Analyzing Thrusting Foot Boxing

In my martial arts classes, I instruct a number of qualified martial arts instructors. Their responses are beyond that of the average martial arts practitioner. It is because of their desire to learn more about Northern Praying Mantis boxing that I decided to share my knowledge to all of you in what to look for in analyzing a boxing form. Of course, you must show some caution: a little knowledge can be dangerous. So proceed slowly and remember, I'm not trying to sell you a martial arts form, but rather, I'm trying to direct you to the method and the way that I analyze a boxing form.

If you are a practitioner of Northern Praying Mantis Boxing, then this article might be of some particular interest to you. The first step I would go through is to review my last article, analyzing your boxing form's horse stances and basic footwork. See if Mr. Wang Lang's twelve fighting techniques of "Thrusting Foot Boxing" (Beng Bo) does apply in some way to your boxing form. So let's go through a few "Rules of Chuan." This is what I do when I learn a boxing form. After learning all of the movements in this form, I would create a mental image of what I'm practicing. Based on the "Rules of Chuan," there must be an entire list of fist, palm, and claw strikes. If your instructor did not supply you with a list, then you've got to list it down yourself.

To make it easy on myself, I've listed eight basic fist strikes in "Thrusting Foot Boxing." The first fist strike is the "Sun fist strike" (Ri Zhi Chui) found in posture 8, "Right advancing step with fist" and in posture 27, "Pointing south fist." The second strike is the "Backfist strike" (Beng Chui) found in posture 11 "Kneeling down and whipping out the backfist" and in posture 47 "Stepping up and delivering a backfist." The third strike is the "Receiving fist strike" (Jie Lu Chui). It is found in posture 15, after performing the "White crane spreading its wings." The fourth strike is the "Hook, grapple, and punch strike" (Gou Lou Chui) found in posture 17. The fifth strike is the "Follow-up fist strike" (Bu Chui) which is found in posture 19, after performing a left thrusting palm. The sixth strike is the "Pressing fist strike" (Ya Chui) found in posture 46, "Agile cat capturing a rat." The seventh strike is the "Upwards block straight fist strike" (Gua Tong Chui), performed after the "Pressing fist strike." And the eighth strike, "Horizontal fist strike" (Heng Chui) found in postures 48 and 49, "Delivering a left and right sideways fist."

For my advanced students, I have them train these fist striking techniques on various punching bags comprising of sand, then gravel, and then stainless steel pellets before having them practice on the Shaolin 108 wooden dummy form.

Upon proficiency, I have my students train in the eleven basic palm strikes of "Thrusting Foot Boxing." Again, the use of palm striking bags is not a requirement, but a suggestion. The first palm strike is the "Jump on palm" (Pu Zhang) found in posture 4, "Lifting stance while delivering a palm blow." The second palm strike is the "Inserting palm" (Cha Zhang) found in postures 7,12, 16, and 18. The third palm strike is the"Waist chopping palm" (Zhan Yao Zhang) found in posture 21, "Grab and chop the opponent's waist" and posture 51, "A mantis chopping the waist." The fourth palm is called, "Splitting palm" (Pi Zhang) usually directed at your opponent's belly or abdomen. It is found in posture 22, "Single downwards chop." The fifth is the "Cutting palm" (Qie Zhang) found in posture 24 as a chop to your opponent's elbow and also in posture 53, "Mandarin duck kick." The sixth palm strike is the "Trapping palms" (Yin Zhang) found in posture 33. The seventh palm is the "Piercing palm" (Chuan Zhang) found in posture 38, "Poisonous snake piercing the waist." The eighth palm strike is the "Back palm" (Gua Mian Zhang) found in posture 41, "Support the sky palm." The ninth palm is the "Propping palm" (Ding Zhang), a horizontal thrusting palm found in posture 42, "Whipping chop to the ribs." The tenth palm is the "Rubbing palm" (Cuo Zhang). It imitates rubbing or filing palm movements, found in postures 43 and 44, "Left and right rubbing palms." And the eleventh palm strike of "Thrusting Foot Boxing" is found in posture 54, near the conclusion of this form. It is called, "Blocking and intercepting palm" (Feng Bi Zhang).

