Chinese Kung Fu Academy of Southern
Praying Mantis Federation (C.K.F.A)

Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu is a complete system of training called "pai". Much discipline, patience, and self-determination are required to learn this style of Kung Fu. It involves much more than a few forms and kicks, and is only for mature and disciplined serious-minded people; suitable for both men and women and has many health and fitness benefits.

Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu is comprised of a very high-level system/technique of "borrowing energy" for both offensive and defensive aspects of training and fighting. It involves both internal Chi Kung, call "Yeul Kung" for the "soft" side and external Chi Kung, called "Nong Kung" for the "hard" side. It is a system that is both hard (external) and soft (internal), called "a Yin-Yang / Yeul Gon style of Kung Fu".

Our worldwide Federation has established a four-year training program consisting of level 1 through 3 and advanced.

As a training guide to new students who wish to become practitioners of this style of Kung Fu, the following must be mastered:

• Footwork and stances "Mar Bo"
• Body posture "Sun Yen"
• Hand forms / techniques "Kuen Fat"

The first form is called "Som Bo Gin" and is a seed for training the system's "Som Yen" , "Lok Gang" , and "Bot Sick" . These refer to the system's footwork, body and hands (collectively, "Som Yen"). "Lok Gang" refers to this Kung Fu system's six short, medium, and long powers of "Guen, Han, Don". "Bot Sick" refer to the system's eight basic techniques of "trapping".

The external (Nong Kung) conditioning form is "Som Bo Fun Non Choi" which is the seed to the system's "hard" Chi Kung as it encompasses the basic breathing techniques for the purpose of transferring the body's energy, called "Won Hay".

For the more advanced students, there is the high-level, internal breathing exercise called "Jook Lum Gee Tong Long Pai Ting Sing Kung". The lineage and history of this style of Kung Fu present a reputation of unique and deadly infighting. This infighting-training concept and its theories are also part of the advanced curriculum. First it involves learning the forms and techniques then applying them with a training partner in a "two-man set". These forms and techniques involve the system's "Sheim Kuen" (the big punch with the phoenix-eye fists). In total there are six of these punches or forms. Offensively, there is "Sheim Kuen Sop But Dim" (the eighteen-point sticking system). Defensively, there is "Sop Bun Ban" (the system's eighteen changing / borrowing hand techniques). Finally, the advanced long form is called "Sheim Kuen 108" (108).

All of this provides only a brief, general idea as an introduction to training in this style of Kung Fu. The system is in fact very detailed. The headquarter school in Houston, Texas, also provides an advanced, senior-level program for qualified students which entails sparring and conditioning with two-man techniques such as "Dut Jong" and infighting conditioning "Mor Kiu" . The Federation's promotion and exhibition program involve group forms, traditional weaponry, and lion dancing.

For health! For a hobby! For self-defense. Or maybe just looking for a real, traditional style of Kung Fu to train? Well, this is it!!! Our Federation's worldwide branch schools welcome your enrollment and yourself as a part of our organization.

For a full list of Federation's branch schools click here.