First, to the two people inquiring about John Cheng and Jeff Hughes...if you go to the Eagle claw locks topic on this same page, you will see I have given a pretty good background of both people on this topic. John is Raymond's senior, plus studies under Mantis Master's teacher, and also under Henry Chung as well. I have known him since age 12 in Texas, he is also an orthopaedic surgeon, so if he breaks you he can fix you...LOL!! And, he looks like Jackie Chan, and his spear/saber techniques are incredible, to go along with his tong long. Jeff Hughes is I believe #2 in Raymond Fogg's org, and lately he has been training in one of my three CMA arts, Ying Jow, under the other branch (mine is the Ng Wei branch with Sigung Leung Shum as his senior, and Ng Wei was the senior and godson of Lau Fat Mon, father to Lilli, James, and Gini). Jeff is in Austin, is a great mantis person and like John learned it the old way. He is a very good fighter! And, I believe his wife is also a mantis sifu?!
Mantismaster, one question for you: historically, tong long based its footwork primarily upon monkey style movements adapted to the mantis locks/grabs/great front kicks, etc. Is this true in 7 star as well? If not, other than the front foot of 7 star being faced up to the sky, what foot movements are employed? Do these movements differ in the other 11 systems of the mantis form/style? If eagle claw is usually recognized as the base locking/grabbing jow da cum na style, where did the origins of the mantis concept of locking come from? Since I personally believe eagle, mantis, and white crane have the highest level of integrated chin na, was the mantis locking system developed independently or part of the overall development with eagle and white crane during that time period?
Thank you, as always, for any insight.