Learn Kung Fu: What is Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu?
Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu, or Tonglong, is one of the two distinct styles of the Praying Mantis martial arts, with the other being the Northern style. While both styles share the same name, their techniques and focus differ significantly.
The Northern Style is known for its deep stances and extensive use of leg work. In contrast, the Southern Style minimizes leg work, relying primarily on effective low kicks and “stepping” techniques, with a focus on delivering powerful strikes from a solid, stable foundation.
In Tonglong, the traditional full fist and knuckles are rarely used for attacks. Instead, greater emphasis is placed on the other parts of the hand, such as the side, palm, or unique hand shapes like the “Phoenix Eye Fist”, known for delivering force to vulnerable nerve points—such as the neck—on the opponent’s body.
This martial art blends speed and power, allowing practitioners to execute some of the fastest and most devastating strikes known in martial arts.
Dong Gong Chow Gar Tonglong (Southern Praying Mantis Shaolin Wu Shu) focuses on practicality rather than flashy, ineffective moves. Its techniques are fast, direct, and designed to deliver maximum force with minimal effort. By using an opponent’s own energy against them, Southern Praying Mantis delivers strikes that are not only powerful but highly efficient.
The concept of ‘Sticky Hands’ is a hallmark of Chow Gar style. It involves constant contact with an opponent, allowing the practitioner to sense their movements and detect openings in their defense. This close-range combat style thrives on maintaining proximity to the attacker, yet staying at the optimal distance to deliver effective strikes.
Tonglong also emphasizes the development and coordination of both body and mind, encouraging practitioners to combine physical strength with proper breathing techniques and internal power, known as Chi. Through relaxation exercises and focused breathing, practitioners can unlock and harness their inner strength for greater effectiveness in their practice.
Philosophy plays an integral role in Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu Wu Shu, with each technique designed to enhance not just physical skill but mental and spiritual discipline as well.
Women’s Self-Empowerment: Empowering Women with the Means to Protect Themselves
At Mantis Kung Fu Academy (MKFA), we believe that violence against women should never be tolerated. Our mission is to empower women of all ages, helping them stand up confidently for themselves, be heard equally, and play vital roles in our communities without the fear of victimization or violence.
This is why Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu is the ideal martial art for women—regardless of age, size, background, religion, or beliefs.
In the hands of a practiced female, even the simplest techniques of Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu can effectively diffuse the most powerful or aggressive opponents. Women can learn to apply martial arts using their natural strength and speed, combined with the confidence gained from training in realistic self-defense scenarios. These attributes make MKFA a pure, no-nonsense form of self-defense that gets straight to the point—delivering results when needed most.
MKFA offers specialized women’s self-defense services designed to address the unique security needs of women in today’s society. Don’t just take our word for it—visit our testimonial page to read about the empowering experiences of our students.
If you feel attack is imminent and you have no escape route, it is acceptable morally and legally to strike pre-emotively. Observation of the predator’s body language, his verbal taunts, and consistent imposing on your personal space are all factors to consider. Often the one who strikes first holds the upper hand in conflict.
Be aware that an attacker can cross 7 meters, (23 feet), in about 1.5 seconds. This means among other things, that your personal safety area can be compromised in about the time it takes your brain to effectively realise what is happening.
If you are faced with overwhelming odds, such as weapons or sheer numbers of attackers, lethal force is justified. Although your premise for defence should not be based on killing but rather incapacitating in the most effective manner necessary in order to preserve your life. If death or dismemberment of the assailant is a result of your actions, then it is just that…a consequence of THEIR actions, not yours.
However if you can be reasonably sure the attacker poses no immediate threat to your life, lethal force may put you in the defence chair in court. Examples would be a significantly smaller and less powerful individual or otherwise impaired individual. These are the cases where less than lethal tactics may be required.
Even if you properly defend yourself or a third party from attack you still may be required to defend yourself again in court. It is a good idea to learn the Self Defence laws in your area.
The best Self Defence is avoidance. Don’t be there. However this is not always possible. Keep in mind, in court you will be asked to prove you did EVERYTHING to avoid the confrontation in the first place.
Usually striking immediately gives the best chance of survival. However you may have to feign compliance until an opening arises.
Always be aware of your surroundings, and WHO is in them. TRUST YOUR GUT FEELINGS.
If you must defend yourself, do so aggressively. There are NO RULES in a fight for survival. Only prize fighters and people killed in the street try and fight with rules. FIGHT DIRTY. NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING…IS OFF LIMITS.
Targets: Pick the easiest and the weakest. THE EYES. THE GROIN. ANYWHERE ON THE NECK but especially THE THROAT. Strike hard, fast, and strike through the target. Then do it again and again and again. Do not stop striking until the attacker runs away, you can get away safely, or the authorities arrive.
ANYTIME an attacker puts his hands on you in any way, he is exposing SOMETHING. Learn to look for what is exposed and attack it. Then find the next opening and attack it. REPEAT until you can get home safely. Your goal is not to injure, maim, or kill…IT IS TO MAKE IT HOME ALIVE. That is all that matters.
