About Tong Long
Southern Preying Mantis Kung Fu is very fast, direct, and effective. Mantis practitioners do not give their opponents a chance to deliver more than one blow. The practitioner turns defense into attack by striking immediately. The mantis philosophy is to keep hitting until your opponent is disabled or down. The theory is to get your opponent off-balance and not let him regain it; at the same time, shift in close and attack with many rapid-fire short strikes.
The mantis believes it is better to apologise, than be apologised to. In this system, speed is essential. Mantis practitioners don’t draw back their hands to strike – it’s too slow and this also telegraphs your intentions to your opponent. This system trains practitioners to be able to deliver maximum power through correct external and internal body mechanics. The progressive practise of Ying, Yi, Hai, Sun, Gung in our training allows for devastating power to be produced in our strikes from very short distances.
This video feautres Tong Long masters from the CKFA, demonstrating high level jongs and training practices.
Chinese Kung Fu Academy Feature Video (Part 2 of 2)
This video features Tong Long masters from the CKFA, training and demonstrating high level jongs and tile breaks.
Stance
The traditional Southern system takes its power from the correct stance, or ma. This stance involves grabbing the floor at just the right moment to generate and deliver maximum power to the striking surface. Training this stance is very regimental and robotic at first, but progressively becomes freer. The robotic, slow training allows students to begin to feel the coordination of their feet, legs, and body. This can then be joined to the striking or tearing hands. Students learn to grab their ma only on the impact of the generated strikes. This allows for freedom when moving in a fight, then suddenly grabbing the ma and hitting to produce the famous preying mantis Gang Tarn Ging, or uninterrupted shock power. The way the Southern mantis uses the stance follows the Chinese philosophy of ” formlessness to form, and from form to formlessness”.
Blocking
Our blocks are initiated as attacks. To defend ourself we will strike any incoming limbs with a ferocity that immediately puts the attacker on the back foot. The initial block can be used as an attack to redirect the force of their attacking blow, but it is still hit with maximum power. This power is not used directly against force in the Preying Mantis system; again, that wastes valuable time. Using Tai Chi principles we redirect the blow and immediately counterattack with rapid, multiple strikes.
Striking
Power comes from the feet through the legs and body, and up out the fist. The entire body becomes the driving force. Basically a close-in fighting system, Southern Preying Mantis is known for its “one-inch strikes”, similar to the one-inch punch made famous by the legendary Bruce Lee. Many of the strikes are open palm attacks which are a faster strike to deliver. The characteristic fist of the system is the phoenix eye fist, which the mantis practitioner uses to attack pressure points. The distance needed to provide the devastating power of Southern Preying Mantis becomes shorter over time as the training moves from externally generated power to internally generated power. In this system with regular discipline it will become possible to knock someone out with you palm already contacting their head, without the need to physically draw back your arm.
We emphasise learning to deliver strikes with maximum power output. What better way to deter a would-be attacker than delivering power that instantly produces fear. If you can hit hard enough a person will faint, whether you hit their head, arm, or body.
Kicking
Southern Preying Mantis kicks are mostly delivered low, below the waist, in order to maintain balance and speed. Low kicks are harder to block. This is also because the mantis will punch and attack the head, while kicking below at the same time. The mantis will kick the groin, knees, ankles, calf, and stomp to crush the feet and toes.
Weapons
Weapons in the Southern Mantis fighting style include, the Staff, Tridents, Walking Stick, Single Broadsword, Butterfly Swords, Tai Chi Sabre, and Tai Chi Fan. Weapons are taught to students after they have spent time on the basics.
Equipment
Training equipment, includes iron rings, metal dummies, hanging bags, wall bags, wooden poles, hand and body pads, finger, wrist, and forearm tools, all designed to improve the mantis’ power, speed, co-ordination, body conditioning, and balance. For show we will often break stacks of concrete roofing tiles, as shown in the picture below and the youtube footage above.
