Chow Gar Southern Praying Mantis

[Edwardo]

Is this as a system one of the more difficult ones to learn?

Could someone give me a brief overview of it please?

I have an opportunity to learn it with a good teacher, so i'm trying to find out as much as possible about it

Cheers Ed

[velalavela]

Hi,

I study some Southern Praying Mantis. It is a very good and effective system but no better or worse than any other style of TCMA. I would not say it was any harder or easier to learn than other styles.

I think finding a good teacher with good skills will be the most important thing. That and how much training and work you pu into it.

In the version I lean there is a lot of emphasis on stances, conditioning the body, loosening of the body, a lot of dynamic tension excecises.

Hope that helps
Regards

[Edwardo]

Yes thankyou,that helps........good to hear about stance work, it's my weakest point!

peace
Ed

[Mut]

Where are you training Chow Gar?

[Doc Stier]

The SPM Systems are Soft-Hard Combination Styles which combine Soft Defensive Hands performed with a light contact touch which contributes to great speed of execution in the techniques, extremely fast combinations of techniques, the ability to rapidly change from defense to offense, and to the ability to 'stick' to the opponent once contact is made with the arms and hands. This manner of using the upper body, as well as the types of techniques employed, is very similar to other Soft Style Internal Arts like Tai-Chi Chuan, Pa-Kua Chang, and Hsing-Yi Chuan.

The 'Hard' of SPM is more in regards to its offensive techniques, which can be both externally and internally very powerful. The internal power aspects of SPM are again similar to the Taoist Internal Arts mentioned, but the external power of SPM is often generated and applied or issued in a different way due to SPM stylistic preferences of stance, technique application, and how to control the interval gap between self and opponent. As a result, although incorporating both Soft and Hard elements, the SPM Styles are more Soft than Hard, but more Hard than Soft. That is to say, IMO, from having practiced both for many years time, that SPM is generally much more relaxed, soft, and flexible than Hard Fist Kung-Fu methods or most Hard Style Karate and Tae Kwon Do methods, but usually not as soft, relaxed and flexible as arts like Tai-Chi and Pa-Kua.....i.e. softer than hard, but harder than soft.

The way in which SPM uses the arms and hands, both in its fighting techniques and internal power development training, produces a very strong and powerful upper body, especially the forearms, hands and fingers. This again reflects the 'Soft-Hard' balance of 'Yin-Yang' by allowing a light and sensitive touch of the hands and arms, which can instantly change to heavy and firm....with hand and finger strength second to none.

Doc

http://www.shenmentao.com/forum/viewtop ... highlight=

[Doc Stier]

Chow Gar Praying Mantis Kung Fu



History:

The Chow's Family Praying Mantis Kung Fu system started about 250 years ago. Its founder was a monk called Chow Ah Naam. Chow Ah Naam was a resident at the Shaolin Monastery (Sil Lum Jee) from the age of 10 years old, he went there initially to be cured for a stomach ailment. He stayed there and started training to be a cook and in his spare time learned the martial arts of the temple. It was noted that he had a natural aptitude for fighting and as such he progressed through the systems of the temple with great speed.

During Chow Ah Naam's stay at the temple he had a work mate named Set. Set was a big powerful man, and he thought himself the strongest of the lot. He had been training Kung Fu for many years and was always picking on others, so Chow Ah Naam tried to avoid him.

One day Set was carrying two buckets of water and Chow Ah Naam accidentally bumped into him. Set was angry and hit Chow Ah Naam. Although Chow Ah Naam tried to defend himself he was knocked down with one punch.

Some time later Chow Ah Naam was in a nearby forest collecting wood for the stove in the kitchen. He heard a commotion and looked up to see a bird using its beak against a Praying Mantis. Watching closely he saw the Mantis suddenly cut across the birds throat with it's arm; the bird fell and was covered in blood - it had stopped moving.

Chow Ah Naam was very surprised at this incident and being an intelligent person it occurred to him to copy this insect. He caught the Praying Mantis and many others after it, feeding them and using a twig to test their fighting reaction. Gradually he developed his boxing style based on the principles of these insects.

Nobody knew about this in the Shaolin Temple until one day, a few years later Set was showing off in front of some monks as Chow Ah Naam was passing through. The big man decided to pick on him, and Chow Ah Laam realized he could not avoid the challenge.

Set struck out at Chow Ah Naam, who was cool and avoided all his punches. Set became angry and used all his power to try to knock him down. All the other monks around were shouting and jeering, the noise was loud and so disturbed the Head Monk Sim Yan.

Sim Yan went to investigate what was going on and saw Chow Ah Naam fighting. Sim Yan knew that his fighting style was different to the Shaolin style, and while he was watching, Chow Ah Naam struck out at Set knocking him down to the ground.

Sim Yan stopped the contest and asked where Chow Ah Naam studied his Kung Fu. Chow Ah Naam told the head Monk that he had observed the Praying Mantis' fighting habits and developed a system based on this.

Sim Yan praised Chow Ah Naam's ingenuity because there were not many people like him. Sim Yan personally taught Chow Ah Naam the highest of the Shaolin Temple training to develop a strong and powerful bridge. These techniques harnessed the body's hidden powers to make the body almost totally resistant to blows, except to pressure point strikes.

After years of training Chow Ah Naam was able to partially close the "holes" and cover some of the pressure points with well developed tendons, and as a result of of this, he also found that he had developed great strength and could easily overpower the other taught styles with the famous bridge arm. With this excellent achievement Chow Ah Naam was given the Hall of Shoalin where it was recognised that he should teach this elite art.