Always… have a back up plan. If you carry a gun, carry a back up or another weapon…i.e. anything can break, and usually does when you need it most. (Murphy’s Law)…If one tactic, tool, or target choice doesn’t work try another and so on until you get to leave alive.
EVERYTHING IS A WEAPON. There are 3 types of weapons. Impact, cutting, and weapons of distraction. If you can’t hurt them with it, throw it in their face and use the micro second of distraction to attack.
Use you hands, elbows, knees, feet…head butt, bite, spit, and scream. If you want grace, do ballet. If you want to look pretty, join a pageant. If you want to survive a violent assault, do whatever it takes.
Keep it simple and vicious …Complicated, fancy, and honourable are for fight tournaments and Karate movies.
Fight strength to weakness not strength to strength. If you are a lady, don’t try and fist fight with a man, odds are that will be your strength vs. his strength and most of the time men are just stronger…that’s not sexist, just a physical fact. Strength to weakness is your fingers in his eyes. Your fist in his throat. Your foot his groin or kneecap. Strength to weakness.
Never ever rely on PAIN to stop a violent attacker. Some people do not respond to pain for various reasons. You must incapacitate…i.e. take away his ability to continue the assault. Example would be…tearing out his eyeball or shattering his kneecap. If he can’t see, walk, or breathe he can’t keep coming after you.
NEVER go to a secondary location with an individual you suspect will cause you harm. Predators remove would be victims in order to separate them “from the herd”. No witnesses and no one to stop them during their assault. Even if he has a gun trained on you…DO NOT go. Fight if no other option. People who go to secondary locations are at the greatest risk of being killed.
NEVER go walking or jogging wearing loud headsets. Not only should you be able to see your surroundings…you need to be able to hear them as well.
NEVER forget you have the option of saying…”NO”. If you are not comfortable allowing someone in your home or car, or even to be around you…YOU CAN SAY NO.
NEVER let the thought of a rapist dictate to you what you can wear. Provocative clothing may “excite” a man, but it will never make a decent man rape you. Rape is more about power than sex.
One of the Key Elements in security and Self Defence is a good mindset. It is also in the mind where the battle is usually won and lost…the body is just the stage on which this battle is played out. You must have the proper mindset to SURVIVE. Don’t let fear control you. Trust your intuition. Fight strategically.
It is in your mind where the battle for survival is won or lost. You must have the survival mindset…the attitude that you will survive the attack. You must turn fear into determination to stay alive. 90% of Self Defence is in the mind…10% is physical. Wars are won and lost in the battlefield of the mind.
You must decide that you will not be a victim…that you will do anything and everything you can to make it home alive. You must understand that in a violent assault you will get hurt…then you must get over it! Wounds will heal…death will not.
You must constantly be alert and aware of your surroundings to avoid being in a bad situation in the first place. However sometimes even the most alert person may find themselves in a bad predicament. You must then maintain your focus…to survive.
Trust your “gut feelings”…trust your intuition…these are not supernatural or psychic responses…they are subprograms your brain constantly runs concerning the normal and not so normal behaviour of others. If someone gives you the “creeps” there is a reason for it…just because you cannot “put your; finger on it”…does not mean there is not a problem. Your subconscious has picked up on something that is abnormal…HEED your intuitive warnings.
A weapon without the brain is just a paperweight…any tactic without the proper mindset will fall to either luck or disaster…and neither of these can be counted on to keep you alive.
The mind is your greatest Self Defence weapon. Always have it with you!
KUNG FU FOR LIFE
Age gracefully through the benefits of training with Mantis Kung Fu Academy (MKFA). We provide an improved healthy outlook on life, assuring we build greater bone density, maintain continuous oxygen flow throughout the body with QIGONG, constantly limbering joints and utilising right and left side of the brain for coordination and balance through TAI CHI, which is a soft form of CHINESE KUNG FU. Practicing MKFA techniques, can help prevent broken bones (if you may fall), improve reflexes, adding higher energy levels, increase concentration and have more control over your internal functions. This is why we are unique and at the cutting edge of SELF IMPROVEMENT AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Only when one day we realise our youth is slowly disappearing, thus looking for the miracle cure to continue with our longevity, our ancient art form of CHINESE KUNG FU and medicine is the answer. What we offer becomes invaluable to create the body and mind to be the most powerful being (human being). This is one of many reasons that training with MKFA will enhance your quality of life/living.
It is proven that the inevitable stages of ageing can be prolonged and managed with the correct tuition, motivation, self-belief, body structure, exercise and positive mind set. Sifu Damien has been teaching and sharing his knowledge in retirement villages, with the Salvation Army, as well as helping people with special needs to live a better quality of life. He also does motivational and self-empowerment seminars throughout Australia.
Here at MKFA, we are all about positive reinforcement and making sure you are at the peak of your HEALTH AND FITNESS to maintain a fantastic HEALTHY LIFESTYLE into your senior years. Remember it’s never too late to start the journey.
Here at MKFA, we are all about positive reinforcement and making sure you are at the peak of your HEALTH AND FITNESS to maintain a fantastic HEALTHY LIFESTYLE into your senior years. Remember it’s never too late to start the journey.
