The next time you show a video showing 7 star Praying Mantis techniques , please have a demonstration between 2 combatants so as to illustrate how Praying Mantis techniques can be used in hand to hand combat situations if one is attacked on the street . Please show such a video as it would be most useful , Thank you.
Many circular moves in traditional Kung fu are actually done by weapons, as Kung fu wasn't really an an unarmed combat. It is a heavy weapon based style which was used in war. The unarmed techniques were either for sparring with friends , family, relatives, etc or for self defence. But some styles were created as unarmed combat, like Shuai Jiao.
Traditional Chinese martial arts systems don't have gymnastic movements per se; you are likely referring to modified Wu Shu systems. During China's Cultural Revolution the government outlawed traditional fighting systems as part of the "Old" China which it was felt held Chinese culture back. China was previously a closed country until Western countries imposed themselves with their modern weapons and military firepower at the beginning of the twentieth century. Traditional Kung Fu styles were seen as obsolete on the modern battlefields against Western firearms and artillery, but Chairman Mao felt they could still be converted into a form of calisthenics to help strengthen the Chinese populace. Kung Fu practitioners on the mainland were arrested and even killed for practicing traditional methods, and the most prominent teachers were given the choice of modifying their systems into watered-down exercises with additional running and leaping movements and devoid of combat-oriented training aspects, or to shut down their schools. Teachers that previously taught a select number of students were forced to modify their styles into what is now "Wu Shu" sets and routines that are taught to the masses as acrobatic forms of exercise. Callisthenic Wu Shu is different from traditional Kung Fu (also known as Guo Shu) in that the fighting forms have been modified; conditioning, two-man drills, anatomical studies, fighting applications, teaching of underlying combat principles, sparring, and even a lack of combat-steel weapons that have been replaced by light-metal chrome replicas solely for demonstration use; all these essential components in addition to specific fighting and Nei-Gung (martial energy work) attributes are generally missing from acrobatic Wu Shu training. Some teachers stopped teaching their original systems on the Chinese mainland entirely, and regretfully many fighting systems have been lost because of the Cultural Revolution. Other teachers left China and relocated to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Europe, the United States, and other parts of the globe. Kung Fu systems found in the West today are only a small segment of what was once a vast array of traditional systems. Some systems are actually still taught in China using the original training methods that have never reached the West. I was lucky enough to attend the first major demonstration of the Chinese Wu Shu Troupe from mainland China in San Francisco during the 1970's. Many of the older Wu Shu practitioners were in fact highly skilled traditional fighters, both unarmed and also very capable in the use of traditional weaponry, but they demonstrated and taught only modern Wu Shu (some of them were also instructors) due to their patriotic acceptance of Communist Chinese doctrine. As a student at that time of traditional Tang Lang Bat Pai (Northern Mantis of the 7-Star System) under Sifu Brendan Lai of San Francisco (Sifu Lai played a significant role in getting this impressive troupe for this rare demonstration of dozens of China's best with ages ranging from roughly 8 to 80), I recognized the skill level which was very high. This was 50 years ago. Historically, most traditional practitioners of Chinese martial arts were only considered complete fighters if they were skilled in both unarmed fighting methods, in addition to a variety of short and long range weapons unique to a given system. Regarding unarmed skills, most schools depend on sets containing techniques, methods of body structure and footwork, Chin Na, and fighting strategies unique to their given school. In addition, special body conditioning practices like Iron Palm, training equipment like the Wing Chun wooden dummy or Plum Blossom posts, and specialized exercises like Push Hands to develop sensitivity as taught in the various Tai Chi systems, were all components of any given traditional school curriculum. Some systems like Tong Bei ("through the back" style) emphasize brief movements repeated over and over, impact post conditioning, in addition to a specific combination of forms. Fukien White Crane is taught through a series of separate systems, each emphasizing a different stage of development and considered complete in their own right. Also, most styles contain their own internal energy drills specific to their given still (such as the Needle In Cotton form of Tibetan White Crane or Hung Gar's Iron Wire Form being two examples), and many advanced practitioners don't feel that their abilities are complete without traditional training in resucitation techniques, bone-setting, herbology, and accupressure/accupuncture techniques contained within their system's traditions. This is often referred as "if you can only harm an opponent but not heal the damage done, you have only half an art". Sparring is important but generally reserved for advanced students following many hours of controlled exchanges to avoid serious injury. Traditional Chinese martial arts it should be noted did not evolve as a sport. In 7-Star Praying Mantis for example, a fundamental fighting principle is "Create an opening with soft technique, then attack through the opening with hard technique." Soft technique is this case could be as basic as a redirecting mantis grab to the wrist of an incoming punch with a simultaneous capturing grab of the elbow; the initial mantis hand grab morphing into a punch and then exploding through the gap as the opponent is jerked forward, targeting the heart behind the sternum, the throat, or the maxilla just below the nose for shearing affect from the mandible. Many hours of conditioning the hands with Iron Palm training is designed to maximize impact to such targets. Although the double grab and punch are two sequences, in application they appear