8-step Preying Mantis ,WestPlains, Mo.

**seriousmantid** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 12:57pm

The gym is small but has sufficient equipment. At the moment the instructor is having a bigger building constructed due to the fact that the class is filling up. The class is taught with the more experienced students helping the lesser so there is allwayssome one to answer your questions. The instructor lets you learn at your own pace your determination and grasping of the techniques decide when you test. Everything it lacks it makes up with the understanding and influence of the teacher. I would just die if I had to leave this class it is everything I need out of a martial arts class.

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 1:10pm

Can you elaborate a big further into why this school got a both 10 marks in Grappling and Striking?

**seriousmantid** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 2:56pm

Originally Posted by PizDoff

Can you elaborate a big further into why this school got a both 10 marks in Grappling and Striking?

8-step preying mantis is a complete self defense system teaching each of the following:

Punching
Kicking
Joint Locks
ground fighting
Pressure points
throwing
knee strikes
elbow strikes
palm strikes

You see 8step is not just standing or ground fighting it is a mixture of all of the above. There is not focus on just one dominant way of fighting It is a system which successfully integrates all aspects of fighting equally into the 8step mantis form.

**ironlurker** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 3:24pm

Hi there mantid. Just FYI, to try to help you out so you don't get flamed, 10 would mean the best of the best.

Basically, in my understanding, it would mean you had students entering open competitions using these skills and winning decisively fairly often. Your grapplers could go toe to toe with experienced BJJ/Judo guys and strikers with MT/KB guys and win. Similarly, a 10 with aliveness means that you're sparring full contact or very close to it in just about every class.

If your instructor is attentive, the class is fun and challenging, and you feel you're getting comprehensive MA that's great. I always thought Mantis and its branches were interesting and I hope you continue to contribute. You may find though, in the question of your ratings, that people here have very specific definitions of what makes a 10, so keep an open mind and be prepared to have a dialogue about why you feel it rates so high.

**kwoww** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 5:20pm

Doesn't matter what it was designed to do. Does it put out?

10 doesn't mean you think it's pretty good. 10 means that everyone can agree that your school is the best of the best, and you have proof to back it up. Just because someone else was good with Mantis doesn't mean your school's fighters are.

Ditto about the aliveness as well. If you're not sparring full-contact for most of the class, then you're probably not getting a 10 in aliveness. In fact, Kung Fu is notorious for dead training, so you've got a lot to prove.

**From Bell2Bell** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 5:22pm

Originally Posted by seriousmantid

The designer of Mantis Wang Lang traveled throughout China learning different arts. So there are pieces of alot of other arts within this system. There are traces of wing chun, boxing, MT elbows and knees, throws from various arts such as the chinese wresteling (sorry cant spell it), so on and so forth.

It is one of the last pure CMA being taught today.

I'm confused, is how can it be a mixture of many arts (including MT which isn't chinese) and still be a pure CMA? That seems contradictory to me.

**ironlurker** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 5:35pm

Originally Posted by seriousmantid

understand if you dont know much about it It is one of the last pure CMA being taught today.

You are quite serious! :occasion1 Alrighty, just saying that people will have questions about these qualities and don't get too frustrated with some that you'll get.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 5:41pm

Wow, that is a new variation of the Wang Lang myth. Thank you.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 6:35pm

Originally Posted by seriousmantid

Sorry wrong analogy meant knees and elbows you see in MT if you are still confused look up 8step.com I said I believe it has traces of other CMA because you see the same moves in alot of different MA today. who copied who I have no idea but the moves are there just the same.

Not here to argue so changed rating to your standards.

You are new to martial arts aren't you?

**kwoww** · Posted On: 6/26/2007 8:53pm

Great for you, but if you haven't tried it, there's no way to know for sure. An experienced scientist doesn't say "oh I've seen enough it def works" until he/she has thoroughly tested it. Fighting is the same, except now your life might be on the line.

You also haven't said anything about grappling, and few CMAs have grappling instruction worthy of a rating of 8. Would you care to explain that some more as well?