What about the Praying Mantis Claw strikes? Now you are getting smarter. You are thinking. The mantis claw, a unique fighting feature of this 300-year-old boxing style. To train in this type of technique, you need good eyesight, various sizes of bean bags for catching, and a bucket of soybeans or gravel to train your finger strikes. Again, lets go through the "Thrusting Foot Boxing." You are probably quite familiar with it by now. To keep it simple, I have identified six basic praying mantis claw shaped striking techniques. The first claw strike is the "Single forearm claw" (Dan Bi Zhao) found in postures 5 and 23. Both mantis claw techniques attack the crotch area. The second claw strike is probably the most famous double mantis claw, "Arresting the cicada hands" (Bu Chan Shou). It is found in postures 6 and 55, "Two ears fanning the wind." The third claw is "Separate the strength while arresting the cicada" (Fan Shi Bu Chan). There are many examples of this claw as in posture 21, "Grasp and chop opponent's waist," in posture 29, "Grappling technique," in posture 31, "Hooking hand and sweeping leg," in postures 48 and 49, "Delivering left and right sideways hooks," and in posture 50, "A mantis clawing opponent's face." The fourth claw strike is "Elbow at the bottom while watching the claw" (Zhou Dai Kan Zhao) found in posture 30, "Bending elbow with strike." The fifth claw technique is "Turnover and colliding claw" (Fan Chong Zhao) found in posture 37, "White snake spits out its tongue." The sixth and final praying mantis claw is the "Silk winding hands" (Chan Si Shou) which is a hidden technique found in the hand and arm locking movements of the form.

Don't forget about the leg strikes. In this boxing form, I have identified four basic leg strikes to practice. The first leg strike is the "Scoop the Crotch Leg" (Liao Yin Tui) found in posture 3. The second is the "Mandarin duck leg" (Yuan Yang Tui) found in posture 53. The third leg strike is the "Leg bump" (Zha Tui), a strike to your opponent's knee and shin area, executed as a hidden strike after performing "Agile cat capturing a rat." The fourth leg strikes is also a hidden strike called, "Sprouting leg" (Jiu Tui) executed while delivering sideways striking. In the "Rules of Chuan," you want to "Simultaneously kick with evasive body movements" (Jiao Qu Shen Li). Think about it.

In the "Rule of Chuan," there is a section called, "Knowing where your attacks and defense are?" (Gong Fang Jian Bei). There are four basic methods to absorb. The first method is the "Quick block after an attack." I have identified five variations of this method in "Thrusting Foot Boxing." They can be found in posture 4, "Lifting stance while delivering a palm blow," in posture 5, "Step up and attack," in posture 9, "Grabbing your opponent's hand and attack his face, " in posture 36, "Golden dragon embracing the moon," and in posture 37, "White snake spits out its tongue."

The second method is the "Quick attack after your block." You can find this in postures 18 and 19, "Left thrusting palm to right follow-up punch." The third method is "Attack simultaneously as a means of blocking," found in posture 11, using a kneeling stance while whipping out a backfist. The fourth method is the "Simultaneous block and attack." You can find examples of this method in posture 12, "Jade ring needle under the armpit," in posture 25, "Morning sky elbow," and in posture 26, "Delivering an elbow strike with lifting stance."

When I first began my martial arts training in 1960 at the Kuo Ming Tang Physical Culture Club, I practiced the boxing theory of faking an attack to the eyes while intending to deliver a blow to the crotch area. Striking high to hide your low blows. Vice versa. Faking a low strike, intending to strike high at your opponent's face or throat was the prevailing theory at that time. In those days, it worked well against hoodlums, con artists, pan handlers, and the young servicemen. In the "Rules of Chuan" there is also a third part of this theory. Yes, you guessed it, "Simultaneously striking both high and low" (Shang Xia Qi Shi Zhi Die Fa). Check out posture 21, "Grab and chop your opponent's waist," posture 31, "Hooking hands and sweeping legs," postures 48 and 49, "Making left and right horizontal strikes."

Don't forget, in "Thrusting Foot Boxing," you have the weapons of both elbow strikes and arm locks. In the "Rules of Chuan," you can learn the techniques of "Inflicting injures to your opponent's tendons and bones" (Fan Jin Cuo Gu Zhi Fa Jiang Duo). There is the folding elbow (Die Zhou) in posture 10, "Inwardly turned elbow" and the sticking elbow (Nian Zhou) found in posture 25, "Upwardly directed elbow." The arm locking techniques are found in the following six postures. Review posture 13, "Dragging the lamb," posture 20, "Tyrant king invites his guests, posture 24, "Chopping opponent's elbow, posture 28, "Carrying and embracing hand," and postures 43 and 44, "Left and right rubbing palm."

Before concluding, I must bring to your attention the "Rules of Chuan," regarding "Multi-directional fighting" (Si Fang Ba Mian Da Fa). In "Thrusting Foot Boxing," slowly go through postures 22 through 28, "Single downwards chop to leg trapping technique." You will have to rely on your quick eyesight and your quick reflexes to practice the quick footwork and the quick striking this boxing form has to offer. If you have reached this level of boxing, let me congratulate you. You can now ask your martial arts instructor if you are ready to move to the next level and learn more advanced fighting principles and techniques.

Mahalo,
Professor Randy Choy
Founder of the Chinese Athletic Arts Academy
Advisor to the Hawaii Martial Arts International Society
Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis Organization, Hawaii

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