# Kenpo Explosion Question



## Touch Of Death (Dec 6, 2005)

I was introduced to a practice many years ago known as "the Kenpo Explosion" it involved doing a rapid series of moves in a single tight exhaling. My instructor has never brought it up to me; so, I wonder how the rest of you think of it. Has anyone heared of it? I understand Kiai, I just haven't explored the Kenpo Explosion.


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## Doc (Dec 6, 2005)

Touch Of Death said:
			
		

> I was introduced to a practice many years ago known as "the Kenpo Explosion" it involved doing a rapid series of moves in a single tight exhaling. My instructor has never brought it up to me; so, I wonder how the rest of you think of it. Has anyone heared of it? I understand Kiai, I just haven't explored the Kenpo Explosion.


Not that it means anything but, I never heard of it. I suspect the obsession with speed tied to breathing would create some problems mechanically.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 6, 2005)

I thought it matched to closely with Mr. Parker's warnings about external breathing methods causing herniations. When The guy was trying to teach it to me my motion was bad; so, it would have been bad on top of bad had I worked with it. 
Sean


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## Doc (Dec 7, 2005)

Touch Of Death said:
			
		

> I thought it matched to closely with Mr. Parker's warnings about external breathing methods causing herniations. When The guy was trying to teach it to me my motion was bad; so, it would have been bad on top of bad had I worked with it.
> Sean


Good obs sir. It's definitely bad news.


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## Brother John (Dec 7, 2005)

Are you sure it's not just another example or expression of the "Tea-kettle" way of breathing? You know, not exhaling in one sharp kiai but through a tight and more continuous exhilation???


Your Brother
John


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## Seig (Dec 7, 2005)

This brings up an interesting point. A couple weeks ago, one of my students came to me, she had bruised her ribs. She told me that it hurt when she breathed unless she breathed deep into her abdomen. This gave me an opportunity to explain breathing. 
It is funny how as infants, we all breathe abdominally, medical experts have stated that this is the correct way of breathing, yet as we get older, we chest breathe, thus not using all of our lung capacity. Why is it that as infants we breathe correctly, ,yet as adults we do not?


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## Lisa (Dec 7, 2005)

Seig said:
			
		

> This brings up an interesting point. A couple weeks ago, one of my students came to me, she had bruised her ribs. She told me that it hurt when she breathed unless she breathed deep into her abdomen. This gave me an opportunity to explain breathing.
> It is funny how as infants, we all breathe abdominally, medical experts have stated that this is the correct way of breathing, yet as we get older, we chest breathe, thus not using all of our lung capacity. Why is it that as infants we breathe correctly, ,yet as adults we do not?



Interesting that you should bring this up Seig.  I recently read an article about this very same phenomenon.

Here is the Link

The author makes the comment that we use "western" posture that includes a puffed our chest and stomach sucked in.  It inhibits our diaphragm thus not allowing us to breath to our capacity.


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## shesulsa (Dec 7, 2005)

The western idea that a thin waist is healthy is partly the culprit as well.  Have any of you seen illustrations of the intended ideal figure at the beginning of the 20th century?  A man could easily fit his hands around a woman's waist with room to spare.  Ick.


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## Brother John (Dec 7, 2005)

Seig said:
			
		

> It is funny how as infants, we all breathe abdominally, medical experts have stated that this is the correct way of breathing, yet as we get older, we chest breathe, thus not using all of our lung capacity. Why is it that as infants we breathe correctly, ,yet as adults we do not?


I don't have any definitive answers to that, but I've got some decent guesses.
Maybe laziness. Chest breathing is for when we are truly fatigued and even then....it's should be in addition to, not in place of, abdominal breathing.
Being overweight. Having a HUGE ponch that pushes up against the diaphram would make it difficult to do much more than "chest breathe". 

Abdominal breathing is fuller, deeper and fills more of the lungs...leading to a more efficient gas exchange in the blood. This effects ones overall health a great deal more than many would think. If one were to take up the practice of "Deep Breathing" and make it a habit....their health and vitality would improve...I think.
I'm not even getting into the whole, very interesting, study of Pranayama and Prana-bindu of Yoga.... VERY VERY interesting and profitable 'breath work' there.

Your Brother
John


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## Michael Billings (Dec 7, 2005)

I am thinking of the difference between "explosive pressure," which is not necessarily a breathing pattern, and an "explosive" technique, still not just the breathing pattern.  So long as you are not holding your breath, but focusing it at the appropriate times, synchronizing this with the appropriate strike for that timing in your breathing you will be fine.  Just don't "run outta gas" with a single breath and exhale.  There can be a staggered breathing pattern, for lack of a better description.

-Michael


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## eyebeams (Dec 7, 2005)

Brother John said:
			
		

> Are you sure it's not just another example or expression of the "Tea-kettle" way of breathing? You know, not exhaling in one sharp kiai but through a tight and more continuous exhilation???
> 
> 
> Your Brother
> John



That kind of tension is not a fighting technique, but kiko or qigong. You don't use it to fight any more than you would a bench press ot ab crunch.

Generally, a technique provides the cue on how to breathe simply by favouring  the correct method with its structure. One easy way to see this is by twisting your torso. Your natural inclination will be to release the breath in synch with the movement to either side, but unfortunately, once people are aware of their breathe, they tend to make mistakes for the purpose of acquiring the sensation of breath and effort.


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## Brother John (Dec 7, 2005)

eyebeams said:
			
		

> That kind of tension is not a fighting technique, but kiko or qigong. You don't use it to fight any more than you would a bench press ot ab crunch.
> 
> Generally, a technique provides the cue on how to breathe simply by favouring the correct method with its structure. One easy way to see this is by twisting your torso. Your natural inclination will be to release the breath in synch with the movement to either side, but unfortunately, once people are aware of their breathe, they tend to make mistakes for the purpose of acquiring the sensation of breath and effort.


 
interesting ideas, but in American Kenpo... the breathing known as "tea-kettle" sure can be used in fighting. In fact, you really should. I really don't know if it's origins lie in Chi-Kung or what... that's interesting, but it supports very explosive action.

can I get a witness?

Your Brother
John


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## still learning (Dec 7, 2005)

Hello, Have you ever seem "The hit man" who can hit you 18 times in a second?   Same princple.  Isn't this what our Kempo art is about?  Hitting someone multiple times.  Sometime in one breathe?

Just a Idea (thanks apples)...................Aloha


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## arnisador (Dec 7, 2005)

Is this John "The Speed Man" LaTourrette? I thought he got to 18 times (or whatever it is) in one second by counting a slap as six hits because there are the five fingertips plus the center of the palm, etc.

Links:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=755
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6920


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## Michael Billings (Dec 7, 2005)

Nah, it was 20 times in 6 seconds, grafting Unfurling Crane and Five Swords together with a few more strikes.  

-Michael


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## arnisador (Dec 7, 2005)

OK, I am prepared to believe that! I know his speed is impressive, but 18 times per second doesn't seem plausible without some Enron accounting.


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## Gin-Gin (Dec 7, 2005)

Seig said:
			
		

> This brings up an interesting point. A couple weeks ago, one of my students came to me, she had bruised her ribs. She told me that it hurt when she breathed unless she breathed deep into her abdomen. This gave me an opportunity to explain breathing. It is funny how as infants, we all breathe abdominally, medical experts have stated that this is the correct way of breathing, yet as we get older, we chest breathe, thus not using all of our lung capacity. Why is it that as infants we breathe correctly, ,yet as adults we do not?


Good question. And good article, Lisa--very informative! 


			
				Michael Billings said:
			
		

> So long as you are not holding your breath, but focusing it at the appropriate times, synchronizing this with the appropriate strike for that timing in your breathing you will be fine. Just don't "run outta gas" with a single breath and exhale. There can be a staggered breathing pattern, for lack of a better description.





			
				Michael Billings said:
			
		

> Nah, it was 20 times in 6 seconds, grafting Unfurling Crane and Five Swords together with a few more strikes.


Interesting....:uhyeah:


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## Flying Crane (Dec 7, 2005)

arnisador said:
			
		

> OK, I am prepared to believe that! I know his speed is impressive, but 18 times per second doesn't seem plausible without some Enron accounting.


 
yeah, I have heard this kind of claim in Wing Chun as well, but I wonder what kind of power those 18 hits would have, even if the speed is not an embelishment.  My sifu (not wing chun) says that if you can hit from 3-6 times in a second, you have some very useful speed.  It is hard to keep that kind of speed up for more that a brief time, and your technique starts to deteriorate.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 7, 2005)

This is where you are wrestling between sluff and definative motion. Unless a strike makes a real difference, it wasn't worth adding to the series.
Sean


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## eyebeams (Dec 7, 2005)

Brother John said:
			
		

> interesting ideas, but in American Kenpo... the breathing known as "tea-kettle" sure can be used in fighting. In fact, you really should. I really don't know if it's origins lie in Chi-Kung or what... that's interesting, but it supports very explosive action.
> 
> can I get a witness?
> 
> ...



Well, you don't let the belly lie completely slack (it's an invitation to get punched in the gut), but I generally don't approve of forcing breath. Proper breath is the outcome of proper posture.

I do no some folks go for short tense exhalations, but these ae usually pulsed out. I can see how EPAK might just link this together, but continual tension actually puts a brake on your speed. On the other hand, breathing the way you do in a proper kiai (but without the vocalization, which is just a training tool) releases tension. In my view, though, if you need to force a breath out you aren't executing in a proper posture. The body mechanics of a proper punch, for instance, dictate the correct exhalation. Again, the temptation is to force it to prove to yourself that you are controlling your breath.


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## Michael Billings (Dec 7, 2005)

I can do the 18 hits in 5 seconds thing with a stopwatch, but hadn't you rather take 6-7 seconds and hit them really hard with 12-14 strikes (and yes, I count the rt. upward elbow, claw, lft. heel palm to the sternum, rt. scoop kick, rt. handsword, rt. knife-edge as 6 strikes).  I do not add the strikes for each finger as an additional 5 stikes following the heel palm part of the claw ... calling that 11 strikes would be cheating ... I think.

-Michael


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## Brian Jones (Dec 9, 2005)

Not only is counting touching as hitting cheating, but if I remember Latourette tries to hit as he steps, so manyof his "hits" come from standing on one leg.  To get back on subject It may not matter what type of breathing you do, if you don't have a good base you can't hit effectively.

Brian Jones


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 9, 2005)

Hey now lets not argue counter balance. Its real, it works; however, it would be a minor move. A double legged base is not always required for effectiveness. 
Sean


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## Michael Billings (Dec 9, 2005)

I think there are a large number of techniques where you are hitting from one leg or in transition.  In some cases I probably hit harder as I shift from one leg to the other.  Destroying an opponent's base makes sense, stabalizing your own base is essential in a lot of techniques.  In other techniques you are in transition as you strike, or doing multiple strikes with leg and hand while checking or pinning with the other hand.

Hmmm....????
-Michael


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