XIA ZHAO LONG – TAI CHI STYLE PRAYING MANTIS – FREE FIGHTING TECHNIQUES

3. Sǎndǎ Jì Jī 太极螳螂拳 – 散打技击

San Da Ji ji
In this VCD Xia Zhao Long shows training drills and applications. These are based on the Zhai Yao form derived from his Tai Chi Mantis. In this case he “breaks” the movements completely out of the form and shows not only the basic applications but the all important “what if” variations when the opponent tries to neutralize the counters. The movements are fast and variable and a good demonstration of the radical fact that movements which have worked for two thousands years probably still work since our elbows and knees are in the same place as they have been for the last quarter million years or so.

TAI CHI style Praying Mantis 太极螳螂

Mantis Boxing was created by Wang Lang, a person fighting against the Qing dynasty at the end of the Ming dynasty; then it was inherited by Li Bingxiao and passed to his offspring for eight generations in Laiyang. It is known by its oblique postures , andis characterized as brave and forceful. When you exercise Taiji Mantis Boxing, you should emphasize changeability of postures by “BengBu”, increase your power on the basis of “Eight Elbows” and learn the techniques of this boxing style by “taking the Abstract as an template.” Tai Chi Mei Hua (Plum Blossom) Praying Mantis is almost a redundancy since, in the area of its origin, this style is generally called “Mei Hua” Mantis but by people outside the area “Tai Chi”.

Instructors: The first section of this page is demonstrated by Xia Zhao Long, the direct disciple of Wang Yu Shan.