Why the Keywords of Mantis Boxing Matter

What Type of Gloves Should You Train With?

MMA Gloves or Boxing Gloves? Which glove should you train with?

This is a great question we are going to tackle today. The type of glove we use in training, can have adverse affects on our skills. It's important to know the difference and choose the right glove, for the right goals we are trying to achieve.

What's the difference between and MMA vs Boxing Glove? Why should we be concerned with it? Check out this video to find out.

CRUSH (Bēng 崩) - 9 of 12 - The Keywords of Mantis Boxing

Crush (Bēng 崩)

Crush (Bēng 崩) - to ‘collapse and fall into ruin’. Also known as 'crushing' in many Chinese Martial Arts usages. Bēng is used to attack the vital targets in the midsection of an opponent. Effective strike targets such as: the liver, stomach; ribs, and the real treasure - the solar plexus, or central palace in Taijiquan. All of these targets can disable an opponent with one hit. This is seen in countless boxing matches, UFC battles, Muay Thai fights, and Kickboxing bouts. What happens when you land a good strike on an opponent in one of these locations? They "collapse and fall into ruin".

Bēng, as a principle, can use a fist, a knee, a kick, all to accomplish the goal of - causing the opponent to - 'collapse, and fall into ruin'.

Aligning the Strike

If you examine the height of many of the stances found in Chinese Martial Arts forms, and in this case Bēng Bù, you'll see that the strike does not align with the opponent's face but rather with the solar plexus/lower rib region of a ‘standing’ opponent.

Dropping the stance aligns the punch to the effective strike targets (liver, stomach, solar plexus). Mantis Boxing uses the Horse-Riding Step (Mǎ Bù 吗步), Bow Step (Gōng Bù 弓步) to accomplish this alignment of the attack.

Punching to the face is certainly an effective attack, but it also hurts the striker if they aren't wrapping their hands, or wearing gloves. Styles of Karate have Makiwara boards, and Chinese Martial Arts has Iron Palm/Iron Fist to train the hands so as not to break/injure the bones while connecting with someone's hard skull.

Iron Fist training takes months/years to train. Conditioning the bones and skin is only accomplished through extreme dedication and commitment. It is faster to teach someone a technique to strike the vitals, meanwhile working on conditioning the hands for longer term strategies.

Keeping in mind: the human skull has evolved over millions of years to protect the brain inside of it. It's hard, and not meant to crumble at the first hint of danger. Quoting a bike-helmet study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, "235 kg (520 pounds) or 2,300 newtons of force would be needed to crush a human skull, almost twice as much force as human hands could possibly muster."

Plainly speaking, anyone who has punched another human in the skull with a bare hand can tell you - it hurts when you hit. Knowing this, it is easy to see why a striking principle like Bēng, is so prevalent in the martial arts.

One might be better served destroying an enemy in a soft target, rather than risk the injury of straight on face punching. This can be seen in other Mantis Boxing techniques aimed at the head region using alternate hand shapes: White Snake Spits Tongue, Spear Hand, Thrust Palm, Ear Claw, Slant Chop.

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The Way of the Mantis Boxer

Check out this preview of an awesome video put together by two of my students - Vincent Tseng, and Thomas McNair. They worked hard on this live format depiction of the 12 Keywords of Mantis Boxing. 

Go to Vincent's channel to see the full video here - https://youtu.be/qPR83CZz8Bo.

More on the 12 Keywords of Mantis Boxing:

1. Hook (Gōu 勾)
2. Clinch (Lǒu 摟)
3. Pluck (Cǎi 採)
4. Connect (Zhān 粘)
5. Cling (Nián 黏)
6. Hang (Guà 掛)
7. Wicked (Diāo 刁)
8. Enter (Jìn 進)
9. Crush (Bēng 崩)
10. Strike (Dǎ 打)
11. Adhere (Tiē 貼)
12. Lean (Kào 靠)

Going Nerd Level on Blocking

Today I'm going NERD LEVEL on blocking. This is an interesting detail I found that can make or break your blocking. I can't explain the why, so I'm calling on all anatomy/physiology experts out there to come up with an answer, and leave it in the comments section. 

