CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR Q3 2024!
About Northern Shaolin Seven-Star Praying Mantis
Northern Shaolin Seven-Star Praying Mantis uses the punches, palm strikes, grabs, locks, kicks and sweeps found in many other traditional Chinese martial arts. One of the distinguishing features of the style is the mantis hook. The application of the hook embodies the principles of yin and yang–soft and hard power. It can be used to divert the force of an incoming attack–enabling a person to defend against a stronger or larger opponent. Or, it can be used to strike decisively to sensitive spots of the body such as various pressure points. Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu is especially famous for its speed and continuous attacks, as well as its use of feign attacks.
Practitioner Program
The Practitioner Program is geared towards individuals interested in more than just fighting. Students start with stretching and conditioning the body with kung fu basics. Then they learn traditional forms (classical routines of Chinese martial arts moves), weapons, meditation, two-person fighting sets, sparring, chin na and practical application of the art for self-defense. Unlike our Teacher Program, which takes on average 10 years to complete, this program takes about 3 years to realize.
Sample Program:
| SASH | DURATION | TOTAL | FORMS |
| No Sash | 3 months | 3 months | Tan Tui Lines 1-6 (彈腿) 12 Characters Foundation Basics |
| Green Sash | 3 months | 6 months | Tan Tui Lines 7-12 (彈腿) Gong Li Quan (功力拳) Application of 12 Characters |
| Green Sash w/ Gold Stripe | 3 months | 9 months | 14 Roads 1-7 (十四路拳) Beng Bu (崩步拳) |
| Green Sash w/ 2 Gold Stripes | 3 months | 12 months | 14 Roads 8-14 (十四路拳) Hard Fist (躲剛拳) Line 1 of Beng Bu 2-person Set (Applications) |
| Green Sash w/ 3 Gold Stripes | 3 months | 15 months | 18 Elders (十八叟拳) 5th Son Staff (五郎八卦棍) Line 2 of Beng Bu 2-person Set (Applications) |
| Gold Sash | 6 months | 21 months | Black Tiger Crossing (黑虎交叉) Quick fist (节拳) Thrust Hammer (插捶拳) Line 3 of Beng Bu 2-person Set (Applications) |
| Gold Sash w/ Red Stripe | 6 months | 27 months | Plum Blossom Hand (梅花手) Da Fan Che Quan (大翻車) Eight Diagram Saber (八卦刀) Line 4 of Beng Bu 2-person Set (Applications) |
| Red Sash | 6 months | 33 months | White Ape Exiting the Cave (白猿出洞) Falling Plum Blossom (梅花路) Mantis Stepping Whirlabout (螳螂步旋) Five Tiger Spear (五虎枪) Lines 1-2 of Black Tiger Crossing 2-person Set (Applications) |
| Red Sash w/ White Stripe | 6 months | 39 months | White Gibbon Stealing the Peach (白猿偷桃) Soft and Agile Palm Boxing (柔靈掌) Big Tiger & Wild Goose Boxing (大虎雁) Double Daggers (双匕首) Lines 3-4 of Black Tiger Crossing 2-person Set (Applications) |
| White Sash |
Teacher Program
Like the Practitioner Program, the Teacher Program focuses on giving individuals a solid foundation in traditional Chinese martial arts, including traditional empty-hand forms, weapons, meditation, conditioning exercises, bag work and practical applications of the art for self-defense. As students progress, they will also be introduced to additional traditional training methods such as Iron-Sand Palm and the 18 Lohan (a form of martial qigong). Students will also be exposed to herbal medicine concepts for wellness.
The Teacher Program pushes students further in their practice. They will learn more complicated forms, spar regularly, have the opportunity to train with national & international masters, travel to represent the school during competitions, act as mentors for less-experienced students, and eventually learn to lead the class as teachers. They will, most importantly, become lineage holders.
Members of the Teacher Program are the top-tiered, most devoted students at the school. The full program takes on average 10 years to complete and has a different sash ranking system and testing requirements than the Practitioner Program. The Teacher Program is by invitation only.
