Praying Mantis is a form of Chinese martial arts. It is originated in the Shandong province and quickly became one of the four most influential martial art styles in the region.
During its early years, Praying Mantis developed into three traditional schools:
- Plum Praying Mantis,
- Seven Star Praying Mantis, and
- Six Harmony Praying Mantis.
Plum Praying Mantis and Seven Start Praying Mantis are also called "Hard Praying Mantis" while Six Harmony is called "Soft Praying Mantis". The former emphasizes on explosive power and strength, while the later mainly use slow, Tai-chi-like movements. Many smaller schools of Praying Mantis were further developed based on these three major schools of Praying Mantis.
A good Praying Mantis martial arts goes beyond performing the "form" of mantis-like actions so he can internalizes the spirit of an attacking mantis. As a martial art style that emphasizes on speed, Praying Mantis practitioners follow the principles of "quick eyes", "quick hands", and "quick body". Movements should follow each other quickly while maintaining the potential to change according to the opponent's actions.
Due to its strong emphasis on speed, Praying Mantis movements are incomparable to boxing or Muy Thai, in terms of the power of each strike. However, an experienced Praying Mantis artist is skilled at striking (much) more at his opponent and thus creates strong psychological pressure. |
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The History of Ninjutsu Author: James Dunn It is certainly no surprise that Ninjutsu does not have a clear lineage or history, especially given its dealings with extreme amounts of secrecy, stealth and escapism. More than likely, the early founders of Ninjutsu did not necessarily want many people knowing where this art came from, considering they were trying to remain concealed and as unobtrusive as possible. We do know, however, that Ninjutsu originated in the country of Japan when early mountaineers needed to devise complex methods of survival. As time went on, however, Ninjutsu became more popular of an art and many schools were set up in its name in order to teach Ninjutsu and pass on this extremely rare and unique knowledge. During the early stages of Ninjutsu, a man by the name of Juhakkei (who was a ninja) studied alongside a man by the name of Juhappan (a Samurai warrior) and together, they each developed two very different and yet similar standards for their respective martial arts. In Ninjutsu, these became known as 18 Disciplines and formed a standard to which all Ninjutsu schools should adhere. Another important figurehead in the development of Ninjutsu was a man by the name of Masaaki Hatsumi. Masaaki Hatsumi is the head of the Bujinkan Dojo and is one of the few original Bujinkan teachers left, however, Masaaki Hatsumi was required to modernize traditional Ninjutsu to suit the changing and developing needs of the Japanese people. However, Masaaki Hatsumi is now considered to be the head figure of Ninjutsu itself, and he is said to actually have possession of the Densho (ancient scrolls) on which the original 18 Disciplines were written. Masaaki Hatsumi's ancestry can be drawn back 34 generations which may give Ninjutsu authorities and experts some clues about who might have originally founded Ninjutsu, however, it is not likely that a definitive conclusion will be reached in that respect. Ninjutsu has reached a peak in popularity with several movies and television shows that are showcasing ninjas and the art of Ninjutsu, such as the comedy Beverly Hills Ninja and Kill Bill I and II. Unfortunately, neither of these moves, although well known, paints Ninjutsu in the best light. True ninjas may find the entertainment industry's take on the art form somewhat infuriating or embarrassing, but because of the ninja's secrecy, Hollywood is left to draw its own conclusions. It is quite possible that Ninjutsu's somewhat unsavory reputation can be contributed to the entertainment industry as well however, true followers and Ninjutsu enthusiasts understand Ninjutsu's true meaning. Ninjutsu is not necessarily as practical a martial art as it once was, however, many people still believe it has applications in modern society today. Some people also believe that the only true way to study Ninjutsu is to study under a ninja master who was schooled by a ninja master and so on until an original Bujinkan teacher is traced. Either way, Ninjutsu has taken its place among history and society and will not soon be forgotten. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/the-history-of-ninjutsu-188092.html About the Author: James Dunn owns and opperates Martial Arts Tutor Visit Ninjutsu Lessons for more information about Ninjutsu or Muay Thai Lessons to learn about Muay Thai.
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The History of Kendo Author: James Dunn The martial art form known as Kendo has perhaps one of the most well known histories in martial arts today. Starting in Japan during the Kamakura period, Japanese sword fighting became exceedingly prevalent among Samurai warriors and other military peoples. During this time, Kendo was created beneath extremely heavy and powerful Zen Buddhist influences, this is perhaps the reason that the principles and ideology that run within the martial art of Kendo are so strong. Zen Buddhism considers the division between life and death a mere concept or delusion, that life and death are not as separated as humans think. Using this philosophy, Samurai warriors were able to confidently discount the fear during a sword fight or battle and often emerge victorious. Because Kendo was associated with the fighting styles of the Samurai warriors, the popularity of this form of martial art grew astonishingly quickly. Many martial art schools (or dojos) opened up shortly after to begin teaching students who wished to learn Kendo. These martial arts schools formed the basis for Kendo as we know it today and many of the schools mirrored a single instructor's enlightenment or individual forms and theses for fighting. Although there were many Kendo masters sharing their individual knowledge with students across the country, Kendo changed very little from its original inception. Most of the techniques (also known as kata) have not changed and almost none of the concepts and philosophies within Kendo have changed. It is perhaps these philosophies that have kept the art form on such a solid ground. Kendo is having been considered more modernized by a man by the name of Naganuma Sirozaemon Kunisato, he introduced the bamboo fighting staffs called shinai and full body armor (known as bogu) to Kendo schools around the country. The popularity of Kendo increased ever more so since the introduction of safer training techniques and it was during the 18th century that Kendo began becoming known in countries other than Japan. After developing safer practice forms along with the use of shinai and bogu, Kendo morphed into the martial art form as we know it today. Similar to other forms of martial arts, Kendo employs a belt grading system known as the kyu and dan grading structure and has been around for centuries since being used in several earlier forms of martial arts. The use of these grading structures allows a Kendo master to assess the skill level of the student so that he or she can begin learning new techniques and practicing his or her skills on equally skilled opponents. This type of system has been around since the creation of Judo by Kano Jigoro. The only difference between the levels of skill in Kendo and other martial arts is that there is no obvious difference between students, although the skill levels are awarded, there are no different colored belts or uniforms to distinguish a lower level student from a higher one. During the year 1970, the International Kendo Federation was formed and since that year, International Kendo Championships have been held tri-annually for those students who wish to compete. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/the-history-of-kendo-175690.html About the Author: James Dunn owns and opperates Martial Arts Tutor Visit Kendo Lessons for more information about Kendo or Karate Lessons to learn about Karate.
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The History of Capoeira Author: James Dunn Capoeira was formed by African slaves that were forced into immigration by Portugal into South America between the 16th and 19th centuries. The most popular destination for these African captives was Brazil, and with them, the slaves brought their music, traditions and religions. The oppression caused by slavery was a huge mechanism for Capoeira, and the martial art was mainly developed as a way to escape and resist the domination that governed their everyday lives. The music was one of the most important factors in Capoeira not only did it serve as a rhythm for the players to "fight" to, it helped lift the captives' spirits and gave them joy when there was little other joy to be found. |
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