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I was just wondering how other posters discovered 7*Northen Praying Mantis.
I was completeley unaware of the style before i started. I initially was looking for a Wing Chun, school, but found the 7* to be of more interest to me (and closer to where i live)
My Little Brother & his friend knew shifu Bill Personally and started going to his Longfist PM school. Had no idea he lived down the street all that time.:)
I used to ride my bike past this sign with a green bug on it on the way home from school. Out in the front of this old elementary school that was renting out it's rooms to people for shops etc. Mike had a kung fu studio on the second or third floor I don't remember which. Out in the front of the school on the main road was this big white sign with the mantis on it. I used to think to myself, "oooohhhh a bug kung fu style" rolling my eyes. Then my buddies uncles friend was training to be a cop and just happened to go to this school. We were talking about it one day and my friend and I were making fun of it. He said it would be good for me and my friend to go "check it out" would do us some good, and that we would be surprised at what we found. I think he meant it would keep us out of trouble. :cool: My friend was really into going but I wasn't really, I thought that there was no way this bug style would be worth anything. After meeting mike and attending the first class I was hooked. I convinced my mom to let me join and she agreed to pay for the classes and that was it. My friend ended up quitting and I stuck around. Pretty much gave up on highschool sports and that's how it all began for me. :D
I had the good fortune of meeting Mike Biggie when he was still in the Air Force and teaching Choy Li Fut in Oklahoma in the middle '80s. I was teaching Hung Gar in Indiana. Mike had ordered one of the Hung Gar videotapes that I had made and we began talking on the phone. It happened that we were both from Akron, Ohio and were going to both be moving back to Akron at about the same time. After we moved back to Akron in 1986 Mike started introducing me to PM. It was love at first sight (for PM that is :D ).
Richard
I found a teacher, not a style. Styles are mute without a teacher to show the various aspects of that specific art.
Glad you found what you were looking for, that is important.
Cheers
Jake :cool:
Good point Jake.
I realize that question was for 7* but if i may share my story for 8 step.
I was a BB in Okinawan Go Ju and went with a friend to a kung fu seminar in NY to see this master from Taipei, well I was the only idoit to wear a Gi and when the question came up on how to defend against a japanese fighter of course I was told to stand up and attack however I wanted........ then I remember being touched twice and ended up on the ground. I got up straigthened my Gi and asked if we could try that again.
This time I really tried to hit him then I felt a two effortless touches and wound up again on the ground. I bowed, and at that point realized that what I had been learneing failed in comparison to the one of the strangest styles I had ever seen and asked this Master to teach me........................ it took 5 straight years of begging before he accpeted. That was 17 years ago..... and I am still learning just quite how to be so effortless
Yes, Finding a teacher was just as important as the style you are learning.
the main thing was when i met with Sifu for the first time i observed his class and students doing 7* and the style sold itself, I understand that most schools are businesses, and they need students, but learning from someone who teaches the art because it's what they want to do, makes it alot easier for a student especially a clumsy one like me!! :rolleyes: