# No Instructor? How to train then?



## marshallbd (Mar 10, 2004)

If there are any junior Kenpoists out there who have had situations change and make a live instructor unavailable, I would love to hear how they continue with their training....  I am now in that situation and had plans to travel monthly to the closest school but bad luck seems to pile up and I am unable to make the trip for quite some time.  I do not want to give up on my journey even if I have to crawl.


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## marshallbd (Mar 10, 2004)

To Clarify.....By junior, I mean the lower colored belts or less than 2 years of training....


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## Kenpomachine (Mar 10, 2004)

Repeat the forms and the techniques everyday. This way, at least you won't forget the material taught to you. And then, everytime you visit the school, they can correct your mistakes and teach you something new.


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## marshallbd (Mar 10, 2004)

I would like to learn all of the Techniques and it doesn't look like I will be able to attend a formal school for quite a long time.  Are there any videos out there that have the techniques shown that are as close to the way they were taught by GM Parker? Again, Ranking does not matter to me, (that will come in time when I can finally make it to a qualified instructor), but I would like to learn the techniques correctly.... and keep i mind that finances are a large issue at this point.
I thank any and all who respond to this post. :asian:


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## Blindside (Mar 10, 2004)

I don't think there is a replacement to a hands on instructor, and my first recommendation would be to find the best local instructor to you, regardless of style. 

With regards to video training I would investigate what Mr. Tatum offers, as there are hints on his website that he has a home study course.  Certainly his videos are excellent and by all reports are very close to what Mr. Parker taught.  At times I find his descriptions, particularly of the forms to be vague, but perhaps his home study program has a method of feedback that would explain some of these points better.  I also find some of the later tapes to be extremely short, partularly of the technique extensions.

And while it is not strictly Mr. Parker's kenpo I would investigate the IKCA offerings.  

You said that finances are an issue, well all of these distance programs involve money expenditures for videos, also expect to travel to hit seminars and take private lessons.  Plan on paying and budget for it.      

Oh, and get a study partner, it will be impossible to learn decent kenpo without a body to bang on, plus a study partner can defray the cost of some of your video purchases.

Good luck, you have a tough road,

Lamont


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## Michael Billings (Mar 10, 2004)

I have reviewed bunches of tapes, the production quality and information is the cleanest on Mr. Tatum's, and it is definitly EPAK of the times.

 -Michael


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## bdparsons (Mar 10, 2004)

The IKCA is worth a look for training when face-to-face instruction is unavailable. The preview tape is free or you can check it out on their website if you have a broadband connection www.karateconnection.com

The program is not American Kenpo, but Chinese Kenpo, based more on the early '60s curriculum used by Mr. Parker. It's a good program, but not an easy one. As Chuck Sullivan likes to quote Mr. Parker, "We don't make it easy, we just make it possible." Bottom line, a terrific organization to be associated with.

Respects,
Bill Parsons
Triangle Kenpo Institute


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## Seig (Mar 10, 2004)

marshallbd said:
			
		

> If there are any junior Kenpoists out there who have had situations change and make a live instructor unavailable, I would love to hear how they continue with their training.... I am now in that situation and had plans to travel monthly to the closest school but bad luck seems to pile up and I am unable to make the trip for quite some time. I do not want to give up on my journey even if I have to crawl.


If you can, call me one evening.


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## marshallbd (Mar 11, 2004)

Seig said:
			
		

> If you can, call me one evening.


I will try and call sometime this week....

Beau :asian:


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## Rick Wade (Mar 11, 2004)

I would say the form of personal training I am about to recommend takes more dedication and commitment.  However I think it will pay off in the long run.  First there are a few things you need to buy:  (1) infinite insights series and (2) Ed Parkers Encyclopedia of Kenpo.  Mr. Tatums tapes on stances and footwork, Blocks and punches.  Then get that down and once you feel comfortable with all of that.  Get the belt manuals to the closest Kenpo School (150 miles or what ever) and set up training sessions with them for once a month.  If you do these basics with a minimum investment money wise buy the time you start going you will get a lot more out of your training sessions.

