KO Martial Arts Academy
About
Northern Praying Mantis on the Boston Post Road
KO Martial Arts Academy sits on the historic Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck, a short drive northeast of Yonkers along the Long Island Sound coast, teaching traditional Chinese martial arts under Grandmaster Brendan Lai. Lai is a seventh-generation Northern Praying Mantis instructor from the Wong Hon Funn lineage, one of the most directly traceable transmissions of the style outside mainland China.
Kids Kung Fu Programs
The kids curriculum introduces children to the foundations of Northern Praying Mantis kung fu through age-appropriate drills and forms. Programs include:
- Kids Kung Fu (foundational stance work, basic strikes, and beginner forms)
- Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu (adult and advanced program)
- Chen and Yang Tai Chi (internal arts complement to the external style)
- Qi Gong (breathing and energy work)
- Chinese Weaponry (eighteen traditional weapons in the senior curriculum)
What's Included
- Traditional Chinese martial arts curriculum, not mixed-style
- Direct seventh-generation lineage instruction
- Pathway from kids program into adult Praying Mantis and Tai Chi
Experience
The academy emphasizes character development and humility alongside physical skill, an educational philosophy more aligned with traditional Chinese martial arts than sport-competition styles. Kids who stick with the school grow into senior students with access to the full weapons curriculum and internal arts, not just a graduation belt. Serves Westchester County, Fairfield County, and the Bronx from the Mamaroneck location.