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Terrorists aren't overseas. They're at the gas pump.
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I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. -- Kung Fu-tzu (Confucius)
I saw the Pong Lai school perform at the anime convention here last month. We did a demo right after them. I might go check them out sometime just to meet the teacher over there. I think he is friends with my teacher, but I wanted to invite him out to our small informal tai chi meetings in the park, if he has time.
Actually CLF has the kicking techniques and the long techniques do to the fact it was influenced by both a northern system and 2 southern systems....But I agree sammie it is a generalization.
The Pong Lai schools has classes the same time as my class, and I don't think I'd be skipping class just to check them out. Just to make things clear, I'm not looking into picking up another style, I just want to see other styles and meet people that practice them.
I've met some really wierd people that practice martial arts, and I've also met some really cool ones. So far, the cool ones outweigh the wierd ones, but even some of the wierd ones are cool! I've found that I seem to enjoy myself better when I'm with people that share a love for their art, like me.
I guess that goes into that thing I used to hear in high school about surrounding oneself with likeminded people.
I have been exposed to both Northern and Southern Mantis. They are TOTALLY different arts all together.
The Southern is a shorter Hakka style with tight footwork and is very internal in it's body mechanics.
The Northern is built on Shaolin Long Fist, with northern Monkey/Ape footwork.
This is Southern mantis.
This is a nice compilation of the Northern style
Notice it is far more mobile, much more diverse in footwork and has jumps and kicks?
Also, Northern mantis is also an internal art, but it is generally not taught that way in the open. The internals are similar in Taiji, it just does not spend an excess of time on the slow training. Internal refinement is not taught day one like taiji, but it is definitely there and can be seen by any advanced practitioner.
The Southern is without a doubt one of the best empty hand systems i have ever seen, and even it's mid level practitioners do well against Boxers and other hand striking specialists.
The Northern if chock full of takedowns, locks throws and brutal strike combos that lead to them.
Both styles are extremely formidable arts and it is definitely worth cross training them both.
its way different....the stance for one thing can be way different....once again.good styles corrupted by people fodering with good systems and getting sloppy.but both northern and southern is good (its all good) thats what i hear.once again.these are not as common as other styles of martial art (but most definitly.thers no dophting the power of nothern OR southern)