Just my opinion

Thanks for listening


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## marshallbd (Mar 11, 2004)

Rick Wade said:
			
		

> I would say the form of personal training I am about to recommend takes more dedication and commitment.  However I think it will pay off in the long run.  First there are a few things you need to buy:  (1) infinite insights series and (2) Ed Parkers Encyclopedia of Kenpo.  Mr. Tatums tapes on stances and footwork, Blocks and punches.  Then get that down and once you feel comfortable with all of that.  Get the belt manuals to the closest Kenpo School (150 miles or what ever) and set up training sessions with them for once a month.  If you do these basics with a minimum investment money wise buy the time you start going you will get a lot more out of your training sessions.
> 
> Just my opinion
> 
> Thanks for listening


Thanks for the advice, that is kinda what I had in mind as well.  I don't know about the Tatum Video's though.  They are kinda steep in cost. :asian:


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## Rick Wade (Mar 11, 2004)

marshallbd said:
			
		

> Thanks for the advice, that is kinda what I had in mind as well.  I don't know about the Tatum Video's though.  They are kinda steep in cost. :asian:



Not all of the videos; Just the basics (stances punches blocks) for these are the foundations that you will build everything elese out of.

V/R


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (Mar 11, 2004)

Practice the heck out of everything you have learned so far. Many of the traditional JMA have a fraction of the content of a kenpo system, yet become some very skilled practitioners.  If you never learned anything more than SF 1&2, LF 1, and the first 30 to 50 self-defense techniques, and did each a couple thousand times, you could still excel as a martial artist.  Take the opportunity to build a solid foundation of basics via practice, practice, practice.


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## 8253 (Mar 12, 2004)

marshallbd said:
			
		

> If there are any junior Kenpoists out there who have had situations change and make a live instructor unavailable, I would love to hear how they continue with their training....  I am now in that situation and had plans to travel monthly to the closest school but bad luck seems to pile up and I am unable to make the trip for quite some time.  I do not want to give up on my journey even if I have to crawl.



you should practice your techniques and forms on a regular basis to retain that knowledge however Martial Arts techniques are just there as a guideline for the different possibilities that could happen on the street.  So if you want to mix it up a bit, practice a technique and then just throw in something different just to see what else may work if the opponent would move a different way than the original technique works.  Also when you are practicing your techniques think about what your opponent could do to counter your move, and think of different ways to recounter his move.  There is so many things that you can actually teach yourself from doing single techniques this way that when you do get back to class, you may be able to show others a better way of doing something.  I hope this was helpfull.


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## marshallbd (Mar 12, 2004)

Kembudo-Kai Kempoka said:
			
		

> Practice the heck out of everything you have learned so far. Many of the traditional JMA have a fraction of the content of a kenpo system, yet become some very skilled practitioners.  If you never learned anything more than SF 1&2, LF 1, and the first 30 to 50 self-defense techniques, and did each a couple thousand times, you could still excel as a martial artist.  Take the opportunity to build a solid foundation of basics via practice, practice, practice.


I love this place because everyone here (for the most part anyway) really cares about helping others out.  I really appreciate all the great responses and advice everyone is so willing to share. I SALUTE all of you!
Beau :asian:


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## marshallbd (Mar 12, 2004)

8253 said:
			
		

> you should practice your techniques and forms on a regular basis to retain that knowledge however Martial Arts techniques are just there as a guideline for the different possibilities that could happen on the street.  So if you want to mix it up a bit, practice a technique and then just throw in something different just to see what else may work if the opponent would move a different way than the original technique works.  Also when you are practicing your techniques think about what your opponent could do to counter your move, and think of different ways to recounter his move.  There is so many things that you can actually teach yourself from doing single techniques this way that when you do get back to class, you may be able to show others a better way of doing something.  I hope this was helpfull.


I always thought that visualization was the key to being succesful at anything. Excellent advice and thanks! :asian:


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## marshallbd (Mar 12, 2004)

Black Belt Articles      


VIDEO SENSEI
CAN YOUR VCR TEACH YOU TECHNIQUES AS WELL 
AS LIVING, BREATHING HUMAN BEINGS? 
BY BOBBY NEWMAN PH.D. 

