Flow
Drills and Grafting Techniques of
American and Traditional Kenpo
"Kenpo employs linear as well as circular moves, utilizing intermittent power when and where needed, interspersed with minor and major moves which flow with continuity. It is flexible in thought and action so to blend with encounters as they occur." - Ed Parker
I have found that in most Kenpo Studios I have been to, whether they were American or Traditional, that the students could perform the techniques flawlessly in the air or when they knew what attack was coming. But as soon as you put them in the ring or throw a unrehearsed/unknown attack, the Kenpo techniques go out the window.
There are many reasons for this, including:
Lack of proper mind set. You must be focused!
Train for this by sparing and practicing with an opponent throwing unrehearsed/unknown attacks.
Another way, which was brought to my attention by a close friend and great Kenpoist, is to watch reality-based programs. By watching a program such as Jerry Springer, where you are guaranteed to see a confrontation, you can analyze the situation as a third person to see how you would react in a similar situation (hopefully not on Jerry Springer).
Always be in a state of readiness and standing in a natural posture.
Hick’s Law of Reaction/Response time: "Reaction time increases significantly when you must decide which response or techniques is most important for the threat." That’s why Family Groupings are so important. It breaks down the techniques into lesser amounts of information to deal with.
Flow Drills
One technique is not always going to work in a situation. Things can change in a millisecond, so you have to be able to adapt to any situation.
Take the technique Delayed Sword for example, which is found in both American and Traditional Kenpo:
Defense against a right lapel push/grab or punch.
Step back with your left foot into a right neutral bow (fighting horse) stance, simultaneously delivering a right inward block and checking with your left hand.
American Kenpo Technique Flow:
Five Swords
- Unfurling Crane
- Defying The Storm
- Etc.
Traditional Kenpo Technique Flow:
- Five Swords
- Seven Swords
- Arching Blades
- Etc
- Next deliver a right ball (thrust) kick to groin.
American Kenpo Technique Flow:
- Circling Fans
- Etc.
Traditional Kenpo Technique Flow:
- The Rake
- Etc.
Plant your right foot down (checking opponent’s right leg).
Execute a right chop to opponent’s neck or right backhand to temple.
As you can see you can practice and develop flow drills of your own quite easily.
Next I would like to talk about Grafting.
If you analyze techniques you will notice all techniques have some combination of the following basics:
- Blocks
- Strikes
- Kicks
- Stances
The goal of grafting is to take bits and pieces of techniques and graft them on demand, much like we did in the flow drill or like the equation principle in American Kenpo, the difference being not thinking specific technique but rather going with the basics you have learned and creating a continues flow of motion.
Look at each self-defense technique as a mini kata (form) and learn what you can take from it. Lets for example take a technique like Twin Kimono (American) or Kimono Grab (Traditional). The technique is for a grab, but what if that grab turns out to be a punch? Do you stop and regroup? NO! In that split second, you would be struck. The right forearm that was to be used as a elbow break can now become a block and you flow from there.
Know your basics!!
Find someone you can trust and practice unrehearsed/situational self-defense with.
For example, what works when your back’s against a wall, you’re in a corner, leaning at a bar, etc.
Practice these situations!
I hope this was of some help, if anyone has anything they would like to ad or if you have a commit or question, please drop me a line at kenpoexchange@email.com. And don’t forget, Know your basics!!