When using Guard Principle (one-in-one-out), we know that we have to bring one hand back when the other goes out. This is relevant to both striking, and blocking. What I find fascinating, is that the lead arm actually goes dead when the rear arm fires. After years of doing this, and countless number of punches coming at my head, I noticed this 'lag', and dull response time, and paid close attention to it. 

If you have expertise in this field, and can provide a thoughtful, educated reason for it, I'd love to hear it. Please leave it in the comments section below so we can all benefit from it.

Now, on to the important part - not getting hit! Follow the principle shown when you're firing punches, or blocks, and this problem goes away. We do not need a partner to fix this. Practice the Guard Principle while performing shadow boxing, bag work, and 3-level blocking and you can train your hand to respond as needed.

HEAVY ASSAULT! - Circle and Chop, or Haymaker and Hammer

HEAVY ASSAULT - Go heavy, or go home! This striking combination, plucked right from the catalog of Mantis Boxing techniques passed down for centuries, is to overwhelm the opponent with big, destructive, blows. 

Connecting with the first one is ideal and effective, but if they duck, or move back, the second strike, by design, takes advantage of the built up energy from the first strike to fell them with the second. 

Advance with the Circle Punch, aka Haymaker (see video on Circle & Hook) to attack from the side door. Try to connect with your partners Effective Strike targets to increase your targeting accuracy. Use your footwork and body torque to maximize power (on pads).

Have your partner duck, or shuffle back to counter the first strike. This is where the Chopping Fist comes in. Now unwind that transverse core rotation, and hip torque, and unleash it back where it came from. 

The Chopping Fist will come over the top and downward, again looking for Effective Strike targets to practice with on our partner. With pad drills, ramp up the power to work your speed, and might in your technique.

As you get the striking combination down, start paying close attention to your guard hand. I have seen this combination used twice in the UFC over the past couple of years, to amazing effect. Unfortunately, one fighter Roy 'Big Country' Nelson, didn't use his guard hand and his opponent connected with an uppercut in between. 

Timestamps:

00:40 - Technique Explained
1:33 - Watch the Counter-Strike!
2:46 - Footwork
3:14 - Pad Drills

Gear

You can find some of the items we use in the video by following our affiliate links:

Assassin Pads 
Punching Bag 
Gloves

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Hook vs Circle Punch - What's the Difference?

What's the difference between a Hook Punch and a Circle Punch? Are they really that different? Yes, and yes. 

The Hook Punch is used at a closer range, similar to an uppercut. It works well when you are striking in tight, or engaged in a Clinch (Lǒu 摟). In here, a long range strike will extend beyond my opponent. We position the arm in a tighter hook shape to help land on our targets such as the temple, kidney, liver, ribs, stomach, and jaw.

The technical position when throwing a hook punch is critical. When bare knuckle striking, there are no wraps to support the wrist, so technique has to be spot on in order to prevent breaks, sprains, and fractures in our own hands/wrist. 

The wrist is held in a straight line, and we use the transverse core rotation of the upper torso to connect the punch, versus extending the arm and bending the wrist which is dangerous to our own hand. Thumb position is up.

When the range to our opponent is further out, and we are still throwing straight punches, this is where the Circle Punch really shines. It allows us to attack the side doors as well as down the middle; utilizing the principle of - Randomized Striking. 

Connecting with a Circle Punch has the added benefit of increased power generation through a looser whipping action. The punch is thrown relaxed; the arm builds up speed before connecting. If this impacts the temple, jaw, occipital lobe, bracchial nerve, or ear, it can have devastating consequences.

Because of this, when our opponent sees a Circle Punch steaming for the side of their head, they are more likely to open the center doors trying to defend; thereby allowing our other punches to land. 

The hand position for the Circle Punch is wrist straight, thumb pointing down. 