as a single technique. As an alternative after spending years conditioning the palms, I preferred a backhand to the temple, jaw, neck, or floating ribs. The soft technique (double grab) could also be applied as in "Bo Sim Sic" where I was trained to apply the second grab as a strike to the elbow joint as the incoming punch is hyperextended, resulting in a broken elbow. At this moment the opening is generated by pain from the broken limb, at which point a finishing hard technique is launched. To try and resist this response would compromise one's training. A sister school on the East Coast was in fact barred from full-contact sparring competition due to multiple incidents of arms being broken; these were not intentional acts but rather spontaneous responses based upon the system's fighting principles and techniques trained for real application, not sport. Despite developments in modern firearms, traditional weapons are still valued components of most traditional Chinese fighting systems because they develop important fighting attributes that improve the student's fighting skills. Many traditional Chinese school curriculums contain a variety: Ip Man's Hong Kong Wing Chun lineage has a pole and the twin Butterfly Swords, my teacher taught a variety of long and short weapons (I think his favorite were the Double Sabers), and our Grand Master Lo Gwan Yuk was said to favor the Three-Sectional Staff - he was also known to practice every unarmed fighting form of the 7-Star system daily and was famous for his Iron Palm technique. Some schools contain at least one staff, spear, saber, and straight sword form, in addition to a variety of more advanced forms and specialty weaponry. Historically, mastery of the 18 various Chinese weapons (including long, short, bladed, and flexible varieties) was considered a requirement to having achieved complete levels of skill, although the practice required could take the better part of a person's lifetime.
@@middlepath3607 even without the cultural revolution traditional martial art would still lost its effectiveness due to reluctance in passing down the real lethal move for many generations . Even the bengbu tanglang practising worldwide shown great discrepancies among many youtubers with great majority do not know its application judging from the way they execute the move. Even if we achieve 100% perfect originality from pass warrior who painstakingly master the art of effective fighting fully utilise all our Limbs and head , the chances to win in sport fighting like mma not survival fighting is only 10%. The rest are stamina strength conditioning endurance physical attributes and experience that made up 90% . Therefore the expert in kungfu movement will still be knockout in few seconds.
Excellent display of Kungfu. I love the crushing fist and swinging fist techniques you displayed. Thanks SiFu
Awesome display of 7 Star Mantis.
Thanks for uploading this video 😊
It be an honor to learn this style in person and keep it for good exercise ad well as self defense
The next time you show a video showing 7 star Praying Mantis techniques , please have a demonstration between 2 combatants so as to illustrate how Praying Mantis techniques can be used in hand to hand combat situations if one is attacked on the street . Please show such a video as it would be most useful , Thank you.
thanck you shifu please more application of dian xue,all the best
The speed!
Commenting for TH-cam algorithm
Hi, I'd love to know what the music is on this please?
Richard Bayston Guqin 古琴. No name
@@DrWuMartialArts Thank you!
Peace
You can tell when someone has actually used something
Why do traditional Chinese martial arts styles have gymnastic and circus moves that are not practical in real combat?
Many circular moves in traditional Kung fu are actually done by weapons, as Kung fu wasn't really an an unarmed combat. It is a heavy weapon based style which was used in war. The unarmed techniques were either for sparring with friends , family, relatives, etc or for self defence. But some styles were created as unarmed combat, like Shuai Jiao.
Traditional Chinese martial arts systems don't have gymnastic movements per se; you are likely referring to modified Wu Shu systems.
During China's Cultural Revolution the government outlawed traditional fighting systems as part of the "Old" China which it was felt held Chinese culture back. China was previously a closed country until Western countries imposed themselves with their modern weapons and military firepower at the beginning of the twentieth century. Traditional Kung Fu styles were seen as obsolete on the modern battlefields against Western firearms and artillery, but Chairman Mao felt they could still be converted into a form of calisthenics to help strengthen the Chinese populace. Kung Fu practitioners on the mainland were arrested and even killed for practicing traditional methods, and the most prominent teachers were given the choice of modifying their systems into watered-down exercises with additional running and leaping movements and devoid of combat-oriented training aspects, or to shut down their schools. Teachers that previously taught a select number of students were forced to modify their styles into what is now "Wu Shu" sets and routines that are taught to the masses as acrobatic forms of exercise.
Callisthenic Wu Shu is different from traditional Kung Fu (also known as Guo Shu) in that the fighting forms have been modified; conditioning, two-man drills, anatomical studies, fighting applications, teaching of underlying combat principles, sparring, and even a lack of combat-steel weapons that have been replaced by light-metal chrome replicas solely for demonstration use; all these essential components in addition to specific fighting and Nei-Gung (martial energy work) attributes are generally missing from acrobatic Wu Shu training.
Some teachers stopped teaching their original systems on the Chinese mainland entirely, and regretfully many fighting systems have been lost because of the Cultural Revolution. Other teachers left China and relocated to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Europe, the United States, and other parts of the globe. Kung Fu systems found in the West today are only a small segment of what was once a vast array of traditional systems. Some systems are actually still taught in China using the original training methods that have never reached the West.
