One student had a mantis with seven spots on the thorax and with the style similar of the 7 classical stars, and his school became the seven stars praying mantis, and so on. The subtle distinctions may be described as follows:

Jade Ring: Named for its peculiar footwork.

Introduction

Styles

Northern

Southern

Seven Stars: Footwork follows a pattern resembling the seven classical stars in Chinese astrology, i.e., being intricate in nature. While all branches stress-emitting power from the waist, this school is largely soft-style, evading direct power confrontations.

Plum Blossom: Stresses plum-flower fist strategies, such as three or five staccato punches in sequence; using a fist in preference to open hands; and generally being considered an introductory style, not going on to truly advanced techniques.

Tan Tui: "Detecting legs" aims to check opponent's move into a favorable attack position. Kicks are uncharacteristically low and fast, delivered with snap, and rarely above the knees. Practitioners of this branch are taught the use of feet over and above handwork.

Dragging Hand: Uses grappling and grabbing techniques, not unlike Aikido. Back of wrist strikes are common, and the style prefers breaking to striking (mantis' answer to Ch'in Na.)

Six Combinations (Six Harmony):Combines three Yin and three Yang principles to evade or absorb an attack softly and attack in a hard manner.

Eight Step: Emphasis here is on sticking hands, and leading an opponent to a point of vulnerability. Little actual evasion is employed, as practitioners are taught the superiority of leading the assailants.

Spotless (unmarked, bare, plain): The branch northern stylists refer to as "southern", the wrists are kept bent and hands open in order to generate a whipping power over short distances. Relies more upon handwork than other northern styles.

Secret Door (closed door): The most prevalent family style of mantis, uses low stances and great use of elbow strikes. Transitions are far more complex than other styles, used as feints to get into the preferred close-range striking position.

T'ai Chi (also known as Yin/Yang or Tai Mantis): Delivers all strikes with great internal power, using a penetrating strike rather than sub-surface impact. Parries are favored to blocks, and power generates from the ground to the waist to technique.