Category: Six Harmonies 六合
It’s all about Control
Write-up later.
Strikes and Takedowns
The main points here are improvisation and connectivity. Since we don’t go into a fight knowing how the opponent is going to react, we can’t have a predetermined method of approach and a set way to end the fight.
The method is to engage the opponent with credible threats, so he is forced to react to your actions; thereby giving you the initiative and a quicker route to get inside his decision/action loop. You don’t have to be really fast, just a bit faster than his cycles would be enough. This is how you dictate the terms to him. What you do depends entirely on what the opponent is giving you.
Conflicting Force 爭力 (zhēng lì)
For any attack to be effective, the attack has to land where the opponent is not defending, i.e. the open part of his body. This is easier said than done, as any person will naturally put up their arms in defence in face of an attack, unless they are surprised or slow to react. Therefore,…
Breaking with Traditions: A Critical Examination of the Phantom Arrow 跳出傳統：從新檢視〈鬼箭手〉
Our traditional manuscript describes the technique of Phantom Arrow (鬼箭手, guǐ jiàn shǒu, lit. ghost arrow hand) as follow: “I, standing with right foot forward, initiate an attack with my right arm. The opponent, standing with his right foot forward, uses his right hand to ladle my right arm. He then takes a left step and…
Three Punches 三捶
The Three Punches (三捶) is better understood as the one of the core principles of the Six Harmonies branch of the Mantis school of martial arts, instead of one single move set. The idea behind is not simply throwing three punches together, but to use the movements to maintain body composure and control, create tension, and draw…
Felling Gate 斬關手
Think of the arms as the gate with two doors in oblique order that protects the body. Initiate an attack by threaten the eyes with you right by going through the front right door on his side, his will have to response with his left, lest he would lose his eyes. Meanwhile, your left should…
Flying Catch 飛擒手
The Flying Catch (飛擒手) is one of the most simple method to lead from an initial attack and proceed to various grappling moves based on the opponent’s reaction. The Mantis Style typically initiates an attack by threatening the eyes, an Eye Stroke (點睛). If the opponent doesn’t reaction, then they will lose their eyes and match;…
