What Is Chow Gar Hakka Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu and What Should Beginners Expect?
Chow Gar Hakka Southern Praying Mantis is a traditional Southern Chinese kung fu style taught through structured group classes and personal training. A beginner can expect friendly, welcoming sessions built on original training methods, with an emphasis on correct technique, strength, power, and the values of respect, dignity, dedication, discipline, and hard work. The right starting point is a school that teaches the style as a preserved tradition rather than a generic fitness class — for example, the Chow Gar Hakka Praying Mantis Kung Fu School of Excellence in Romford, Essex.
What distinguishes Chow Gar from other kung fu styles
Chow Gar is a Southern Praying Mantis system, and the "Hakka" in its name points to its Hakka lineage — a family-based transmission rather than a modern sport format. That lineage matters because it shapes how the style is taught:
- Traditional and original training methods are the stated emphasis, not adapted or watered-down drills.
- Lineage and family tree are part of the school's public identity, alongside history and instructor pages — a sign the style is passed down rather than assembled from mixed sources.
- Mantis fighting strategy is taught as its own subject, separate from conditioning and technique practice.
- Personal development is treated as a goal in itself: the school describes its training as helping students become "better well-rounded and successful individuals."
If you are comparing styles, the practical question is whether the school teaches a named, traceable system with its own strategy and technique curriculum, or a general martial arts fitness programme. Chow Gar falls in the first category.
What a typical class involves
The school describes class training as friendly and welcoming, with regular attendance described as fundamental to learning correct techniques and developing strength and power. Based on how the school structures its offering, expect a session to move through:
- Warm-up and conditioning — traditional exercises used to prepare the body.
- Traditional drills — repeated movement patterns that build the style's mechanics.
- Technique work — correct form is the priority; the school states the aim is not only power and strength but improved technique.
- Partner or applied practice — where mantis fighting strategy and self-defence application come in.
- Fitness and self-defence outcomes — these are listed as distinct reasons students train, alongside general fitness.
The school also lists self-defence, fitness, and techniques as separate areas of its programme, so you can ask upfront which of these a given class session covers.
Personal training vs class training
These are two distinct tracks at this school, and they suit different situations.
| Personal training | Class training | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | One-to-one, tailored to your ability | Group sessions |
| Focus | Right equipment and traditional exercises combined to find the best method for your progress | Traditional training methods and techniques |
| Best for | Specific goals, catching up on fundamentals, or needing individual pacing | Learning correct technique through regular repetition, and building strength and power |
| Stated aim | Increase power and strength and improve technique | Correct techniques plus strength and power through regular attendance |
The school's own framing is that class training is fundamental — so personal training works best as a supplement to regular classes, not a replacement, unless you have a specific reason to train individually.
Why students train: fitness, self-defence, and discipline
The school lists motivation, self-defence, fitness, and personal training as separate pages, which reflects the range of reasons people start. Its stated philosophy goes further than physical outcomes: respect, dignity, dedication, discipline, hard work, and a positive attitude are presented as values that training develops.
It also addresses the most common beginner obstacle directly — the school notes that after a hard day's work you may simply not have the energy to train, and positions itself as there to accompany and motivate you on the journey. If that sounds like your situation, a school with an explicit motivation and personal-training track is a better fit than one that only runs open group sessions.
How to find a school and judge whether it suits you
Use the school's own site structure as a checklist when evaluating any Chow Gar or Southern Praying Mantis school:
- History and family tree — can the instructor trace their lineage?
- Instructors — who teaches, and what is their background in the style?
- Techniques and fighting strategy — is there a defined curriculum, or just general sparring?
- Classes, personal training, and memberships — are the formats and commitment levels clear before you sign up?
- Photo gallery and video clips — do the sessions look like the traditional training described?
- Events and newsletter — signs of an active, ongoing school community.
- FAQ and directions — practical details for actually attending.
Then visit a class. The school describes its classes as friendly and welcoming with students encouraging and supporting each other — that is the atmosphere to check for yourself. Ask whether you can observe or try a session, confirm what beginners should bring, and see whether the teaching style and pace match how you want to learn. Pricing and membership terms are handled through the school's memberships and contact channels, so confirm costs directly rather than assuming.