any knowledge out there about good reads re: gung fu but specialy about Praying Mantis? plenty out there on other general stuff re: karate , akido judo and even Kung fu .? PS: Whats that good beer thats 9 % with Black lable thats sold on broadway?
i am not sure if you are looking for instructional type of books, historical, or fictional but i always reccomend The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu by Wong Kiew Kit. i think its a good read. also look on martialsrtsmart.com for books and see if they have anything more specifically geared toward mantis. amazon.com tends to have books just do a search for subject and see what you can get used and cheap. hope that helps .
regards,
~steve
Since this is a forum, I’ll disagree…
Wong Kiew Kit’s book was the first one I bought after beginning my training. I soon realized how shallow it was, though. It gives an alright introduction to things, but it has no depth. Personally, I take issue with his gospel-truth claim that all MA began in Shaolin.
If you’re truly interested in technique, I’d say don’t limit yourself to PM books–they’re harder to find (I think). A punch is a punch, a kick a kick. If you hook your hand or palm strike or corkscrew punch, it’s pretty much the same motion (tiny variances only really applicable through physical practice–not reading [ie motion generation, ala crane as opposed to tiger, etc.]).
I recommend just about anything by Yang Jwing Ming. He gets pretty in depth with explanations. Some of his tips actually enhanced my own personal technique–especially his Shaolin White Crane book.
You can sometimes find old manuals through used book sellers on Amazon.com. You’ll really onlly find crap in major bookstores.