I was lucky enough to attend the first major demonstration of the Chinese Wu Shu Troupe from mainland China in San Francisco during the 1970's. Many of the older Wu Shu practitioners were in fact highly skilled traditional fighters, both unarmed and also very capable in the use of traditional weaponry, but they demonstrated and taught only modern Wu Shu (some of them were also instructors) due to their patriotic acceptance of Communist Chinese doctrine. As a student at that time of traditional Tang Lang Bat Pai (Northern Mantis of the 7-Star System) under Sifu Brendan Lai of San Francisco (Sifu Lai played a significant role in getting this impressive troupe for this rare demonstration of dozens of China's best with ages ranging from roughly 8 to 80), I recognized the skill level which was very high. This was 50 years ago.
Historically, most traditional practitioners of Chinese martial arts were only considered complete fighters if they were skilled in both unarmed fighting methods, in addition to a variety of short and long range weapons unique to a given system.
Regarding unarmed skills, most schools depend on sets containing techniques, methods of body structure and footwork, Chin Na, and fighting strategies unique to their given school. In addition, special body conditioning practices like Iron Palm, training equipment like the Wing Chun wooden dummy or Plum Blossom posts, and specialized exercises like Push Hands to develop sensitivity as taught in the various Tai Chi systems, were all components of any given traditional school curriculum. Some systems like Tong Bei ("through the back" style) emphasize brief movements repeated over and over, impact post conditioning, in addition to a specific combination of forms. Fukien White Crane is taught through a series of separate systems, each emphasizing a different stage of development and considered complete in their own right.
Also, most styles contain their own internal energy drills specific to their given still (such as the Needle In Cotton form of Tibetan White Crane or Hung Gar's Iron Wire Form being two examples), and many advanced practitioners don't feel that their abilities are complete without traditional training in resucitation techniques, bone-setting, herbology, and accupressure/accupuncture techniques contained within their system's traditions. This is often referred as "if you can only harm an opponent but not heal the damage done, you have only half an art".
Sparring is important but generally reserved for advanced students following many hours of controlled exchanges to avoid serious injury. Traditional Chinese martial arts it should be noted did not evolve as a sport. In 7-Star Praying Mantis for example, a fundamental fighting principle is "Create an opening with soft technique, then attack through the opening with hard technique." Soft technique is this case could be as basic as a redirecting mantis grab to the wrist of an incoming punch with a simultaneous capturing grab of the elbow; the initial mantis hand grab morphing into a punch and then exploding through the gap as the opponent is jerked forward, targeting the heart behind the sternum, the throat, or the maxilla just below the nose for shearing affect from the mandible. Many hours of conditioning the hands with Iron Palm training is designed to maximize impact to such targets. Although the double grab and punch are two sequences, in application they appear as a single technique. As an alternative after spending years conditioning the palms, I preferred a backhand to the temple, jaw, neck, or floating ribs.
The soft technique (double grab) could also be applied as in "Bo Sim Sic" where I was trained to apply the second grab as a strike to the elbow joint as the incoming punch is hyperextended, resulting in a broken elbow. At this moment the opening is generated by pain from the broken limb, at which point a finishing hard technique is launched.
To try and resist this response would compromise one's training. A sister school on the East Coast was in fact barred from full-contact sparring competition due to multiple incidents of arms being broken; these were not intentional acts but rather spontaneous responses based upon the system's fighting principles and techniques trained for real application, not sport.
Despite developments in modern firearms, traditional weapons are still valued components of most traditional Chinese fighting systems because they develop important fighting attributes that improve the student's fighting skills.
Many traditional Chinese school curriculums contain a variety: Ip Man's Hong Kong Wing Chun lineage has a pole and the twin Butterfly Swords, my teacher taught a variety of long and short weapons (I think his favorite were the Double Sabers), and our Grand Master Lo Gwan Yuk was said to favor the Three-Sectional Staff - he was also known to practice every unarmed fighting form of the 7-Star system daily and was famous for his Iron Palm technique.
Some schools contain at least one staff, spear, saber, and straight sword form, in addition to a variety of more advanced forms and specialty weaponry. Historically, mastery of the 18 various Chinese weapons (including long, short, bladed, and flexible varieties) was considered a requirement to having achieved complete levels of skill, although the practice required could take the better part of a person's lifetime.
@@middlepath3607 even without the cultural revolution traditional martial art would still lost its effectiveness due to reluctance in passing down the real lethal move for many generations . Even the bengbu tanglang practising worldwide shown great discrepancies among many youtubers with great majority do not know its application judging from the way they execute the move. Even if we achieve 100% perfect originality from pass warrior who painstakingly master the art of effective fighting fully utilise all our Limbs and head , the chances to win in sport fighting like mma not survival fighting is only 10%. The rest are stamina strength conditioning endurance physical attributes and experience that made up 90% . Therefore the expert in kungfu movement will still be knockout in few seconds.