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View Full Version : JWT. Could you tell me a little bit about Kenpo?



Arioch7
10-10-2001, 03:01 AM
I have studied Korean styles and Chinese styles but i do not know much about Kenpo.

I would appreciate it if you could summarize what the style is all about.

For some reason, I have not given it much notice but I thinking of training with a few Kenpo guys and I would like to know what to expect.

Thanks man.

Arioch7
10-10-2001, 03:08 AM
Or anyone? Please?

Aramus
10-10-2001, 06:16 AM
There is a branch of kenpo that has roots in jj. Other styles: Tracy Kenpo, Ed Parker Kenpo, Kenpo Jui-jitsu, Chinese Kenpo, Shaolin Kenpo...I'll stop there are a lot of styles or systems.

American Kenpo...this is what I'm more familar with. You could call it the art of fast overkill. Kenpoist operate and learn on the "What if" principle...if this doesn't work then what will I do next, etc. Kenpo uses various efficient, motion saving moves then compound the ones they use. Example, instead of just throwing an uppercut after setting it up, you throw a punch to the chest or stomach follow it with an elbow to an upper cut to the chin followed by an elbow to the chin and then come right back down with an elbow to...whatever is available and a hammer fist to whatever is left.
There are four basic kicks and lots of types of strikes. Range, angle of attack, weapon choice, space, etc. are all points for a Kenpoist to consider and use to their advantage.

OK, I'm begining to think this won't help, let me point you to a few websites to help you learn more about the history and styles...
Kenponet.com this site has lots of links...use them to find what you would like to find.
http://www.infinitykenpo.com/kenpo_karate_articles.htm

Good luck.

Arioch7
10-10-2001, 07:27 AM
Thank you Araamus.

This is a start...

JWTAYLOR
10-10-2001, 03:46 PM
Sorry it took so long,

First, Aramus is right, it really depends on what type of Kenpo you are talking about, and even what little branch you are in.

If you were to fight a black belt student of Ron Chappell, you would expect him to throw in allot of what he would call "Sub Level 4" techniques. That's the Kenpo way of saying Dim Mak or pressure point fighting.

If you were a student of Bob White you would not likely ever do any kind of pressure point stuff, but you would spend about %80 of your time sparring and working sparring drills for point fighting competition and kickboxing.

There are some real uniting factors, however. First, it's a marial art that works out of a fairly narrow neutral stance. We split the difference between mobility and stability, but as you progress you will get the idea that mobility is the idea. You won't ever see someone stand still and block anything in Kenpo, not at any level. You will see them get off the line of attack, and then block or strike.

You should expect about 80% upper body work. Heavy emphasis is put on the jab, and back knuckle. The bread and butter or an American Kenpoist is his cross or reverse punch. You will also see allot of hooks and uppercuts. But, as noted before, you will throw as many elbows as anything else. You will also work the classic "karate chop". Some schools work this more than others. I work it allot, and I use it allot.

The kicks you are most likely to see are the front leg front kick, allot of the rear leg front kicks, front and rear leg round house kicks, the occassional back kick, a whole hell of allot of knife edge kicks, almost always at the knee. You will also see allot of "scoop kicks" that are thrown in here and there. And at the intermediate levels you will see a great thrusting sweep kick thrown in during allot of entry techniques. Most of the kicks are thrown at or below the waist. Some, like the back kick, are thrown more at the solar plexus level. That said, if you go to Bob White's school you are likely to take allot of hook kicks to the nose. Most schools work knees to the groin, midsection, and leg standing and knees to the head on the ground from the back and side mounts.

You should also expect an experienced AKist to use a single leg, a double leg, and the open guard. Also expect several standing arm locks, a sleeper or two, the full and half nelsons from standing on the ground, a hammer lock standing and on the ground, and the guillotine standing and on the ground.

Kenpo is a "multiple strike" system. We want to hit you, and keep hitting you, until we are done. An American Kenpo artist should always be making contact with the opponent's body. Pushing, pulling, checking, striking, etc. to control the opponent's hight, width, and depth.

Most of the techniques involve WAY overkill. Like he throws a punch and you hit him twice, elbow him,pull a single leg on him, ankle lock or ankle/knee bar, stomp his groin, kick his ribs, then repeatedly stomp and kick his face, neck and collar. (Dance of Death) Or a guy throws a kick and you elbow his temple, kick out his knee, knee him in the back, hammer down on his collar bones, rip his face, claw his eyes, smash his head down into the ground, knee his face, and then stomp hif face and collar bone. (Deflecting Hammer graft to Back Breaker).

But the likelyhood is that you will NEVER get the whole technique off. Most likely that they will drop with that elbow to the temple, or whatever your first or second strike is. It's more likelyt that you will get a couple of strikes in and then have to change position. So you learn all of that stuff to keep strikes and attacks comming and also to learn how to move from one position to the next. An American Kenpoist should always be thinking about where he is in relation to his opponent first and foremost.

And most of the fighting is done from very close range, almost within clinch range, or actaully within the clinch. AK does a whole hell of allot of work from the clinch.

And the hallmark of any AK school, especially if you've had an instructor that trained directly under Ed Parker, is allot of full contact sparring. Every student HAS to spar. That's where we loose most of our students. Different schools use different rules, but most of them spar pretty hard.

As far as instructors, I have allot of resources up at www.kenpoworld.com (http://www.kenpoworld.com)

Come by and take a look at the links of schools and organizations, and take a look at some of the intructor interviews.

Let me know who is around you (phone book check) and I'll find out their reputation. Unfortunately, Kenpo has allot of a$ as well as great instructors. So they are very much worth checking out.

JWT
www.kenpoworld.com (http://www.kenpoworld.com)

If you pr!ck us, do we not bleed? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that the villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. MOV

JWTAYLOR
10-10-2001, 07:23 PM
Oh, as far as weapons most schools teach you a little large staff work (one or two sets), but you will learn a good amount of stick and knife work. If you learn from Huk Planas, or Mike Pick, you will learn ALLOT of knife work.

JWT

If you pr!ck us, do we not bleed? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that the villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. MOV

Arioch7
10-10-2001, 07:29 PM
Wow, I had no idea that the style had so much to offer.

I might even go down to thier Dojo and check it out.

Thanks for the info and I will definately come by your site for some more info. I am not familiar with the type of Kenpo that they study but I will find out and post it here.

Thanks man!

Johnny Hot Shot
10-10-2001, 08:01 PM
JWT, That was the best/simplest explanation I have ever heard for Sub Level 4.

"Life's a great adventure, mate."
Jacko Jackson

JWTAYLOR
10-10-2001, 08:10 PM
Yeah, but I'm afraid it's a way oversimplification. And I don't buy into it all anyway.

JWT

If you pr!ck us, do we not bleed? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that the villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. MOV