Tang Lang in Europe

[Mika]

I am going to post this here, too, since this forum is much closer to home.

Praying Mantis seems to have a whole bunch of schools, styles, and lineages. I am trying somehow figure out "who's who", so to speak. In other words, I am trying to find out what the differences between different styles or lineages are. For example, someone mentioned Wah Lum is the only one teaching long reach techniques (true or not, that was being said). I would like to gain an understanding of these differences as well as similarities.

Now, there are PM schools is Europe, although I guess not all branches have come here yet. Personal experiences with these schools would be greatly appreciated (I used search and saw and read threads on PM, but maybe a recap wouldn't hurt? ).

I noticed that some Masters are affiliated with several branches of PM. This intrigues me.

And by PM I mean all possible branches, Southern or Northern.

Here is a list I found, but later found an even longer list. Would anyone care to comment on it?


1) Plum Blossom (Grand Ultimate) Praying Mantis

2) Six Harmonies Praying Mantis

3) Seven Star Praying Mantis

4) Eight Steps Praying Mantis

5) Grand Ultimate (HK branch) Praying Mantis

6) Secret Gates Praying Mantis

7) Ren Clan Seven Star Praying Mantis

8) Wah Lum Praying Mantis

9) Bamboo Forest Southern Praying Mantis

10) Zhou Clan Southern Praying Mantis

11) Zhu Clan Southern Praying Mantis

12) Iron Ox Southern Praying Mantis



Thanks everybody!

//mika

[praying-mantis]

Hi,

ok first you have to know that Southern and Northern Praying Mantis are two completely different styles.

Second, some Northern Mantis styles are quite similar, that's why many masters teach or use several styles, however there are differences, which vary from school to school. There are 2 or 3 styles which are really different from the other ones.
As far as I know, the most popular styles are Plum Blossom, Six Harmonies and Seven Star (which I studied).

Here is a list of the different styles (not written by me, I would say it's more or less complete)

Seven Stars: Footwork follows a pattern resembling the seven classical stars in Chinese astrology, i.e., being intricate in nature. While all branches stress emitting power from the waist, this school is largely soft-style, evading direct power confrontations.

Plum Blossom: Stresses plum-flower fist strategies, such as three or five staccato punches in sequence; using a fist in preference to open hands; and generally being considered an introductory style, not going on to truly advanced techniques.

Six Combinations (Six Harmony): Combines three Yin and three Yang principles to evade or absorb an attack softly and attack in a hard manner.

Spotless (unmarked, bare, plain): The branch northern stylists refer to as "southern", the wrists are kept bent and hands open in order to generate a whipping power over short distances. Relies more upon hand work than other northern styles.

Secret Door (closed door): The most prevalent family style of mantis, uses low stances and great use of elbow strikes. Transitions are far more complex than other styles, used as feints to get into the preferred close-range striking position.

Jade Ring: Named for its peculiar footwork.

Dragging Hand: Uses grappling and grabbing techniques, not unlike Aikido. Back of wrist strikes are common, and the style prefers breaking to striking (mantis' answer to Ch'in Na.)

Eight Step: Emphasis here is on sticking hands, and leading an opponent to a point of vulnerability. Little actual evasion is employed, as practitioners are taught the superiority of leading the assailants.

Tan Tui: "Detecting legs" aims to check opponent's move into a favorable attack position. Kicks are uncharacteristically low and fast, delivered with snap, and rarely above the knees. Practitioners of this branch are taught the use of feet over and above handwork.

T'ai Chi (also known saying/Yang or Tai Mantis): Delivers all strikes with great internal power, using a penetrating strike rather than sub-surface impact. Parries are favored to blocks, and power generates from the ground to the waist to technique.

Unfortunatly I don't know much about Southern mantis.

[Mika]

A great answer, praying-mantis!

Below is a link to a demo sparring that I find quite interesting. Fast and unpredictable.

http://www.mantismartialart.com/demofight-2.WMV

This link is about Southern Praying Mantis.

http://www.shaolin.com/page.asp?content_id=978

Which styles of Tang Lang can we find in Europe? How close are they to their respective Grandmasters? Which schools produce good fighters? Which branches are focused on weapons? Etc. etc.

Thanks for the info

//mika

[David]

Great sparring clips .

