Tonight I combined chin na with praying mantis and I have to say I enjoyed myself. However, it was information overload.
First, there were no level one guys in china na. So I got thrown in with levels two through four. I still got to work some of my stuff but I was also fresh meat for the higher guys. I actually got to try a couple higher level locks. Whether or not I’ll remember them is another story but it was kinda cool. I was also the crash test dummy for a lot of the techniques so I’ll be sore for sure.
The level four and higher guys had an energetic session. They were working on live drills, flowing, and sticking. They even got to the ground which was interesting to watch between cranks and pain. In addition, Smiley caught a kick to the “junk” from Mantis. It was an accident and for a few seconds I thought Smiley was done. I’ve been kicked their before with a protector and it hurt so I can only imagine what it must have felt like. It does show that no matter how you do it, a good old kick to the hoo-ha will stop most guys period.
As for mantis…
It started with stretching and then rolled into line drills. It’s sort of like in taekwondo when we’d do certain fundamentals down and back across the room (e.g. rising block, middle section punch, reverse side kick, etc.). The main difference being they work combinations and flow from the very first beginner class. In taekwondo we did not start to put that together until the mid-ranks. Things like a grab, punch, step, block/punch, step, kick/punch. Then back down the other side with the same pattern. We also spent a lot of time in two of their main stances which I cannot pronounce. One is a version of horse and the other is almost like being in a deep fencer’s stance.
We then had a nice interlude of what I’d call push-up palooza. We did regular push-ups, knuckle push-ups, finger-tip push-ups, clapping push-ups, and push-up on the backs of our bent wrists. The latter is actually a bent wrist strike that they use.
Then on to forms. I “learned” (and I use that term loosely) the first two parts of a twelve part form. There’s no point in even trying to describe it and I see that I’m going to need to buy a notebook and take notes so I can practice the darn thing. The main thing I noticed again is flow. Compared to taekwondo forms this is like an automatic transmission. There’s a part called sun fist where you essentially step deep and backfist your attacker; then, without missing a beat, you role into a inverted back fist with the same hand (opposite side of head). There’s also a couple of simultaneous kick/punches in it which again transitions into more hand techniques.
The hand strikes so far are these:
- A vertical fist side punch that slips over a block (blocking hand stays by armpit to guard)
- The back fist/inverted back fist
- These crazy windmill hammer fist combos
- A chambered punch that twists at the last possible second
Kicks are very interesting. First, the heel never leaves the ground and you not only pivot on your heel but you also step back down on it. We did what I’d sorta compare to a front snap kick. However, if you were kicking with your right you’d pivot on your left heel (toes out). One version has you almost chambering, then pausing with toes pointed down to guard, then stepping. Another version has you sliding it up without chambering at all.
Last, but not least, the mantis hook! (not even trying the Cantonese–main sifu at main schools speaks Cantonese) I was taught how to do it in the air (poorly) and as I watched I had to admit I thought that there’s no way it’d work in combat. That is until I had it done to me (and I opened my mouth). Let’s put it this way: When that thing cinches onto your wrist/forearm you are hosed. Try to pull out and it gets tighter and also adds energy to the punch that’s coming from their free hand. I also got to apply it and even not knowing what the heck I was doing I could make it work. I can see how very effective this could become after six or so months of practice.
Past that I had a crash course in in-fighting. All I can say is it made me very uncomfortable because the guy who was working with me tied up my kicking immediately. Granted, I did not try to punch–part out of respect and part because I did not want my ass handed to me. I was tossing things out slow and he was showing how he could trap while simultaneous tying up my legs so I could not kick. All I wanted to do was get him at range, throw some kicks, then maybe a few punches and get the hell back again.
So am I sold? Yes if I can afford it (read conference with the missus). I really like the in-fighting and I also like how the forms flow and are rapid fire. I definitely think there’s techniques here worth learning. Plus it’s pretty cool that it’s a traditional martial art that’s far removed from martial sports.
~BCP
