In Mantis is
there is an increasing tendency among some players to emphasise hard shock
power (Ging Lik), at the expense of other skills and attributes. This has a
real detrimental effect on the development of true Mantis skill and is a
misunderstanding of the basic principles of Mantis boxing and Chinese martial
arts in general.
Such Mantis
players become stiff, slow and pedestrian. It is easy to see bad Mantis in
paired work: characterised by a staccato action with breaking of contact and
minimal interaction and responsiveness: where the partner could just as well be a wooden dummy.
In my
experience, many teachers emphasise the banging of arms as a form of
conditioning. It does have some small use of building up some small tolerance
of pain; nevertheless Mantis practice should always be guided by function where
target practice is constantly developed to hit areas of maximum effect.
Stiff, dead
power once expressed is difficult to readjust, recharge and reissue. Live power
is developed from paired practice where the Mantis player develops the attributes
of feeling, sticking and turning with small angles and deflections.
Boxing is
boxing, and good boxing is good boxing. Compare the drills of a world champion
boxer Mayweather with two Mantis players. It can be seen that both drills are
fluid, soft and responsive but within the drills there are strikes to vulnerable areas.
However, it should be remember that drills are not fighting but rather an opportunity to develop certain attributes. So a serious Mantis player should constantly be seeking to increase feeling, turning and sticking to become a true Chinese boxer.
