XIA ZHAO LONG – TAI CHI STYLE PRAYING MANTIS – LA FENG DA WITH LIVE STEPS

2a. Huó Bù Lā Fēng Shǒu 活步拉封手 Disk1 / 2b. Huó Bù Lā Fēng Shǒu 活步拉封手 Disk2

HuoBu LaFeng DaShou
Continuing with the base exercise Tap, Hook and Hit Sifu Xia shows a method of building up a practice method for mantis similar to Push Hands or Sticky Hands but with living steps and considerable freedom of interpretation. In this branch the pattern is called Pull or Pluck, Seal and then Strike. It is a classic Mantis pattern which Xia uses to show a host of applications. In other words you can practice the patterns and then break out with any of the specific applications. This is the bridge from form to application in this style. At this more advanced level Xia Sifu shows variations which utilize the mantis footwork with extra attention paid to those famous little tripping leg actions of the style. We consider this a very good way to make the bridge between creative response and the surety of choreographed practice. A Double VCD.

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.