The keyword formula of Mantis Boxing comprises the principles that define the art. They have been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years. These can vary based on the style/lineage, and have different interpretations. Here is one version of the 12 Keywords.
Hook (Gōu 勾) is the first of the 12 keywords of Mantis Boxing.
A Praying Mantis seizes it's opponent with it's large arms and hooks. It pulls it's prey off balance and devours it on the ground. When observing the mantis against a larger foe, one can see the mantis pounce, take the back, use it’s legs to hold on, and continually gain control of it's opponent while it bites and gains better hook positions to attack, and keep it safe.
We don't have large mandibles to chew on our opponents, nor would I advocate biting your enemies unless absolutely necessary. What we do borrow from a mantis' tactics is: controlling, seizing, binding up...the hooks!
The Mantis Hook, hand shape (Xiàng (象)) is a key indicator of the style. This seemingly innocuous shape is highly effective and ingenious in it’s design. Other martial arts styles also use hooks: White Crane, Muay Thai, Wrestling (Mongolian and Western), but the Mantis hook places emphasis on the curling of the fingers to strengthen the forearm and the holds.
When a Mantis Boxer latches onto an opponent, the hook has been trained to create a tight clinch. When practicing forms (tao lu 套路, or shadow boxing), they emphasize folding the fingers into the hook hand, engaging the muscles in the forearm. Training with this focus, as well as other tools/drills, increases the hook strength in the arms of the Mantis Boxer, giving them more control over their opponent.
The common hooks are: neck hook, over hook, under hook, arm hook, wrist hook, and leg hook.
Today we’re going to show you the various hook positions used in Mantis Boxing, and other fighting arts found around the globe, as well as some key details on making the hook even stronger. This is the foundation of Mantis Boxing, and it’s namesake.
How to Hook
Disengaging the Hooks
Clinch (Lǒu 摟) is the second of the 12 keywords of Mantis Boxing. The keyword formula houses the principles that define the art. They have been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years.
Clinch is when we move from kicking and striking, to being tied up in the hooks, body clinch, rear clinch, underhook position, etc. This is where elbows, knees, takedowns take precedence over striking, but also where we are vying for control of our opponent's body and limbs.
The components of grip fighting, neck control, and gaining a positional advantage take precedence over using the fists. "Position before submission". Attaining superior position can lead to the takedown, throw, elbow, or knee, increasing the likelihood of ending the engagement. Managing range is crucial here, and we'll tackle more of that when we get to 'Adhere' (Tie 貼).
Why Clinch?
The clinch precedes the throw/takedown in many cases. Mantis Boxing is designed to strike and kick it’s way in, to affect a throw. Once engaged in the throwing attempt, an opponent may counter, out maneuver, over power, or strike. It is important to increase our grappling skills in order to handle this phase of the engagement.
Pluck (Cǎi 採) is the third of the 12 keywords of Mantis Boxing. The keyword formula houses the principles that define the art. They have been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years.
With Pluck (Cǎi 採), a short sharp pull down, or powerful snap, we can feed our adversary into a disadvantaged position. Commonly used after Mantis Catches Cicada, and White Ape Invites Guest.
Pluck initiates from hook or the grapple. It is an integral component to setting up many takedowns, headlocks, chokes, and strikes found in Mantis Boxing.
Pluck is used in conjunction with the neck hook, double neck hook, wrist, and double arm hook.
Use in conjunction with Diao, Hang, Lean, Grapple.
Zhan - connecting with the opponent. The process of trying ‘to stick’ to them. This can be done by grabbing, hooking, finding a way to slow down the limb e.g., a retracting arm, a leg, or taking advantage of a limb left behind.
Connect can also be accomplished through a strike, or a block. If we strike with a punch, and snap our arm back, we gain the advantage of returning to our guard position and defending counter-strikes. The idea with ‘connect’ is, finding a way to stick to the opponent so we can close in (Enter (Jin 進) ) and control the limbs; ultimately getting to a hooked up position so we can affect knees/elbows/trips/takedowns/throws/locks.
Connect translates as ‘to stick’. A good descriptive is if you took a piece of chewed up bubble gum and threw it at a wall, or stuck it to a desk, when it makes contact, that is Zhan. Closely linked to Nian, they appear to mean the same thing, but Nian is sticking, when you try to pull the gum off the wall afterwards.
Nian - is the act of sticking once we are engaged. Once connected, staying in contact i.e., clinging, sticking, following, allows you to ‘feel’ where your opponent is at all times, and control limbs. Instead of the floating limb being able to bite you.
Show a disconnected arm versus a connected arm.
Hang (Guà 掛) wears down our opponent, and forces more pressure on them while stabilizing our own position. This saps their strength, and decreases their mobility.
If we use the Mantis Hook on the neck while in the Clinch (Lǒu 摟), but we leave the hook loose, or stand up straight, we have no control over our opponent. By dropping the pelvis (the largest bone in the human body), we use our lowered center of gravity to 'hang' on our opponents neck.