     In recent years there's been a boom in the sales of videotapes designed to teach certain skill sets to viewers.  As soon as video was determined to be an effective teaching tool, forward thinking martial artists entered the fray and began churning out volume after volume covering every style imaginable. It has become big business. Up to 35 percent of the ads in Black Belt offer some form of videotaped instruction. They represent an almost endless parade of styles and instructors, with individual tapes costing as much as $60 and complete sets selling for $500 or more.  Despite the popularity of martial arts instructional tapes, no study of their effectiveness has been performed. Until now. In a quest for hard evidence, three subjects with no martial arts experience were selected to participate in an experiment. These are the results. 

THE METHOD 
     The subjects were three women, all of whom were in their 20s and in good health. They were tasked with learn- 10 kenpo karate techniques. For some techniques, the mode of instruction was one-on-one training with a certified personal trainer who holds a black belt in the art. For others, it was by videotape. 
     All the techniques were taught on the same day. Two of the students learned in their homes, while the third learned in a commercial martial arts facility. Before each session, they were told to stretch their muscles and perform calisthenics. Then the training commenced.  
     Each live technique was performed three times by the instructor. Then the students practiced it with the instructor as the partner until they could execute it proficiently.  
     Each video-based technique was viewed three times. Then the students practiced it with the instructor, but he merely served as the attacker. He did not make corrections or offer advice. 

THE OUTCOME
     The study determined that all three students were able to effectively perform each technique for the instructor in fewer than 10 attempts. No systematic differences between the two methods of instruction were evident. The subjects appeared to learn the techniques equally well from either source. The tapes, however, imparted the skills at a much lower cost to the students.  


 Knowledge at Your Fingertips 
By Eddie Ivester 

     Traditional martial artists frequently scoff at the idea of learning by video, arguing that you need a live instructor to guide you and critique your every move. But modern practitioners know that isn't quite true. For many parts of your training, a real instructor is not required.
     In centuries past, when writing was still a luxury, a few innovative masters took advantage of it and recorded their secrets for posterity. When the public would hear mention of those books, they were often described as sacred texts that were valued as highly as human life. Warriors fought and died trying to protect them - or take possession of them. Within their pages lay information that could transform a fighter into a master. 
     Mind you, all this was taking place when books were nothing more than hand-written manuscripts with perhaps a few rough sketches sprinkled throughout. Now, in the 21st century, we enjoy a technology that enables us to record and play back moving images and sound. Video allows us to see and hear masters as they perform their techniques, yet some martial artists just can't grasp the worth of this. If those doubting Thomases lived 100 or 1,000 years ago, would they have harbored the same skepticism about the written word?
     There's no difference between learning the martial arts from a video and learning any other course from a video. It all comes down to the quality of the information being provided on the tape and your motivation to absorb it. Although you may not be able to learn an entire art from a set of videos, as long as the information is comprehensive, you'll be able to advance by leaps and bounds.
     Now that you're convinced that video-based training is a valid way to gain martial knowledge, let's look at seven reasons why training by video is a good thing:
** You can work out in the privacy of your home at your convenience. 
** You can learn a style that's not offered in your area. 
** You can advance in rank within your current art. 
** You can check out the skills of an instructor before signing up for lessons. 
** You can investigate a style before you spend time and money to find a school that teaches it. 
** You can learn new ways of training and/or teaching. 
** You can prepare yourself for tournaments by reviewing the styles you will face in the ring. 
     So whether you want to learn a new style, expand your technique base, advance in your current art, prep yourself for a tournament, or search for new training and teaching methods, you should not pass up videotapes. They represent the ultimate high-tech tool for learning the ancient arts of self-defense. 


These were on the Mr Tatums site.  I have seen both elswhere as well.  What do you think about these assertions? :asian:


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## marshallbd (Mar 12, 2004)

I don't see why you couldn't learn an art's basics from these video's as long as the video's are done in a porfessional manner by a QUALIFIED individual. I am interested because the nearest scholl for me is a LONG way off. (I have only 1 car and 2 drivers and the wife wins!) :asian:


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## Rick Wade (Mar 12, 2004)

marshallbd said:
			
		

> I don't see why you couldn't learn an art's basics from these video's as long as the video's are done in a porfessional manner by a QUALIFIED individual. I am interested because the nearest scholl for me is a LONG way off. (I have only 1 car and 2 drivers and the wife wins!) :asian:



Enroll the wife (cheap way)

or let her go shopping (expensive way) during class.

