Each form teaches a somewhat different aspect of Seven Star Praying Mantis.

Founded in the 16th century by a Shaolin stylist, Wang Lang, this kung fu style offers a complete syllabus of skills in long range kicking, middle range hand techniques, trapping skills, pressure pointpressure strikes, iron palm training, joint locks, throws, and skills capable of neutralizing ground grappling attacks.

As a result he felt compelled to look for something to improve his fighting skills.

A chance observation of a Praying Mantis insect overcoming a cicada led him to discover that he was witnessing some rather unique fighting skills in nature.

He had come to the conclusion that he could create a new style of kung fu, based on the twelve character principles gleaned from the Praying Mantiss predator ability.

This new kung fu system would be an improvement over the larger hard style motions of the Shaolin style he had previously studied.

Together with the other monks of the Shaolin temple Wang continued to develop the style.

Why would the famous Shaolin monks practice such a poor martial art Sheng Xiao Dao Ren, asked what they were doing and they told him it was the Praying Mantis style.

Sheng Xiao Dao Ren, thinking his loss must have been a fluke, he asked to spar with the senior monk.

When requested the opportunity to study this new, effective martial art, the abbot granted Sheng Xiao Dao Ren permission.

It is thought that the monk students of Wang Lang developed several styles of Praying Mantis after learning the original Praying Mantis system.

When they returned Wang examined the insects and used their markings to determine the names of each Praying Mantis style.

Some of the names are: Seven Star, Plum Flower, and Shining Board Praying Mantis.

When, Sheng Xiao Dao Ren, observed the monks exhibiting short jerky looking movements, what he saw was the use of the legs and waist to generate power in techniques instead of the usual upper body-oriented power prevalent in the Shaolin styles.

This action with the waist is a torquing movement that sends the kinetic energy up through the body and limbs combined with short efficient movement to culminate forcefully into the target.

This way the power generated in the waist can travel through the body efficiently.

It is this efficiency that made the Seven Star Praying Mantis system superior to the Shaolin approach.

This waist-torque method of generating power does not require as much physical strength to have powerful techniques as the more muscular oriented hard Shaolin styles.

In fact, when fighting, this method offers quite efficient movement and aerobically does not require as much physical exertion.

The Shaolin temple monks worked diligently to develop Wangs Praying Mantis art to a high level, By the time Sheng Xiao Dao Ren learned the system there was a variety of different forms to round out the style.

The Seven Star Praying Mantis kung fu style, as it is taught today, is made up of 50 Chi Xieng (Seven Star style), 30 Mei Hua (Plum Flower style), and 20 Guang Bang (Shiny Board style).

The Praying Mantis style, Guang Bang (Shiny Board style) is the root style of both Chang Chuan (Long Fist style) and Fan Che (Chariot style).

Forms from each branch of Praying Mantis were adopted to create the Seven Star Praying Mantis system.

Mantis Seven Star Forms