Here's most of my links: -

http://www.shaolinarts-ky.net/smhistory.cfm

http://www.hku.hk/cmaclub/english/re...chowmantis.htm
http://www.mantiskungfu.net/
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~chrisloh/mantis.html

http://www.reddragonkungfu.com/

http://www.chowgarprayingmantis.com/
http://www.chinesegifts4u.com/
http://www.chowgar.co.uk/
http://www.kungfuacademy.hu/kungfu/en_kungfu.html
http://www.londonkungfu.com/
http://www.mantis.org.uk/
http://www.btinternet.com/~fiveelements/mantis.htm
http://www.martialartschannel.co.uk/
http://www.southernmantis.co.uk

http://www.bambootemple.com/
http://www.ckfa.com/
http://www.kung-fu.co.il/
http://www.masterginfoonmark.com

I don't have Steelwire or Iron Ox in my bookmarks though there are a couple of sites. Go Google...

[El Tejon]

Mika, hello to you, my friend.

I am a student of Seven Star Praying Mantis here in the USA (Indiana). My club has had a few European students who are over here studying at the universities around me.

It is my understanding that Seven Star is very popular in Italy and Germany. It is my understanding that established large schools in Europe are common. As well, the schools are arranged like the Chin Woo association in China (here in the states they are much more private) where a student studies different styles a la carte in the beginning (Choy Li Fut, Hung Gar, Wing Chun, etc.) and then it allowed to specialize on the art that he enjoys and that his sifu believes is right for him.

The Europeans that I have studied with were all very dedicated individuals who were a true pleasure with which to train. They all applied their techniques very well in sparring and were always happy to be at practice.

[El Tejon]

Mika, here is the link for my Sigong in British Columbia, Canada: www.mantiskungfu.com

This is the website of my sifu in Peoria, Illinois: www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Falls/41801/frames.htm

Here we are: www.kung-fu.addr.com/


I know you asked about Europe and that British Columbia, Illinois and Indiana are not in Europe (see, even with government schooling I knew that), but thought you would be interested in those sites as well. HTH.

[Mika]

All info is always greatly appreciated. Thanks, you both

European Tang Langers will maybe respond to this thread, as well, with their experiences. Or so I hope...

Tang Lang or Tong Long is starting to interest me. It is one of the original arts of Shaolin, so that just adds to its value in my eyes. And what I have seen looks good (been to Orlando Wah Lum Temple couple of years ago). 12 years of Choy Lee Fut has been great, but I feel it's time to explore a little before I am too old and too tied up to do so.
However, since there aren't that many styles of kung fu in Finland (maybe five or six recognized styles), I do want to make sure I will look for not only a style that would suit me but also an instructor and a school with which I could be happy.

Thanks, y'all

//mika

[keef]

Hi,

Yes there are many Tang Lang practioners in Europe. I train via ITSWA http://www.itswa.freeserve.co.uk/ in Seven Star Praying Mantis via the Lee Kam Wing Lineage. As you can see the schools also teach other styles too. My Sifu has decided to dedicate himself to Mantis style (although he has many years of wing chun behind him). I find it a wonderfull style which has something to suit most body types and is astetically pleasing yet also easliy applied effectively at all ranges IMHO. I know it is confusing as mantis has so many sub-styles but in essence most of them just reflect someones personalisation/slight addition to the style (may have preference to hard/soft or particular techniques) but at the end of the day they all share the same/similar core theory (keyword princples). As with any art the most important component is more the sifu teaching you than the style, of which the sifu will also put his own personal touch and preferences within the art just as you will.

Keef

A good list of european schools is available at http://www.authentickungfu.com/seven...tis_links.html

Its nice to hear of other mantis guys on the board :-)

[shadow_sny]

Hi,

I'm currently studying Shouthern Shaolin Steel Wire Praying Mantis, our style is based on Chow Gar SPM with elements of "iron wire" from Hung Gar. This was devised by Sifu Tony Leung.

Being pretty new to this, I can only relate my experiences, well i've always wanted to take up a traditional martial art such as a branch of shaolin kung fu. After training at a school you realise that its not so much the style but the teachers. I think its only 20 % due to the martial art and 80% due to the instructors(sifu) and senior students. I feel that is the same with any martial art style, you need to have competent instructors who can do justice to the art.

I am glad i've found what I was looking for at my current school.

Hope some of that information is usefull.

Appreciate the links David, was very impressed with the demo sparring clips Mika.

Thanks,

Shadow