In addition to sapping our opponents strength, we are able to do this with using less strength of our own. Try standing straight up and hooking your partner's neck. In order to pull them downward, or restrict their movement, we would need to use an incredible amount of strength. Now try the same thing and drop your hips while hanging on your partner. Notice the difference in strength usage, and intensity. This makes it much harder for them to move, while using less strength ourselves.
Once we are hanging on our opponent, now we can use Sly (Diao 刁), Clinch (Lǒu 摟), and Pluck (Cǎi 採) to set up trips, takedowns, and/or strikes.
Diāo 刁 translates as Sly, Tricky; Wicked. Seems pretty vague if you ask me. However, when we're fighting, the use of deceptive tactics become part and parcel to the art we are doing.
If we are a Boxer, we'll rely heavily on fakes and feints to expose weaknesses, or create weaknesses in our opponent.
If we are a grappler, pretending to go for a choke in order to get someone to expose their arm so we can apply an Arm Bar, is another variation of this theme.
In addition to these, in Mantis Boxing, we use a technique that Taijiquan calls - "leading our opponent into emptiness". What that means is - if I want them go one direction, I need to lead them somewhere else first.
Using Pluck (Cǎi 採), and Push, Lean (Kao 靠) as well as fakes, and feints, or; setting up a grip, or a throw so we can really go for something else. Using movements one direction to setup throw or trip in another.
These are all ways of using deception to get something to work, rather than using strength to try to force it. There is always someone stronger, and even if we're the strongest on the planet, we all get sick, and have bad days. Relaxing and being sensitive to our opponents movements like we discussed with Connect (Zhān 粘) & Cling (Nián 黏), can allow us to read our opponent and trick them into submission.
Expound on each of these -
How to engage with our opponent. Crossing the threshold known as critical distance, and engaging in the battle.
Going from striking, to grappling. Moving in. If you we stay in place, and do not ‘ADVANCE’ when we Connect/Cling then we are reaching with 2 arms out, and violating guard principle.
Running them down - if opponent doesn’t move, we continue to advance. Change gears on the way in. Kicks to Strikes, to Elbows and Knees, to Grapple Hook to Takedown. Follow.
If Opponent moves back and creates space, advance and move in with a kick, or strike until you can adhere once more.
Bēng (崩 - pronounced Bung), is one of the 12 keywords/principles of Tángláng Quán (Praying Mantis Boxing 螳螂拳). It has been handed down for generations as a defining principle of the style. It's meaning - to ‘collapse and fall into ruin’. It is also used as 'crushing' in some occurrences.
The intent, or purpose of Bēng, and why it is important enough to be added to the defining principles of Mantis Boxing, is due to it's sheer destructive capability. It has more to do with the location of the strike, than a specific type of strike. It could be a straight punch, hook punch, scraping fist, reverse punch, or even a knee.
Bēng is shared across many fighting styles of Chinese Martial Arts originating along the Yellow River in China. Crossover of techniques and principles that work, or the use of a technique that defeated another opponent, would surely be picked up and used among anyone in the know. The common use of Bēng Quán in Xíng Yì Quán, Tángláng Quán, and Tàijí Quán being a clear example.
It is witnessed in other fighting arts such as Karate, which traces it's history to the ancient Tang Dynasty, and was originally translated as "way of the Tang hand" (Karate-Do: My Way of Life - Gichin Funakoshi). This later spawned systems such as Tang Soo Do, and Tae Kwon Do which also share a similar posture and attack.
Bēng, or Bēng Dǎ (Crushing Strike), is used to attack the vital targets in the midsection of an opponent. Effective strike targets such as: the liver, stomach; ribs, and the treasure - the solar plexus. All of these targets can disable an opponent with one hit. This is seen in countless boxing matches, UFC battles, Muay Thai fights, and Kickboxing bouts.
What does it have to do with the definition? Simple - what happens when you land a good strike on an opponent in one of these locations? They "collapse and fall into ruin".
Bēng Bù (Crushing Step 崩步) is one of the core forms (sequence of techniques/applications) of Mantis Boxing, and one of the earliest on record for the style. The name translates as 'Crushing Step', however, it is more specifically about the strike, and how to generate power, not in an actual 'crushing' step.
The character Bù ( step 步 ), is used to define a step-by-step process, or, in this case, using the step (footwork) to generate force/power in the execution of - Bēng Dǎ (Crushing Strike).
Bēng Bù contains a myriad of other attacks - throws, grapples, plucks, kicks, elbow strikes, however, Bēng is the real treasure inside the form. The very first move, Crazy Ghost Fist, uses Bēng Quán in it's attack. This move is followed by Mantis Catches Cicada, then, there lies another Bēng Quán attack. On and on, throughout the subsequent roads of the form we find repeated use of this strike/principle, and the correlating footwork to go along with power generation for the execution of the strike.
Given that one of the core principles in Mantis Boxing is 'Bēng', the true intent of the Bēng Bù form, (one of the oldest on record for the style), is to predominantly house techniques using Bēng Dǎ, with other throws, kicks, etc. mixed in. Bēng, as a principle, can use a fist, a knee, a kick, all to accomplish the goal of - causing the opponent to - 'collapse, and fall into ruin'.
