Pause for thought

[cerebus]

Woofin's just a lonely troll craving attention. Just say something that hurts his feelings and he'll put you on his "ignore" list so that he can't read your posts. Then you can write whatever you like in peace.

[mantisben]

Originally posted by HeartbreakRidge
...
what makes a good mantis practioner?

What makes a good Martial Artist, in my opinion, is humility, humbleness, respect, diligence, and focus. Not that they can fight good.

What makes a good Mantis Practicioner, or in other words, what makes a Mantis Practicioner good? Speed, Accuracy, Timing, Speed, Mobility, Strength, and Speed.

[HouZiPiGu]

What makes a good Martial Artist, in my opinion, is humility, humbleness, respect, diligence, and focus. Not that they can fight good. - MANTISBEN

Main Entry: mar·tial
Pronunciation: 'mär-sh&l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin martialis of Mars, from Mart-, Mars
1 : of, relating to, or suited for war or a warrior
2 : relating to an army or to military life
3 : experienced in or inclined to war : WARLIKE - MERRIAM WEBSTER

[HouZiPiGu]

Of course, there are many benefits to ongoing and dedicated pursuit of perfection through the practice of any art. Spiritual development, humility, humbleness, respect, diligence, and focus can be nurtured through golf or ballet just as well as through kung fu. Martial arts don't have a monopoly on these. You are welcome to emphasize these in your own training, though if you don't think the martial application aspect should be at the forefront, you're really missing the point. But then, missing the point is what you seem to do best.

[mantisben]

Originally posted by HouZiPiGu

...
1 : of, relating to, or suited for war or a warrior
2 : relating to an army or to military life
3 : experienced in or inclined to war : WARLIKE - MERRIAM WEBSTER

Not the way I use it... I started out this way, though. But then it became much more...

[mantisben]

[B]Of course, there are many benefits to ongoing and dedicated pursuit of perfection through the practice of any art. Spiritual development, humility, humbleness, respect, diligence, and focus can be nurtured through golf or ballet just as well as through kung fu.[b]
I can't afford to play Golf. Besides, there is no real physical development in golf. I tried Ballet, but could never get used to the outfits...

You are welcome to emphasize these in your own training, though if you don't think the martial application aspect should be at the forefront, you're really missing the point. But then, missing the point is what you seem to do best.

I miss the point in a couple of areas in my life, and I'm sure I've missed more than a few "points" in Martial Arts.

Evidently, my opinion about "what makes a good Martial Artist" is not up to par with your understanding of what makes a good Martial Artist. I'm comfortable, and at peace, with my opinion, and I hope it hasn't piqued any bad feelings in you.

[HeartbreakRidge]

"Spiritual development, humility, humbleness, respect, diligence, and focus can be nurtured through golf or ballet just as well as through kung fu. Martial arts don't have a monopoly on these."

An excellent point, we must remember that Kung Fu does not mean martial art or wushu, and that even a scholar can show Kung Fu through unerring determination, which brings me to what i believe a good mantis practioner is, someone who can take what he has taught, and keep it with him throughout life, on the street, in his home and at the work place, but im not talking about technique and self defence, but about principle. Seems appropriate here to place the story that i read, i cannot remember where, about a monk and an abbot i think, this monk was in meditation where he stayed awake all night and the abbot came and slept down beside him, the following morning, when the student asked how the abbot had slept, to which the abbot replied not very well, as two fleas on the monks robe were fighting, one was injured and howled in pain all night, the monk, critical of this, looked on the floor by where he was meditating and found a dead flea with a broken leg, i doubt the story is true, but it gets a point across, anyone can practice the ideals that mantis teaches us in the kwoon when we put our mind on it, but can we maintain them without concious thought, this is true kung fu, and much more impressive than the most acrobatic move or film stunt.

[Mi Hou Tao]

For more Info and an accurate definition, please refer to the:
"Wolfen dictionary of The Chinese mind" ,
availiable at all good leading kung fu forums

But i wouldnt take my word for it because:
"Shanghai minds are under a central authority"

But we can trust Wolfen, because:
"Believe me, i know a lot more, a lot more than most of the other Westerners.
Would you like to hear it?"