Just tell her that is your time to connect on the way to and from class.

Thanks


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## Seig (Mar 12, 2004)

Beau has approached me to train him.  If we can find a way to get him up here once a month, we will video his lesson and his homework.  That way he will have something to refer to when he goes home.


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## Doc (Mar 15, 2004)

Michael Billings said:
			
		

> I have reviewed bunches of tapes, the production quality and information is the cleanest on Mr. Tatum's, and it is definitly EPAK of the times.
> 
> -Michael



Mr. B is usually correct and I agree.


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## ikenpo (Mar 15, 2004)

Seig said:
			
		

> Beau has approached me to train him.  If we can find a way to get him up here once a month, we will video his lesson and his homework.  That way he will have something to refer to when he goes home.



What do you consider "homework"? Sayings, pledges, patch description, etc...


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## Seig (Mar 16, 2004)

jbkenpo said:
			
		

> What do you consider "homework"? Sayings, pledges, patch description, etc...


Yes.  But more importantly, as I tell my college students, a couple hours of a month isn't going to do you much good.  You must practice what you are taught.  Therefore, ongoing practice will be "homework".


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## marshallbd (Mar 16, 2004)

Rick Wade said:
			
		

> Enroll the wife (cheap way)
> 
> or let her go shopping (expensive way) during class.
> 
> ...


Tried the first, No interest on her part...

And I have no interest ing giving her shopping time alone!!!  I'd go broke!!!!


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## marshallbd (Mar 25, 2004)

Blindside said:
			
		

> With regards to video training I would investigate what Mr. Tatum offers, as there are hints on his website that he has a home study course.  Certainly his videos are excellent and by all reports are very close to what Mr. Parker taught.  At times I find his descriptions, particularly of the forms to be vague, but perhaps his home study program has a method of feedback that would explain some of these points better.  I also find some of the later tapes to be extremely short, partularly of the technique extensions.


I found this on the tracy's site at www.tracyskarate.com
BUT ALL IS NOT LOST! The man that Ed Parker had originally "anointed" as his successor did what Ed Parker did not - He put the self defense techniques and katas on video tape, and preserved them for history! Click here to take you to the page on videos http://www.tracyskarate.com/AmKenpo/Tatum.htm

Just thought I'd stir the pot and see what everyone had to say about this.... %-}


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## lifewise (Mar 25, 2004)

Seig said:
			
		

> Beau has approached me to train him.  If we can find a way to get him up here once a month, we will video his lesson and his homework.  That way he will have something to refer to when he goes home.




So does this mean we are not to give him other alternatives to his training?


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## Rob Broad (Mar 25, 2004)

Alternatives are always good for everyone.


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## ryangrantcollins (Oct 12, 2004)

When I first started training it was in the Seizan Ryu Kempo Jujutsu, after a while the school kept changing the style that it taught.  By the time I had gotten back from Basic Training for the Army, he was teaching Aikido and Tae Kwon Do, I went ahead and purchased Larry Tatums videos, Mohamad Tabatabi's videos, and the IKCA video home study course.  Now, I use the Karate Connection videos as my primary source of learning material but supplement it with the other Kenpo videos that I own in addition to the videos on other styles that I own.  So, I don't know if that helps you at all but I thought I would thorugh in what has worked for me.

Ryan Collins


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## Doc (Oct 12, 2004)

marshallbd said:
			
		

> Black Belt Articles
> 
> 
> VIDEO SENSEI
> ...


So if the Chinese had video back in the day ....... uh, I don't think so.


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## GAB (Oct 12, 2004)

Hi ya all,

I believe that the correct way is the old way, investigate, corrobarate, do some follow ups, then make the decision, follow through, watch the outcome.

No need to make it anymore complicated then that.

Regards, Gary


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## GAB (Oct 23, 2004)

Doc said:
			
		

> So if the Chinese had video back in the day ....... uh, I don't think so.


You can bet if the Japanese had video in the those days they would have ben using it to help their students, headphones and all.

Regards, Gary


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