mantis boxing

Cracking the Black: Thomas McNair

Cracking the Black: Thomas McNair

Back in 2012, a young man in his early 20’s walked into my school and signed up for classes. He was excited, highly motivated, and ready to train. He had a great attitude and when he was in class, he would work hard. The first few years saw him…

Rise from the Ruins: Embarking Into A Dying Art of Boxing

Rise from the Ruins: Embarking Into A Dying Art of Boxing

An Essay on my Early Years in Chinese Boxing Dance

Martial arts forms (kata, tào lù) are more plentiful today than in any time in history. They are widely disseminated in a variety of martial arts schools/styles across the United States, and around the world. A majority of ‘traditional martial arts’ competitions today, are centered around stylists competing with their form of choice. One is hard pressed to enter a school of karate, kung fu; kempo, tae kwon do; or tang soo do, etc. that isn’t consumed by a curricula filled with form after form. Once you complete one form, you’ve earned the ‘privilege’ to learn another...and another...and another.

Years into my training, I went on to scorn these empty shells. For quite some time actually. One reason I held such admonishment toward ‘forms’, was having…

The Tiger Tail - My Most Hated Throw!!!

The Tiger Tail - My Most Hated Throw!!!

This was truly one of my most hated throws. In 2009, on one of my semi-annual sojourns to San Diego to train with my Mantis Boxing coach at the time, I was introduced to this personal menace. 

The primary purpose of this trip, was for my teacher to share with me the 20 throws of Mantis Boxing that his 8-Step Mantis Boxing teacher had...

How to Start Martial Arts

How to Start Martial Arts

As we get more people contacting us, and joining classes of late, I thought it was a good time to send around this video again. Max put this episode together a few years ago as part of his Swamp Talks series. Enjoy the sound effects. [Gunshots were not an intentional part of the production]