# Mantis Kung Fu,pros and cons...



## marshallbd (Apr 23, 2004)

:asian: (Same question as in "Wing Chun, good or bad?" but now with mantis as the subject)A while back in another thread I asked for some advise on different styles of CMA to look into, (Bad knee and ankle) and had some interesting suggestions. One of them was Mantis Kung Fu. Mantis Kung Fu seems to have some people who feel very passionate about it in one way or the other. I recieved a private email telling me it is not a very impressive art and others who swear it is "THE" art. I do not know either way. Could anyone with constructive information on it please give me detailed answers as to why they have the opinion of Mantis Kung Fu that they do. Please explain what you see as the pro's and cons of this art. Thanks in advance for your replies.  :asian: Please keep your replies specific to this art...


----------



## Josephk (Apr 23, 2004)

i'm going to start doing mantis kung fu soon, so i've done a little research, and i think it looks great.  apparently it involves lots of pulling and trapping, with low, powerful kicks so it sounds practical aswell as looking fun. i've heard mostly good things about it, but the only way to know is to try it out, which is what i want to do. good luck with your search.


----------



## marshallbd (Apr 23, 2004)

Josephk said:
			
		

> i'm going to start doing mantis kung fu soon, so i've done a little research, and i think it looks great.  apparently it involves lots of pulling and trapping, with low, powerful kicks so it sounds practical aswell as looking fun. i've heard mostly good things about it, but the only way to know is to try it out, which is what i want to do. good luck with your search.


Thanks for your reply,  Let me know how you like it after your first few training sessions... :asian:


----------



## RHD (Apr 23, 2004)

marshallbd said:
			
		

> :asian: (Same question as in "Wing Chun, good or bad?" but now with mantis as the subject)A while back in another thread I asked for some advise on different styles of CMA to look into, (Bad knee and ankle) and had some interesting suggestions. One of them was Mantis Kung Fu. Mantis Kung Fu seems to have some people who feel very passionate about it in one way or the other. I recieved a private email telling me it is not a very impressive art and others who swear it is "THE" art. I do not know either way. Could anyone with constructive information on it please give me detailed answers as to why they have the opinion of Mantis Kung Fu that they do. Please explain what you see as the pro's and cons of this art. Thanks in advance for your replies.  :asian: Please keep your replies specific to this art...




7*...?  I think this one's yours. :CTF: 
Mike


----------



## marshallbd (Apr 23, 2004)

RHD said:
			
		

> 7*...?  I think this one's yours. :CTF:
> Mike


7*, I anxiously await your thoughts... :asian:


----------



## WLMantisKid (Apr 23, 2004)

Hey now, I'm here too 

Being new and watching it, I can still be a watcher to the art. Northern praying Mantis done by a skilled practitioner is both beautiful and practical. I've been the subject of some slight trapping and pulling moves and they're painful and effective. It IS a hard workout though. Emphasizing on low stances is hard on the knees and ankles - but if you have a good instructor and he understands your problems you can work through that. You can make them stronger and in a short while your quality of life will shoot up, your attitude will improve (for the most part) and you will be learning a good martial art in the mean time.

It's not always about looking cool, most importantly you need to have fun... and from my experience the Mantis style is VERY fun.


----------



## 7starmantis (Apr 25, 2004)

I have been out of town for the weekend. Lets see, I'll be as constructive as possible. I have studied a few different systems of CMA in my lifetime. All of them reaffirm that it is not simply the system you choose to train but how you train in it, how much your sifu understands and what kind of skill level he/she has as well as teaching level. Aside from those variables, I have not seen a more effective use of a system then what I'm training in right now. I do have to say allot of that could be my sifu as he is extremely skilled in fighting and has a desire to instill great skill in application in his students. Mantis is difficult and lengthy to learn. Its creation was in order to best those with extremely high skill levels in martial arts, so it is very advanced in its applications. There is allot of trapping, "plucking" and lots of throws, sweeps, and low powerful kicks. The fighting principles closely resemble those of taiji in that the focus is using the opponents energy and movement against them. The emphasis on catching your opponents center and yielding to their attacks. The system of 7* which I study is complex and quite complete including grappling and many, many chin na techniques which are joint locks and manipulations quite similar to aikido or judo holds. 

I don't find it is correct to ever say one system is better than the next it is more relient on the fighter, but fighters with high skill levels in mantis kung fu are extremely hard to defend against and amazingly effective in street self defense as well. The "sticking" principles learned in mantis are what make mantis practitioners seems faster than normally possible and the ideas of fast un-ending attacks make mantis one of the most dangerous systems I have ever had the opportunity to see in action.

I hope that helped a bit, I don't think any of our opinions are going to help, you need to find the system that is right for you.

7sm


----------



## 7starmantis (Apr 27, 2004)

marshallbd said:
			
		

> 7*, I anxiously await your thoughts... :asian:


If you know the sifu of the mantis school, I might be able to shed some light on the school itself.

7sm


----------



## marshallbd (Apr 27, 2004)

7starmantis said:
			
		

> If you know the sifu of the mantis school, I might be able to shed some light on the school itself.
> 
> 7sm


I haven't been able to locate him, I heard 3rd or 4th party that there is a gentleman teaching a form of mantis kung fu on a private level from his home here in Elkins and that is who I was talking about trying to contact, but have been unsuccessful.  Again, if you hear of anyone in the vicinity of elkins wv let me know...

Thanks
 :asian:


----------

