Praying Mantis Fighting - Implications for Taijiquan?

[Bob]

B. Tunks on Praying Mantis -:
http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/sho ... eleniewski

I wonder if there are any implications for those who would like see taijiquan as more of a martial art.

http://www.mantisboxing.com/peter-jeleniewski.html
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Interview with Piotr Jeleniewski

In keeping with my penchant for interviewing figures of specific interest to myself, I am pleased to interview the founder and CEO of PJ Promotion Group and proud Yu family Qixing Tanglang representative, Brother Piotr Jeleniewski of Warsaw, Poland.

Piotr is an important figure in terms of Mantis Boxing’s position in the modern martial arts world. Coming from a strictly traditional background, he has straddled both the TCMA and combat sports worlds before embarking on a successful full-time career as an elite level professional MMA coach. Never losing sight of his Tanglang roots, Piotr has been afforded a valuable opportunity to view the art from a unique perspective – one which we are all likely to benefit from, should we open our minds a little.

Right from the start I should make it clear to our readers that I have a close personal connection with you. We first met in Qingdao in 2000 and have maintained regular contact since, including having the good fortune of staying with you on three occasions in Poland whilst a guest of the Polish Praying Mantis Kung Fu Federation. Although a good friend and Qixing Tanglang brother, it is for completely independent reasons that I chose to interview you. On top of that, I do so largely against your will, as I know that you don't consider yourself either a master of Mantis Boxing, nor do you seek notoriety or fame for your martial achievements. Thanks for sharing your time with us.

We should start way back in the Jurassic era when you first began to study martial arts. I believe Tanglang was your first love. Can you please tell us when you started training and the circumstances that lead you take it up?

Of the many schools of TCMA that I have personally encountered, the Polish Praying Mantis Kung Fu Federation is definitely one that has long emphasised fighting. No doubt, as with my own school, the approach to developing these skills has evolved over time. What were your early experiences in this regard?

It was the primary and indeed only target for most of us – to learn how to fight. Not too much philosophy, verbal theory discussions. Most of us were looking for real tools, not an Asian-centric, cool, trendy hobby. It doesn't look the same anymore but maybe its signum temporis for CMA?

I remember Master Yu’s first visit to Poland. He showed some moves and I said that I thought it wouldn’t work in a real situation. He asked me to try with Him. He knocked me down. It was hand to hand teaching – no flowers, no bullshit. It was real gongfu.

Awesome! That’s pretty much the only kind of instruction I respond to as well.

I had a very honest and rare discussion with Yu Tiancheng Shifu during his last visit to Poland, about two years before he died. He told us some very important things that night – one of them was that the only reason why martial art should survive is utility. Anything else is only flowery, meaningless movements.

I'm not interested in bands of folk dances and I never was.

You were quite privileged to have had that conversation. It’s uncommon to hear such truths told by those in positions of authority in traditional martial arts. Some have too much to lose by cutting through the bullshit. On the other hand, there are those that say all the right things, but their material or teaching methods tell a completely different story.

Speaking of fighting (in all its forms – sparring, combat sports, self-defence, ritualized combat etc.), is this the essence of martial arts? Can one practice martial arts with no combat element?

It’s the only reason why martial arts were created. It’s very simple - for fighting. No combat element? No martial art. Practicing for tradition, keeping memories alive.... How can you respect tradition doing something ineffective and meaningless? It’s bullshit. All these internet wars about scrolls, lineages blah blah... Stand and fight - it will give you all the answers. This is the truth about martial arts. All the rest is a harbour for lying to oneself. Unfortunately, TCMA is a wide sea full of these kinds of harbours.

I couldn’t agree more. Of course, not everyone can, nor even wants to be a killing machine, and there certainly are more benefits to the practice of martial arts then just the development of fighting skills - however we’re fooling ourselves if we think they were devised for any other reason.

[Silverone]

Thanks for posting the interview. Your question about the implications of Tanglangquan for Taijiquan interests me. I think (if I am correct) that you may have been referring more generally to Gongfu/fighting applications and Taijiquan, which imo is worth exploring. I'm also interested in whether there is a more direct link between the two styles. Wang Yunkuo Shifu in Sydney, Australia is a teacher of Seven Star Praying Mantis Gongfu and a rare style of Taijiquan which others, more knowledgeble than I, have commented that the each seems influenced by the other. Wang Shifu demonstrates one of the Taijiquan forms here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vG2VqiNdZE

I'd say that his 10 years as a self-defence and China Na instructor in the chinese army has helped hone his skills. His application of Taijiquan for fighting imo is very effective. I'd be interested in any comments about these (or other) links, if anyone has any views.