Timestamps:
0:42 - Technique
4:12 - Pad Drills - Hook Punch
5:29 - Pad Drills - Circle Punch
6:12 - Bag Drills
6:44 - Bag Drills - Circle Punch
7:10 - Bag Drills - Hook Punch

Gear

You can find some of the items we use in the video by following our affiliate links:

Assassin Pads
Punching Bag
Gloves

6 Positions of Side Control - How to Drill and Improve BJJ Side Mount

My Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teacher (Andre 'Dedeco' Almeida) showed me this awesome Side Control drill when I was a new White Belt. It is one of the best drills I've seen for training Side Control/Side Mount and really emphasizes the necessity for each position. I use this drill to this day as warm-ups in my classes, and pass it on to benefit my students.

The drill connects various positions by number which is a big help. We need each of these in order to control our opponent on the ground when we have side control/side mount.

The drill works not only a solid position, but also the transitions from one to the next. You can increase the complexity of the drill by having your training partner call out the number and you go to that position. Once you have the drill down, randomize those numbers to make it harder. 

Note: Position 6 is technically not Side Control, it is known as North/South, but it makes an excellent addition to the drill, and something we often need when trying to maintain side control and someone is getting out.

You can train this with a partner for best results, or with a throwing dummy, punching bag, or body pillow. Enjoy the drill!

The Scraping Fist

The Scraping Fist - like a low uppercut, or body shot. One of the advantages of this punch, is the fact that unlike throwing a straight punch toward the body which comes in from a high angle, this punch comes from underneath by dropping the elbow, making it harder to block. 

It's a great punch to sneak in shots to the body, especially when using the principle of Changing Levels/Varying Targets. . But it can be dangerous trying to pull it off at the wrong place/time. 

Here are some tips along with pads drills, and bag drills later in the video for practicing the scraping fist on your own, or with a partner.

1:20 - Technique
4:56 - Pad Drills for Focus Mitt, Thai Pad training
7:24 - Bag Drills for Punching Bags

Gear

You can find some of the items we use in the video by following our affiliate links:
Assassin Pads 

Punching Bag

Gloves
 

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Guest Appearance: Fight for a Happy Life with Sensei Ando

Fight for a Happy Life Podcast

hosted by none other than Sensei Ando of Happy Life Martial Arts

I had the honor of being invited onto Fight for a Happy Life martial arts podcast with host Sensei Ando. The episode just released today. 

Check out our conversation on topics like - freedom, defining success, barriers to students progress, living life, and weird questions about what I want on my deathbed/tombstone (is this guy planning to kill me???), and lots of laughter.

Click the photo above to visit his website for the podcast, or follow the links below for your favorite podcast location. Enjoy the show!

To Listen to the Interview: 

iTunes
Google Play 
Stitcher

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Many of you know Sensei Ando from our previous collaborations, as well as his visit to our school last summer. He's a positive influencer that's always reaching out to help other people. Admirable. 

Here are a couple of videos we did in case you missed them. I highly recommend following him on his YouTube channel, as well as his podcast.

Tips to Manage Distance in a Fight

Tips for Defending the Bear Hug

You can contact Sensei Ando - 

Sensei Ando

Sensei Ando YouTube Channel

Monkey Grips! How I Strengthen My Grips and Keep Them Healthy

Fingers hurt after training? Grips not strong enough to hold on when grappling? Check this out.

Grip strength and health can be a really important thing for martial artists. Grip intensive arts such as Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Shuai Jiao, and other Grappling Arts, all require/build grip strength, and put a great deal of wear and tear on the fingers. Today I'm going to show you the methods I use to keep my grips not only strong, but healthy.

For strengthening: exercises like rope climbs, battleropes, sledge hammer, pull-ups, all assist in strengthening the hands. If we're already doing a martial arts with lots of gripping, chances are we are getting plenty of strengthening from that, and we can move on to the section of the video highlighting grip/finger health, and taking proper care of our hands in martial arts.

