Free fighting training in the Tanglang men system Tanglang Men, or Mantis Boxing, due to the incorporation of main techniques and principles of the Northern martial art styles, has become a very versatile system. The art, although often referred to as an imitative (xiangxing) type of a system, concentrates on the warrior spirit of the Mantis, more than on copying directly the movements of the insect itself. Tanglang Men makes use of a whole arsenal of strikes, grabs and throws, joint locks, vital point strikes, as well as a restricted choice of ground-fighting techniques. All strikes and throws are executed in lightning-speed series, from low, powerful and stable stances. Tanglang footwork means quick and ever-changing steps enabling a rapid and successful attack and a volatile and elusive defense.

Before commencing free-fighting training, we begin with learning the basic Tanglang Men exercises, i.e. Zhan Zhuang and Jiben Gong.

Through continual practice of the basic exercises, the flexibility of the joints, ligaments and muscles improves, which in turn leads to increasing the speed of the executed techniques. The increased flexibility of our bodies decreases in turn the risk of injury during training. One of the most important, and yet relatively unknown basic exercises are the individual standing exercises.

Standing exercises are unique to Chinese martial arts. Through assuming a motionless stance for a period of time, muscle and nervous system coordination improves, as does physical strength.

While practicing the standing exercises, the body should be kept straight and relaxed. The exercises lead to a balance of the yin and yang elements, better blood circulation, which in turn entails better qi energy circulation. And through increasing the qi, the exercises lead to the improved functioning of internal organs. Standing exercises not only improve the health of the student, but also shape numerous elements useful in free-fighting.

According to traditional training methods, Mantis techniques can be acquired only through diligent Jiben Gong training.

Free-fighting skills mean, above all, appropriate footwork and distance control. Seven Star Mantis basic step is the jinbu (qilin bu – Chinese unicorn step), i.e. stepping into the yuhuan bu stance, with the front foot stamp and a rear foot drag. The yuhuan bu (Jade Ring Stance) is the key Mantis stance. It is low and powerful, and used both as a finishing and as a transitory stance. Most often it is accompanied by a waist cut or a straight fist punch leading to a front leg knock-down (ding xin chui). The described twisting throw is considered by most Mantis schools to be the key technique.

Hooking stance (gou bu), or the Seven Star stance (qixing bu), comprise the second type of steps identified with the Mantis family. Most of the weight is on the leg behind, while the front leg directly strikes or hooks the opponent’s leg. The heel rests on the ground, toes are turned upwards and inwards, the leg in the qixing position is bent at the knee. The front leg in the gou bu functions as an effective support used in many throws and disabling techniques.

Free-fighting training is the outcome of the experiences of many generations of Mantis masters. Training methods naturally require practicing with a partner. Practicing together takes through the following stages:

1. The first stage enables one to defend against any kind of attack.

2. The second stage is the ability to notice, while defending against an attack, the opponent’s weak and vulnerable points.

3. The third stage is the ability to make use of the observed openings and counter the attack.

4. The fourth stage is the ability to make free use, during training, of all the mastered techniques.

5. The fifth stage is the ability (during a true encounter) to dominate over the opponent in every technique.

One additional point is that, in order to achieve all five of the above mentioned stages, the practitioner, apart from diligent training, should also observe one principle: the number of techniques practiced during one training session should not exceed four. Too big an appetite does not pay. As one popular saying has it: ‘No fear if he knows a thousand techniques, fear him if he knows one but well’.

Each fighting system uses its own special methods in a true confrontation. During a clash, a Mantis practitioner has a whole arsenal of hand and foot strikes at hand. Coupled with as rich a variety of sweeps, throws, blocks and grabs, the possibilities of simultaneous attacks and defenses are infinite. Tanglang punches can be both short and long-range. They usually come in series which enable swift interchange of any techniques according to the situation. An unsuccessful punch can be changed immediately into a slap, grab, strangling or lock, developing into an elbow strike with a simultaneous kick/stamping on the opponent’s foot, followed by a knock-down sweep.

Tanglang Men underlines the importance of practice and thus sanda (free-sparring) is the main element of the training session. The Tanglang sanda encompasses all areas of fighting, beginning, at the elementary level (chuji sanda), with open-palm strikes, low kicks and a restricted choice of sweeps and throws. At the intermediate level (zhongji sanda), which is commenced after a few months of training, we move to full contact fighting using all striking surfaces (elbow, knee, head, arm, foot, fist, etc.), with the exclusion of kicks and strikes to the groin and eyes. This level is practiced for a minimum of two years. At the advanced level (gaoji sanda) we use unrestricted contact, including everything from vital-point attacks to stamping kicks of opponents on the ground.

The second level is the most difficult and dangerous stage in the fight-learning process, far more so than the last level. And yet only mastering the second level (zhongji sanda) can enable us to move smoothly to the third level. At the second level we learn how to react naturally to all types of hand and foot strikes. Adding groin strikes at the next level is no longer as threatening.

In brief, when fighting using the Mantis techniques, we use long-range techniques to try to prepare a possibility of entering into a clinch and executing a throw, sweep or a knock-down. If we were to divide Mantis techniques into five parts, two of them would comprise throw and knock-down techniques (shuaifa), followed by hand techniques (shoufa), leg techniques (tuifa) and footwork (bufa).

Another point which proves decisive in free-fighting is body movement (shenfa). Correct trunk movement harmonizes with movement of the waist. Waist comprises the main pivot of movement. Correct waist movement is absolutely vital; the waist has to be relaxed and ‘sinking down’. Our waist can be strengthened only through rigorous training, so that it acquires power and flexibility. Sinking down of the waist is also advantageous to energy (air) flow towards dantian, and stance stability. Moreover, waist should be kept straight, which of course does not mean excessively stiff. While attacking, waist should follow the movement, bending forward and sideways, but keeping the correct positioning of the centre of gravity. Incorrect stance is marked by a stooped head and a waist bent like in a cat.

The right stance is also the right spirit. Spirit is power. Without strong spirit you cannot attain courage and power to be unchallenged.

During training we should think about the opponent in terms of a life and death struggle:

刀 劍相交全不畏，四方敵圍皆不懼

DAO JIAN XIANG JIAO, QUAN BU WEI, SI FANG DI WEI, JIE BU JU.

’When sword and saber cross, there is nothing to fear. With enemy on all sides, there is nothing to dread.’

Only when we nourish in ourselves such a fighting spirit, can we acquire courage and power to destroy the opponent. We will start thinking naturally in terms of attack and defense, our shoulders will sink in ever lower, head will be kept straighter, the look of our eyes will be like a slash of a sword, and nobody will defy us.

Slawomir Milczarek

(transl. M. Jacoby)