effective. what it all really depends on it mindset. most people seem to be able to learn these systems and the one time they get in a fight, the adrenaline rush freezes them up. other people are either just naturally maniacal and can easily deal with the adrenal stress. i had been in a few fights (mostly unsucessful ones) prior to beginning my training. I came in with the slight advantage of not being afraid of being hit, or of having to hit so i picked up the fighting aspects pretty quickly. as far as the mantis vs hsing i, i have never heard it and i really dont understand the reasoning. ive seen hsing i, and i really cant see how its that much different that a mantis practicioner couldnt use their system against.

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

[Robinf]

I think Adam Hsu dispells that myth in his Sword Polishers Record. Been a while since I've read it, but he's so down to earth about kung fu, I'm fairly certain that's in there.

Surrender yourself to nature and be all that you are.

[Rolling Elbow]

An attack that Mantis cannot handle..mm, soo much of this is dependent on the practitioner that i find it hard to believe that any art would have an attack that cannot be blocked...they are all good styles. My instructor for example teaches us bujinkan taijutsu..he has however attained teaching levels in chinese arts and two diff systems of karate..From time to time he'll throw in some CLF or wing chun, and I'm sure HE can make it work against attacks or tactics in our system that are deemed "unstoppable" (all styles have these, as much a product of tradition i imagine as they are effectiveness)..it all comes down to EDUCATION. Once you know what the attack is, i doubt the Hsing-I practioner will really fool the mantis practitioner who is at his level..if they are both knowledgeable..it comes down to who makes the better decision, and who recovers quicker from their mistakes

Michael Panzerotti
Taijutsu Nobody from the Great White North..

[kenpoman]

Fought off 50 Koreans injuring most, eh? You don't actually believe that, do you?

[8stepsifu]

Don't believe it. It was in the Korean Newspapers and he had to leave the country via personal connections. Remember that these weren't martial artist he was fighting and he was a Grandmaster of 8 Step Praying Mantis and Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan.

8Step Sifu

[7kicks]

Ithink 8stepsifu watches to many kung fu movies

[8stepsifu]

First of all it's not like he's the only kung fu master to do something like this and second of all I don't care if you believe it or not. It doesn't matter in the slightest to me.

8Step Sifu

[8StepStudent]

It's true. You guys are just too skeptical and like 8StepSifu said he's not the only one to do this. Perhaps you've heard of Wong Fei Hung. He did something similar too. Maybe you should read more and YOU should watch less movies.