Links for Items:

To buy Mung Beans: https://goo.gl/KPy9mE

To buy Bean Bag: https://goo.gl/ybjyme

To buy a Battlerope: https://goo.gl/gtHqNt

To buy a Rope: https://goo.gl/h1ftFc

To buy a Sledgehammer: https://goo.gl/qQ2Knp

To buy a Pull-Up Bar: https://goo.gl/GiqfGd

Bean bag - this bag is filled with Mung Beans. I have been using these bags since early in my Mantis Boxing training back in 1999. The beans release a powder that helps the skin, and the pliability of the beans allows for the fingers to sink in and work on the catch/relfex while massaging the hands. It's an excellent tool and I highly recommend getting one, or having one made.

Green Dragon Stretches Claws - this is an amazing drill that's easy to remember, and even easier to do almost anywhere, and anytime. This exercise is even good for strikers since our hands are balled up most of the time. As you stretch the fingers and hold, you are helping open up the fingers, joints, and tendons. 

Magic Bean Pot - this is my all time favorite. Get a pot from somewhere. I was fussy so I found a bronze pot on eBay with a cool design. Buy a bunch of Mung Beans and fill the pot up. Now use the bean pot to wash the hands. I use this after a heavy training session, or earlier in my BJJ training when I had a tendency to over-grip and not let go when I should have. 

Tools of the Trade - (1:21)
Bean Bag - (2:10)
Green Dragon Stretches Claws - (3:10)
Magic Bean Pot - (4:45)

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Guest Appearance: The Strenuous Life Podcast w/ Stephen Kesting

The Strenuous Life Podcast

hosted by renowned BJJ Black Belt, and founder of GrappleArts.com - Stephen Kesting

Stephen was kind enough to invite me on to his podcast 'The Strenuous Life' last month. We finally got our schedules to mesh up last Monday and recorded this podcast for everyone. It was an awesome conversation and I had an amazing time. I think you are going to really enjoy this.

I know some of you are quite familiar with Stephen, and already watch his videos/listen to his podcast. If you haven't heard of Stephen, please check out his website GrappleArts.com and YouTube channel. I highly recommend you subscribe to his stuff. He is extremely humble, puts out top notch detailed content, is super nice, and is always trying to help others.

Click the photo above to visit his website, or follow the links below for your favorite podcast location. Enjoy!

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"Can Kung Fu, BJJ and MMA coexist?  Maybe they can, and maybe they can even learn from each other.

This is a conversation I had with with Kung Fu stylist (and BJJ brown belt) Randy Brown in which we touched on  the history of Chinese martial arts and what made them less effective over time, what traditional martial arts look like when you start training them with resistance, and much more.  I think you’ll like this one!

The best way to listen to this podcast is to go to your favourite podcasting platform, subscribe to ‘The Strenuous Life’ Podcast, and then look for episode 128. You can find it on most podcast platforms, including…"
 

iTunes

Google Play 

Soundcloud 

Stitcher

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 known as a ‘thigh lift throw’, or in Judo - ‘uchi mata’.

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 shared with him. We were to meet up with another of his Black Belt's - Mike Dasargo, and work on these techniques at Mike's school. 

As the coach would show each throw, Mike and I would work on them together, and I would scribble notes down as we went. Doing my best to catalog each throw and its variations. As the day went on, we finally arrived on the ‘thigh lift throw’, what I have affectionately named the Tiger Tail Throw (as it looks like the tail of a tiger sticking up). A ferocious takedown. 

I don't know what it was, but this throw was the single most difficult one for me to get. Maybe I was getting hungry, or having a 'short day' (sarcastic reference to my height), but this one was just not clicking. It seemed like a throw for taller people; at least that was my whiny excuse at the time. I took it down my notes, maybe even left a nasty comment in there, practiced a bit more, and moved on.

When I returned from San Diego, my ritual was to work on everything I did on the trip as soon as possible, so I would not lose it. I practiced this throw along with all the all 19 other throws even though I didn't care for it. 

