Strategy, Tactics, and Techniques

Seven Star Praying Mantis kung fu is a traditional Chinese combat system. It was designed for one purpose and one purpose only – open hand combat and self defense. This is fundamental to understanding everything else. As a system it contains a highly integrated body of combat knowledge encompassing: i) fighting strategy, tactics, and principles, ii) physical fighting techniques including kicking, striking, grappling, joint locking, throwing, and iii) a comprehensive training methodology that lays out the road map for training and skill building.

Footwork

Footwork in the Seven Star Praying Mantis system is characterized low powerful stances with dynamic evasive movement.  Developing good footwork is fundamental to advancing effective boxing skills. It provides practitioners with a combative platform for mobility, positioning, rooting, stability, and power in application.  Tactically it uses rapid darting in and out, lateral movement off the center line, fluid level changes, and a high level of integration with attack / defense techniques using kicking, striking, grappling and throwing.  Common to many Northern based system it takes a low framed approach to training characterized by low deep stances that function to develop better athletic performance, superior technique in application, and complete tactical integration.  There are eight fundamental stances in the Seven Star Praying Mantis system which practitioners begin learning from the first day of training. These include the:

  • Monkey Stance 白猿步 (猴步)
  • Seven Star Stance 七星步
  • Jade Entering Stance 玉环步
  • Horse Riding Stance 骑马步
  • Hill Climbing Stance 登山步
  • Tiger Riding Stance 跨虎布
  • Single Leg Horse Stance 踢马步
  • Collapsing Stance 吞塌步

Transitional footwork (movement) training is also a key component in the first 2-3 years of training. Practitioners must learn how to skillfully control the power of their bodies moving from stance to stance, while remaining evasive and light on their feet.

Read more here about our Low Framed Methodology to Footwork.

Kicking

The Seven Star Praying Mantis system employs a comprehensive arsenal of kicking, sweeping, and close quarter leg techniques designed for maximum combat effectiveness. Leg techniques are generally targeted below the opponent’s waist, and are always deployed in combination with hand techniques. Praying Mantis makes extensive use of lower leg bridging and trapping techniques designed to disrupt, immobilize, uproot, and even break an attacker’s leg. In total there are twenty four primary leg methods, and sixty four combinations.

Striking

Striking techniques and hand methods in the Seven Star system are diverse, deceptive, fast, and flowing. Virtually all hand methods and techniques are 100% attack oriented with defensive maneuvering seamlessly integrated into the overall movement. Defensive parrying and blocking on its own is an incomplete movement representing only the midpoint on the greater path towards striking the opponent down. Tang Lang hand methods and techniques are comprehensive covering all ranges of combat. Techniques can encompass any combination of direct, indirect, straight line, circular, penetrating, absorbing, short range, and long range. Mantis hand methods are particularly famed for their extensive use of hooking, grabbing, and trapping techniques used to momentarily mislead and disrupt the enemy before following up with a game ending blow. The Seven Star Praying Mantis system encompasses a number of fundamental techniques including: twenty four striking methods, eighteen palm methods, and eight elbow methods.

Twelve Key Word Principles (十二字绝)

Although closely linked to the above section on hand techniques, the Twelve Key Words are deserving of their own separate section due their fundamental importance. Despite making use of many principles, the core of the Seven Star Mantis system integrates twelve key word principles that were originally synthesized by the founder Wang Lang. Otherwise known as the Shi Er Zi Jue they include the following:

  • Gou 抅 (Hooking/Deflecting)
  • Lou 搂 (Grasping/Controlling)
  • Cai 採 (Pulling)
  • Gua 挂 (Hanging/Vertical)
  • Diao 扚 (Hooking/Absorbing)
  • Jin 进 (Advancing Forward)
  • Beng 崩 (Smashing)
  • Da 打 (Striking)
  • Tie 贴 (Adhering)
  • Kao 靠 (Leaning)
  • Zhan 站 (Sticking)
  • Nian 黏(Following)

Each of these principles is associated with a number of techniques that make up core tactical theory. Practitioners begin learning these principles and associated techniques from the first day of training. Only through dedicated and applied training can they be understood and mastered.

Grappling

Grappling, known as Qin Na in Chinese, is an integral and complex component of the Praying Mantis system. Its strategy focuses on controlling and incapacitating the enemy via joint locking and pressure point manipulation.  Tactically it is highly integrated with kicking, striking, and throwing methods arranged in diverse combinations.  The system comprises seventy-two methods designed to rip muscle/tendons at the joints, break bones, inhibit breathing, and even cause unconsciousness.  Anatomically these grappling methods can be further divided into wrist controls, elbow controls, shoulder controls, body controls, leg controls and neck controls.  There is nothing mystical about these methods – they are based on a scientific and applied understanding of human anatomy and biomechanics. As with all techniques, mastering qina requires many years of dedicated and applied training.

Throwing

Seven Star Praying Mantis throwing techniques use a wide range of quick trips, power sweeps, and dynamic throws. The system comprises thirty six (36) techniques characterized by dynamic level changes, deceptive setups, and diverse combinations integrating all four attacking methods.  In fact many of the techniques go hand-in-hand with Qin Na techniques and physically cannot not be separated.  Throwing techniques rely on a low stable base, proper position, posture control, mechanical leverage, and proper timing to destabilize and throw the opponent to the ground.

Power Generation

Seven Star Praying Mantis leverages use of the entire body in executing techniques with bone jarring power. There are a number of divisions of power based on range, direction,  and tactics: long, short, pulling, pushing, turning/twisting, lifting, absorbing, and expliding. Skillful execution requires a firmly rooted base, a powerful waste and core body, proper mechanical alignment, proper timing/rhythm, explosive leg and hip drive, and nothing less than 100% conviction to finish off the attacker. The effectiveness of techniques are commonly enhanced by the simultaneous grasping, pulling, and jerking of the opponent into an oncoming attack.

Tactical Theory

As with all complete fighting systems, Praying Mantis contains a large body of conceptual knowledge relating to fighting strategy, tactics, and principles. Below is a sample of some of the key theory in the system. Please keep in mind that there is a world of difference between  academic knowledge and understanding based on experience. The real meaning of such theory can only be understood through diligent physical training and applied fighting experience, all under the guidance of an experienced teacher.

  • Four Attacking Strategies of Praying Mantis
  • Nine Strategic Points
  • Twelve Key Words
  • Eight Hard Twelve Soft
  • Seven Long Eight Short
  • Eight Hits Eight No Hits
  • Five Internal Strengths Five External Strengths
  • Three Fast, Three Slow, Three Focused, Three Calm
  • Five Sticking Eight Leaking
  • Four Basic Eight Directional Tactics

Learn more about our incredible Seven Star Mantis system below.

Overview
History
Branches
Lineage Masters
Techniques & Strategies
Forms




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