Of all the monks Chow Ah Naam taught this system to, it was Wong Fook Go who became his best student, and later his successor. Wong Fook Go was a traveling monk, which was quite common at this time. After years of traveling around China he stopped at a place called Wai Yearn village in the area of Tung Kung. This is where he met a young man called Lau Soei.

Lau Soei was an accomplished Master of several arts most notably the Ma Kuen or Horse Fist system. On the day of their meeting, Lau Soei was giving a demonstration. When he saw that Wong Fook Go did not look impressed, he challenged him (challenges at that time were seen as opportunities to test your skills against those of your opponent).

Inevitably, Lau Soei lost the bout, but was intrigued by the Gen (shock) power that the monk had used. Nevertheless, he challenged Wong Fook Go once more. Again he was beaten. Wong Fook Go must have seen the strength of character of Lau Soei and decided to teach him, and ended staying in the village for several years, and teaching Lau Soei the whole system. Lau Soei moved to Hong Kong in 1913 and began teaching Chow Gar Kung Fu to the local population. This included Grandmaster Ip Shui, Chu Gung Wa among others.

Ip Shui went on to become Lau Soei's successor and defeated anyone that challenged his position as Head of the Chow's Family Praying Mantis Kung Fu system. He defeated many famous fighters in bare hand challenges, no one was successful.

Grandmaster Ip Shui was not only famous for his countless undefeated fights. He ran a small Dit Dar clinic in Kowloon city where he treated people with all types of ailments, with Dit Dar herbal medicine, and Wafu (Wafu is a special skill, using only mantra prayers and a brush and water. He was one of the last to practice this unique and special skill) until he passed away on 27 April 2004.

Grandmaster Ip Chee Keung became the new Grandmaster when his father (Ip Shui) handed on the System to him at his 90th birthday celebrations in December 2002.

Doc

[Doc Stier]

Chow Gar Praying Mantis Fighting Strategy:

Chow Gar Praying Mantis is a highly respected fighting style. It uses every part part of the body, whether in a fighting situation or in training. These include the hands, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, back, feet and head. In short, any part of the body which can be used for either attack or defense is utilized.

There are Four Key Principles of the Chow Gar Praying Mantis fighting strategy:

1) Your stance and body should be relaxed, weight evenly distributed on both feet. You should be light (on your feet), but equally solid and relaxed.

2) You should always hit your foe in a vital area(s) of the body, or aim for vital targets.

3) Your eyes should be fixed i.e. you should possess "eagle eyes".

4) Move sharply, and never attack half-heartedly.

There is a famous Chow Gar Praying Mantis poem which says: "Start your hands that come from your heart. If you don't come, I won't start."

There is little wasted motion or non-effective techniques used in the style. Chow Gar Praying Mantis is fast, straight, powerful and direct to the point. Some of the fighting techniques employed by the system center around chasing the opponent with the unique Mantis footwork, grabbing, seizing and breaking techniques.

This is a brief overview of the fighting theory of this highly respected fighting style. While the list of fighting techniques employed by the system is endless, it is important to remember that such skills do not develop overnight. It is only with continous practice, dedication, combined with instruction by a qualified Sifu can a student fully understand the Chow Gar Praying Mantis fighting strategy, and their skill level develop and grow.

Doc

[Dr.Rob]

They also have an incredible lion dance routines.

[C.J.Wang]

Hey Doc S.

Could you talk about the breathing methods of CG praying mantis? Does it utilize reverse abdominal breathing or breathing holding? How is breathing matched with body movement?

[Doc Stier]

Hey Doc S.

Could you talk about the breathing methods of CG praying mantis? Does it utilize reverse abdominal breathing or breathing holding? How is breathing matched with body movement?

Hello Wang:

In a nutshell, the Kwong-Sai Jook Lum Gee SPM that I learned generally advises unrestricted, natural abdominal breathing (post-natal breathing) when practicing most form sets, especially at the novice skill level.

When applying the techniques to actual fighting at more advanced levels of skill, however, reverse breathing (pre-natal breathing) is usually recommended in order to prevent having the breath knocked out of you if hit while defending, and to add more power (fa-jin) to your offensive technique applications.



Doc

[C.J.Wang]

Thanks doc

By the way, how come you are always the one with all the cool pictures?

[Doc Stier]

Thanks doc

By the way, how come you are always the one with all the cool pictures?

Well, sadly, like so many skills nowadays, Pic-Fu seems to be a dying art.

Doc

[Dr.Rob]

A...the breathing you may be referring too is found in the Bak Mei system. White Eyebrow. Inhale while you punch then freeze the breath at the instant of contact. Sadly all research leads to fact that this is useless and could lead to diabiates because the constant stimulation of the adrenal glands and the compression the the upper organs.

Enjoy. Doc S pic's please.

[Doc Stier]

A...the breathing you may be referring too is found in the Bak Mei system. White Eyebrow. Inhale while you punch then freeze the breath at the instant of contact. Sadly all research leads to fact that this is useless and could lead to diabiates because the constant stimulation of the adrenal glands and the compression the the upper organs.

Agreed. That's a useless and dangerous breathing technique indeed.
And not a real Pak Mei Gung-Fu combat application according to this.



Doc

[JAB]

The SOuthern Mantis I have trained in was very strange and contrary to what I consider "innate" postures and mechanics. They were scrappy little shits, but not sure how well they would do outside of their comfort zone (ie. playing their way). Also had lots of strange breathing ideas, and mudra holding.
Plus the constant talk of "swallowing" and "spitting" was a little......awkward to say the least.
Cheers
Jake