I'm not sure what happened next, but eventually, this throw became one of my favorite takedowns in Mantis Boxing, and probably the one I use with the highest frequency. Most likely...since I worked on it more than all of the others because of the difficulty I had with it, it began to morph and I adapted to it, and it to me.

In this video, I'm not only sharing the Tiger Tail Throw with you, but additionally the alternative throws (Descending Dragon, Demon Wheel, Retreat Astride Tiger, Mantis Hangs from Branch), Knee Strikes, Guillotine Chokes, that I use when someone counters this throw, or I miss on the execution.

Timestamps:
Tiger Tail Throw - (2:05)
Descending Dragon Takedown - (5:39)
Demon Wheel & Guillotine Choke - (7:00)
Knee Strike & Shoulder Lock - (8:02) 
Retreat Astride Tiger - (8:50)
Mantis Hangs from Branch - (10:40)

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How and When to Stand Up in a Fight

Team Note: I know many of you who train with me will enjoy this video. Truth be told, I wish we had done it years ago because it is so fundamentally important. There isn't enough time in the day to practice everything, so feel free to take this and practice it whenever you can, and as much as you want.

Video Description: Whether we like it or not, sometimes we end up on the ground in a fight/altercation, or just a dangerous situation. When and how we stand up, can mean the difference between success and fail. Here are some tips for standing up when someone is waiting to pounce. 
 

Stop Your Opponents Crushing Side Control

Do you hate being crushed in your opponent's side control? Here's something I've been working on in my game that will hopefully help your game. Building a mountain under your opponents crushing side control can give you space and mobility for countering their attacks, and possibly bringing us to a better position.

Monkey Steals Peach: In-Depth

An in-depth look at the Mantis Boxing move - Monkey Steals Peach. This is one of my favorite counters. Over the years, I've come to rely on a few follow-ups after people began countering the move, and we're including some small details to help you with the execution.

The Straight Punch - Throwing the Forward and Reverse Punch

The Straight Punch - devastating and destructive! Forward and Reverse punch are a good place to start when learning to punch in Mantis Boxing, or other striking arts. They are destructive, and can easily be modified to open hand strikes if necessary. 

The following video shows the in's and out's of starting to punch with these two strikes and some of the pitfalls to watch out for. 

Using footwork with punches, increases the power, improves range, and helps keep us mobile instead of fixed. Check out pad drills, and blocking drills, or use these on a heavy bag to train on your own.
 

How to Throw a Punch...Safely

Having an improper structure, leaving a finger misplaced, or snapping our elbow, can all cause lasting damage, injuring ourselves more than the object we are trying to hit.

Whether we are hitting bags, pads, mitts, makiwara boards, or sparring partners, it's important to keep these tips in mind to keep us punching without injury for years to come.

How to Drill Your Basic Footwork Skills

Basic Footwork is pivotal in understanding how to move when fighting/sparring. Bad footwork creates vulnerabilities in our game that our opponent can capitalize on. Once we have an understanding of our basic footwork skills, Mirror Drill becomes a great tool to help train fluidity and responsiveness, as well as range sensitivity, and neutral position; where our guard/blocks work best.

We are using some newer students to help show this drill - Lauren and Natalie, as it's important to understand that, once you have this down, you dump it and move on to the Advanced Footwork found here - https://youtu.be/UDpnleVQO60

A mantis boxing coach shared this drill with me back in 2006, and it's an excellent way to master basic footwork before going to advanced. 

You can view our Basic Footwork video for more on the individual components - Shuffle Forward, Shuffle Back, Circle Left, Circle Right, Step Forward, Step Back, Change Step, and practicing them on your own. 

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Hooking Legs

The Leg Hook is a great easy to use takedown, but sometimes our opponent steps out on us on our first attempt. Here, Thomas helps demonstrate how we use a combination of Mantis principles (strike, hook, pluck, hang, lean) to execute our initial outside leg hook attempt, and then a follow-up inside leg hook if they step out. 

Afterwards we tackle the ground component and what happens if they immediately try to pull guard.

Thanks for watching.

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