The Bridge in Hakka Mantis

The bridge in Hakka Mantis is the point of physical contact made the opponent: it could be the arm, forearm or leg, either singularly or in combination.

A Mantis player will make the bridge as a means of sensing the opponent’s energy and intentions. If the bridge is there, a player should cross the bridge. If on top, use the advantage to move to the offence. If under the bridge move to the top, regain the advantage and then attack.

In Hakka Mantis, the importance of the bridge is stressed: with contact it is possible to respond immediately to the movements of the attacker on an intuitive level, much faster than using eyes alone.

There are three types of bridge:

·        

      The simplest and still effective, is the hard bridge: where force meets force. The Mantis player literally smashes through the opponent.

·         A higher level of is the soft bridge where contact is made but the opponents force is borrowed and his power ‘cheated’.

·         Evasive bridge where using the footwork and evasion the attacker is met by empty space and the attacker neutralised