Back To Article Brief
Back To Article List
TAI MANTIS KUNG FU
Author: Floyd Burk
What would you do if you suddenly found yourself facing a psychopath set on tearing you apart with his bare hands? What if he wasn’t alone? What if your wife and kids were standing next to you? Obviously, you would need an arsenal of hard-core combat techniques designed to eliminate any threat without wasting any time.
Now if you were to ask a sampling of martial artists to recite a list of styles that would fit that bill, more than a few would dismiss the Chinese arts outright. They’re too flowery, they might say. Those animal styles don’t work, they might argue. Never peck at a thug with a chicken-beak attack when a plain old-fashioned punch will get the job done more quickly, others might advise.
If martial artists harbor those doubts, it’s only because they don’t know Rob Moses.
Enduring Lineage
Moses is a master of tai mantis kung fu. Since 1977, the Kona, Hawaii-based instructor has placed his faith in the esoteric Chinese art— which purportedly descended from Shaolin praying mantis kung fu— primarily for two reasons: First, it embodies a philosophical facet that’s deep enough to keep even the most enthusiastic practitioner satisfied for a lifetime; and second, its physical side works. Well.
The legendary Wong Long is credited with having created the mantis system of fighting by modeling its moves on those of the ubiquitous bug. “The praying mantis is the king of all insects: stoic, intelligent, expert at decapitating [its enemies] and in total harmony with the Tao,” Moses says. “The insect is fond of neutrality, always waiting, frozen in stillness until an intruder invades its space. Then it’s bang! The mantis nails its foe with the perfect move using exact distance and precise timing.”
Cut out the bit about separating heads from bodies, and you have an apt description of the consummate martial arts master—the kind of fighter most of us aspire to be.
Essential Skills
The mantis claw is one of the main weapons of serious practitioners of the art, Moses says.
Its many uses include pulling, pinching, deflecting, poking out eyes and penetrating the windpipe. A crafty fighter can also use it to hook and dig into his opponent’s muscles and tendons, he adds.
To form the mantis claw, pretend you’re holding a fishing pole. Your fingers are wrapped around the handle, and your thumb is pointing toward the tip of the pole. Now, wipe the fishing rod from your mind’s eye and extend your index finger slightly while pressing your thumb against it for support. Your other three fingers should be folded at the second knuckle and pressed into your palm.
(Party tip: If you use a mantis claw to cast a shadow on the wall, keep your wrist loose and wiggly and you’ll make a turkey’s head and neck. Bob your appendage up and down for added realism around Thanksgiving.) Moses points out that while the claw is the primary weapon of the art, the mantis hand is the primary position. The mantis hand is often mistaken for the claw because the two look nearly the same; however, in the former, the hand isn’t tightened. Leaving it loose keeps it neutral and gives it extreme versatility.
“Most martial arts emphasize fixed hand positions such as the fist, crane’s beak, dragon hand and so on, and even many mantis people are completely locked into the mantis claw,” Moses says. “But maintaining a fixed hand position between strikes is like driving with the brakes on.
People cling to the fixed position, not realizing that the answer is in the neutral position. The neutrality of the mantis hand gives you the versatility to immediately assume a closed fist, iron-edge knifehand, phoenix eye, spearhand, tiger claw, mantis claw or any other position. The beauty of the mantis hand is you get to choose the correct weapon for a particular circumstance without first having to back out of a fixed position.”
Velocity
Another cornerstone of tai mantis kung fu is velocity, Moses says. If you watch a praying mantis, you’ll see how its thorax and limbs act as linkages, allowing it to generate great speed for defeating its enemies.
Those linkages enable it to reach out in a flash and rip the head right off its prey.
“Through his study of the praying mantis, Wong Long learned how a human could replicate its velocity using bone linkages,” Moses says.
“Wong Long used various combinations of the seven linkages from the fingertip to the collarbone (the area from fingertip to the hand accounts for the first four linkages; the forearm, upper arm and collarbone are the other three) to create momentum, resulting in accurate, deadly and lightning-fast techniques.
With maximum linkages, maximum velocity is ready and available. At your disposal is the ability to project extreme power while minimizing repercussion.”
Pliability
You might think a praying mantis is a fairly rigid little creature, but if you examine one closely, you’ll notice that it’s actually rather flexible.
It possesses the ability to bend its body and turn its head nearly all the way around, then twist and pull an object.
“Wong Long connected this twisting and pulling with pliability,” Moses says. “With praying mantis kung fu, you can wrap, squeeze and use twisting and spiraling movements to execute efficient chin-na techniques. You can pinch or trap with your arms or legs while your hands are ready to strike or do more twisting.”
Insect to Primate
An expression often used by practitioners of the art is “mantis hands, monkey feet.” It offers a glimpse into the methodology Wong used to translate the moves of the mantis to the physique of a primate and eventually to the body of a human being. The key lies in the elusive and fluid footwork of the simian.
“Monkey antics are an everpresent feature of praying mantis kung fu,” Moses says. “While a mantis is often grounded on a branch, monkeys are always going up, around and over things. They can roll, sweep, run and stomp, and they can kick and climb with the same motion.”
Basic monkey footwork is quite linear, Moses says, while advanced footwork incorporates sliding, skipping, jumping and unpredictable movements. The result is a progression that leads you to more advanced and effective techniques.
“Wong Long’s first praying mantis form is called bumbo, mean- ing ‘erratic stepping,’” he continues.
“While forms from various styles of mantis kung fu have different ways of describing footwork, no matter what branch of mantis you’re in, bumbo has its place. It’s an avenue of expression that, even in the new millennium, is still worthy of any traditional or freestyle martial artist.”
Higher Frequency
One of Moses’ favorite sayings is, The blind man’s cane feels more than just the pavement. He uses it whenever he discusses the highest levels of tai mantis—sensitivity and empathy. Wong’s journey into the insect world helped raise the art and its practitioners to a higher spiritual frequency, he says.
Mantis kung fu teaches you to mimic the insect’s radar-like ability to detect adversaries by employing your own perceptiveness. That endows you with the power to achieve absolute awareness, to respond not only to obvious threats but also to the energy of the air and the frequencies of your surroundings.
The keys to getting in tune with this realm are neutral hand positioning, patience and honesty, Moses says.
It’s easy to see that tai mantis kung fu offers benefits both physical and spiritual. The art conveys effective self-defense skills while gradually guiding you toward openmindedness and enlightenment.
“Notice how the praying mantis appears to be in constant prayer,” Moses says. “That reminds us that we must humbly seek a higher consciousness while serving humanity with clarity and a kind heart.” ...