Praying Mantis Kung Fu uses guards, strikes, and footwork that look similar to the way a praying mantis attacks its prey or any unwelcome visitors. There are two completely different versions of Praying Mantis Kung Fu : Northern and Southern.
Northern style is characterized by fast hand movements. The hook hands are found in all the northern sub-styles. Northern Tang Lang Chuen's main weapon is the blinding speed of the hand trying to control and punch the opponent. It has a balanced combination of circular and straight movements. There are simultaneous block and punch and strong chopping punches. Grappling, kicking, nerve-attack and weapons complete the northern branch.
In Southern Praying Mantis, Movements are continuous and circular, soft and hard, except in attack, where the middle knuckle (phoenix eye) of the index finger is used like a needle to pierce the internal organs.

History

About 350 to 400 years ago, in eastern Shantung Province of China, a monk named Wong Long went beyond his Shaolin Kung Fu teachings to create a fighting system that has passed the test of time and is second-to-none. Praying Mantis Kung Fu has been inspired by a fight between a cicada and a praying mantis. The mantis, with its, motionless stance, waited patiently for its prey to move within striking range. Suddenly, the scissors-like action of the mantis's front claws snared the attacking cicada immobilizing the larger insect before the mantis devoured it. Fortunately for the thousands of martial artists to follow him, Wong Long returned home and observed the emerald green mantis' techniques as it fought various insects. In this way Wong Long replicated and adapted the creature's style into one of the most devastating martial arts known to man.

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