Hmmm..In an answer,... No.

[BeiTangLang]

HeartbreakRidge
Junior Member

Registered: Dec 2004
Location:
Posts: 3
"Spiritual development, humility, humbleness, respect, diligence, and focus can be nurtured through golf or ballet just as well as through kung fu. Martial arts don't have a monopoly on these."

An excellent point, we must remember that Kung Fu does not mean martial art or wushu, and that even a scholar can show Kung Fu through unerring determination, which brings me to what i believe a good mantis practioner is, someone who can take what he has taught, and keep it with him throughout life, on the street, in his home and at the work place, but im not talking about technique and self defence, but about principle. Seems appropriate here to place the story that i read, i cannot remember where, about a monk and an abbot i think, this monk was in meditation where he stayed awake all night and the abbot came and slept down beside him, the following morning, when the student asked how the abbot had slept, to which the abbot replied not very well, as two fleas on the monks robe were fighting, one was injured and howled in pain all night, the monk, critical of this, looked on the floor by where he was meditating and found a dead flea with a broken leg, i doubt the story is true, but it gets a point across, anyone can practice the ideals that mantis teaches us in the kwoon when we put our mind on it, but can we maintain them without concious thought, this is true kung fu, and much more impressive than the most acrobatic move or film stunt.


__________________
Do not weep; do not wax indignant, understand.

[mantis108]

- Don't be just a copy machine (no contribution to the CMA world).
- Don't look at CMA just from PM point of view (need global CMA view).
- Integrate some Fajin method (like LH PM or Baiji PM did),
- Integrate some throwing method (add leg moves).

No offense, these suggestions sounded like Mantis are weak in these areas?

BTW, what about:

-8 Stances 12 Characters
-8 hard 12 soft
-8 strikes and 8 forbiden strikes

and such tenets of Mantis, are they obsolete as well? Are they handed down wrong as well? Is it out with the old and in with the new?

I just think that it's not just as simple as incooperating materials at will. A tiger tank won't become a B-52 bomber just by adding a jet engine and wings.

Again I am not trying to pick bones with the suggestions but the problem goes a lot deeper than we would think. We might end up with JKD Mantis if we are not careful. BTW, there's nothing wrong with that if JKD and Mantis are both your cup of tea. But most come to mantis for TCMA and they should receive proper Mantis instructions frist.


Mantis108

[Ming Yue]

...so i put this question forward to the masses, what makes a good mantis practioner?

Practice, a balanced respect for preservation and innovation, the ability to conceptualize and analyze without losing the essence, and a certain degree of fearlessness.

[mantisben]

...
The finish strategy (how to kill) is a important part of the CMA training but hidden in those words (8 forbiden strikes). Instead one should work on those "8 forbiden strikes" and make it effective. You don't need to train in 8 strikes but you definitely need to train in 8 forbiden strikes.

Just a reminder to anyone reading this post:

Be careful when/if executing the 8 Forbidden Strikes (or 8 places not to hit, to avoid causing death). You don't want to spend years and years in prison having to practice PM in a prison yard. Also, trying to do a PM form in an 8'x6' cell-block requires alot of adjusting...

It is much more fun to practice PM in a park, or in a Kung-Fu school, or in a gym.

I don't know how the rules apply for killing someone in hand-to-hand combat in other countries, only the USA.

[Three Harmonies]

Everyone should keep in mind that there is no Baji Tanglang style, it is Su Yu Changs organizations name! The Wutan Mantis is very influenced by Baji for sure, but there is no Baji-Tanglang system.
Cheers
Jake

[jwwmantis]

[QUOTE=. You don't need to train in 8 strikes but you definitely need to train in 8 forbiden strikes.

Why would you not train the 8 strikes? The 8 strikes can still take out an opponent, end a fight, etc. They are part of the system. They are in all of the forms, training, etc. You also had a comment about PM being from Long Fist? This is not exactly true. Maybe do some reading up on Sifu Jon Funks web page, since I know he has the history listed.