Mantis Boxing is comprised of punches (using the fist) as well as open hand striking. Since the art is based on combatives vs sport, the open hand striking is more prevalent to the head to avoid breaking the hand. Punching is generally reserved for softer targets in the torso and groin.
At it’s roots, Mantis is about stand-up grappling. We strike/kick to either knock out the opponent, or get to a grappling position to set up a throw/trip/takedown.
Types of Strikes:
For more on Strike (Da 打) - see Striking in Mantis Boxing
Space management. Creating space when on the defense, and removing space from our opponent when being offensive. If you want to reduce the level of control an enemy has on you, then framing them, slipping the hooks, and increasing distance can help keep you from getting toppled. Show framing the neck with Peng.
On the inverse, when attacking the opponent, removing their space allows for greater control and openings for the takedown.
***Managing range becomes a crucial element. If someone stretches back, and we’re still trying to keep hooks, we can get destroyed. We have to change gears and switch back to striking, or even kicking. (point to video with Ando in L.A. on managing range)
If an opponent pushes off, or backs up, we follow them to stay connected.
It’s important to recognize the saying from BJJ - “position before submission”. Don’t get so focused on striking, that you give up your position in the process. Being methodical, and taking attacks of opportunity, rather than trying to force the strike, allows for higher probability of staying dominant.
Kào (pronounced Coww) is an often overlooked and underappreciated principle in two popular styles of Chinese Martial Arts -Tángláng Quán (Praying Mantis Boxing 螳螂拳) , and Tàijí Quán (Supreme Ultimate Boxing 太極拳). Kào is defined in both the Tàijí Quán - 13 Principles, as well as the Praying Mantis Boxing - 12 Keywords; the hard and fast tenets of both styles.
Kào (靠) translates as 'lean', or more specifically 'lean against; depend on'. In Tàijí Quán circles it is often referred to as ‘shoulder stroke. When reviewing the old Tàijí Quán texts and writings, you can see the character for Kào is exactly the same as the keyword in Tángláng Quán. This is significant, given that both styles are rooted and revolve around stand-up grappling.
As mentioned, in Tàijí Quán, Kào translates as 'Shoulder Stroke' or 'Lean'. In Mantis Boxing, Kào is translated as Lean. It is actually both. Stroking with the shoulder, or leaning to effect a take down. Stroking can be explained as the physics term - Applied Force (add definition), or in some regards Normal Force (add definition).
How can stroking with your shoulder, or 'leaning' be a major principle in a style? Sounds a bit silly right? I remember thinking so myself at one time. "What is the point of that?", I said to myself many years ago while reading book after book searching for answers.
At the time I was researching these principles, I was primarily a striker. I did not have a ton of grappling experience, so this idea/concept was foreign to me. Having delved into the grappling world since then, much of this has become 'obvious'.
I now espouse that if you give a Tàijí Quán manual to boxer, they won't have a clue what to make of it. If you give it to a wrestler/grappler, chances are they will immediately decipher the terminology, and understand the content enclosed.
I use Tàijí Quán repeatedly as a reference here, because it is the most heavily documented and widely proliferated of all the Chinese Martial Arts. Lucky for us, Praying Mantis Boxing, and Supreme Ultimate Boxing are 'brothers-in-arms'. Heralding from the same region and time period, with many shared principles.
Back to the 'Shoulder Stroke'...it's not like we are stroking our cat. On the one hand if we tried to pull off a shoulder stroke at long to mid range with our opponents hands ready to maul us, then yes, we would be punished severely for this transgression.
Additionally, if we are in striking/kicking range and leaning forward, we are giving our opponent a significant reach/range advantage. One we will pay the price for before we ever get close enough to grapple (Lǒu 摟).
On the other hand, if we are in close range, where Tàijí Quán and Tángláng Quán heavily function, the game changes. When our opponent is controlling our arms, or body (neck hooks, underhooks, body clinch), or our arms are occupied controlling theirs, then there are certain limitations on what can and cannot take place. This is where Kào becomes increasingly valuable.
Once we are engaged in the Grapple (Lǒu 摟), we now start to lean in to protect our position. If we continue to stay upright, then we are susceptible to Crashing Tide (single/double leg takedowns), Step Up to Seven Star (body clinch with leg hook), Point at Star (standing arm triangle with takedown), Reaping Leg Throw, etc.
The shoulder stroke terminology, is a good way to explain the use of the shoulder in some of the takedowns shown above, and in this video below. As you can see, the shoulder is used heavily to affect applied force in the execution of the takedown.
These are a few of the manifestations of Kào that show its potential. Clearly the founders of these two styles of martial arts realized the importance of this principle and rightfully placed it in the list of tenets to be passed down from generation to generation. When properly understood and used, Kào can be a valuable tool when playing Supreme Ultimate Boxing or Praying Mantis Boxing.
'Go Lean' and topple your foes!