Praying Mantis Kung Fu
A complete and highly effective traditional Chinese martial art — famed for speed, agility, and the ability to adapt to any situation.
The Art We’re Known For
Speed, adaptability, and control — the hallmarks of authentic Mantis Kung Fu.
Praying Mantis is known for its speed, agility, and its ability to adapt to any fighting situation — changing from hard to soft, flexible to rigid, from long range to short range, with joint-locking and takedown techniques. Learning this style develops coordination and heightens your reflexes while teaching you to maintain a calm mind and body even in highly stressful situations. Northern Praying Mantis (Tang Lang Quan) is a complete and most effective martial art created in ancient China, known for both its offensive and defensive effectiveness.
See It in Motion
A glimpse of Praying Mantis training at TruBalance.
The Legend of the Mantis
As the story is told, the style was created by a martial artist named Wang Lang in China’s Shandong province. One day he watched a praying mantis battle a far larger cicada. By all appearances the bigger insect should have won — yet with lightning-fast, relentless attacks and clever traps, the mantis overcame its stronger opponent.
Inspired, Wang Lang studied the mantis’s movements and combined them with agile footwork drawn from Monkey style, giving rise to Tang Lang Quan — Praying Mantis Boxing. Centuries later, it remains one of the most respected systems of Northern Chinese kung fu.
What Makes It Distinct
The Mantis Hook
A signature hooked hand that deflects, traps, and adheres to an opponent’s limbs — then strikes in a fast, whip-like motion.
Speed & Continuous Attack
Renowned for relentless, flowing combinations that overwhelm a larger or stronger opponent.
Adaptability
Shifts seamlessly from hard to soft, long range to short — meeting whatever a situation demands.
Joint Locks & Takedowns
Close-range control techniques that don’t rely on size or brute strength.
Agile Footwork
Complex, mobile stepping borrowed from Monkey style keeps you balanced and elusive.
A Complete System
Strikes, kicks, locks, takedowns, forms, and weapons — a full traditional curriculum that grows with you.
Traditional Weapons
The Mantis curriculum extends to classical Chinese weapons — long and short, including the straight sword (jian), staff, and partner forms. Weapons training refines precision, timing, and body control, deepening your connection to the heritage of the art.
Weapons are introduced as students build a strong foundation in empty-hand technique.
What You’ll Gain
Who It’s For
Praying Mantis is ideal for adults seeking an authentic, complete martial art — a unique alternative to MMA, Karate, and Taekwondo. It’s especially rewarding for former martial artists, and for anyone who wants real skill, fitness, and focus. Beginners are always welcome; every class meets you where you are.
Step Onto the Floor
The best way to understand Mantis Kung Fu is to feel it. Your first class is free — no experience required.
TruBalance Martial Arts
7540 Wiles Road, Coral Springs, FL 33067 · Serving Coral Springs & Parkland
(954) 553-6540