good posts, everyone…I’m running hard today at work so I probably won’t be able to respond at length till maybe late tonight or tomorrow morn.
good topic, I definitely want to explore the commercial school side of teaching traditional mantis and the type of training needed to actaully use mantis in self defense or in competition…IMO, there should be no difference between the two.
I would refer to the article Kevin Brazier did in MQ regarding the use of Ling side in a complete training program. I can’t remember which issue it was and I don’t have them at work.
Sorry bro, let me correct myself. I did not mean to say that your arms and your intent were soft or weak. It was my overall impression with some there. And to be honest, I should not have said it. I was impressed with Shifu Biggie, Shifu Puyot, Shifu Cottrell and especially my Teacher John Scolaro. Take care!
Oso- The article on the two person set is in MQ volume one issue one. Good info!
Definitely a good topic. I think someone was talking about the lack of good topics lately.
I know many here are familiar with the WL method forms, forms, forms… but that’s not all we do. I have had the privilege of teaching class for the last six months. Now I’m just an intermediate student but I enjoy leading class. Admittedly I am just figuring out the basic so when I do class that’s what we work on. Personally I love doing forms. I go to the school and work on my forms on my own for hours. In class I prefer to do line drills solo and two person. It is amazing how you can show someone a solo technique and it goes right over their head then have them do the same thing but throw a punch at them and it like oh, that’s what I’m doing. Better understanding sometime comes from doing something you don’t understand and then have it hit you, now I get it. One of my favorite drills is cum na sow. Very simple but versatile, I tell the other students particularly the newer ones, that even this simple move can get you out of a lot of trouble. We have a basic exercise for this technique and it can be found in many of our forms. When doing drills I emphases that this one simple technique can work inside or outside, as block strike or grab arm bar. Most important thing is to not get punched. This is where two person drills come in handy. No doubt you can do forms all day long but if you don’t know what a punch coming at you looks like well your gonna eat one.
As far as commercialization of your school I can not really comment from an owners stand point but as a student… Seems if all you want is kick and punch there’s plenty of that out there. I think any half way serious KF student is looking for more then that. So staying with tradition is important. You will also have those that just happen across your school and don’t know what they want. You should not try to cram TCKF down their throat as they most likely won’t last. The first years or the tender years will give you as the teacher time to see who is on the next level and who is just looking to workout. Nothing wrong with either, just the serious student will require more of a challenge. Like anything in MA it takes balance.
Just my two pennies and that leaves me about broke.
Nah arm conditioning should be done as soon as possible, who cares if students dont like it? I guess mantis or any other Ma is not for them, thats like me going to judo and saying i dont like takeing falls or doing muay thai and not wanting to get hit its apart of the training who cares if people dont get into fights its irrelevant because your thier to teach a martial art. Ive been going to wah lum for only a month and I have done forearm conditioning as well as application drills ive only learnt half the basics and half a form exercise though but at least I feel when I get to do the form I know why im doing the movements.
They are required by my teacher to progress in grading. As a student this may be the least important reason but for a teacher I want the whole system so I can one day pass it on.
They teach body unity and linkage (Hands and legs, hips and waist etc. jumping and kicking etc.)
They help with coordination, mantis forms are very complex compared to many other styles
Even after doing bung bo for many years I still learn from it. If you give someone an application it can be only that. If you give them a form you can pull out many applications. If you combin the form and theory you should be able to work many things out for yourself.
I also enjoy the fitness side and think it helps with relaxation.
I also think that if you are training people the forms need to be rounded out with basics, paired techniques, sparring drills and free sparring.
I normally cover basics, paired work, applications and forms as a minimum but if students are up to a level they will do pad work, sparring drills, weapons and free sparring.
Forms are for “teaching” and “learning” only but not for “practicing”.
The moves in the form can have different meaning which need to be interprated separately. Also the form is only one side which is either a right hand form or a left hand form. To practice the form by itself will not balance both sides of your body.
Most of the PM form can be divided into sections. The first 7 moves may be a connected sequence but the next 9 moves may be another connected sequence. To repeat the 1st 7 moves 100 times and then repeat the next 9 moves 100 time will get the same benefit then to repeat the entire form 100 time.
Repeating Shakespeare’s play 10,000 times will not make you a play writer.
