If you’re aiming to get fit, or perhaps kill some time once a week, you may wish to look elsewhere.

Internal training is a long term investment in yourself. Like any long term investment, patience is required. The rewards are many.

You will become considerably stronger, regardless of your current size or shape. Internal strength is not measured in terms of muscle size; it’s something you will be able to feel for yourself.

With correct training, your body structure will become more balanced. Joint problems you may have often fade away. If you have lower back problems – for example, from sitting for extended periods – the special training techniques of southern mantis will develop and strengthen your lower lumber ligaments and correct many problems.

Your focus and co-ordination will improve – although technically this is a benefit of regular training in any physical discipline. Nonetheless, the mindful approach you will need to progress in southern mantis is likely to improve your mental clarity more than most disciplines.

Although physical fitness is not particularly an aim with internal training, long-term health is a definite goal. You will experience surprising improvements in your general health and well-being. A common side effect is resilience to cold and flu – students often find themselves healthy despite being surrounded by friends and family who are coughing and sneezing.

With regular training, should you need to stop training for a while, you will find that your new-found strength will decrease at a very slow rate when compared with general fitness training (such as body building).

There are many more benefits to training southern mantis kung fu. If you are looking for a martial art that gives a humanistic approach to both general health and martial capabilities, Southern Mantis is a worthwhile path.