# Characteristic Technique of EPAK.



## Jagdish (May 6, 2005)

Dear Friends:

I was curious to know what will be the caracteristic technique of Master Parker's kenpo.I am not referring to a self defense technique but to that punch, kick, throw, etc. that will be the caracteristic and should be practiced ad infinitum.

Example: in Muay Thai : The roundhouse kick.
             in Tai chi:  grasping the Sparrow's tail.

Any idea?

Yours,

Jagdish

P.S: i have asked this question to some instructors before but some say it doesn't have any ???


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## MisterMike (May 6, 2005)

I haven't heard of any one technique to practice over the others, but it is recommended to practice the first 4 forms daily, Short 1, Long 1, Short 2 and Long 2.

These contain a good set of the basics.


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## Rick Wade (May 6, 2005)

I would have to say there is no one technique.  But I always come back to star blocks, and strike set.  Both are stationaty sets (kata) that work the very basics of any art.

V/R

Rick


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## Goldendragon7 (May 6, 2005)

X-Ray eyes.......


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## Jagdish (May 6, 2005)

Well, if not caracteristic then one of most prominent?
Could it be the hammer fist or the elbow & heel palm?  

Yours,

Jagdish


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## Ceicei (May 6, 2005)

Well, with many techniques we do move in very close and strike to the knees. I don't know if that is "unique" enough from other styles to make this a characteristic of Kenpo. We do practically everything in Kenpo - all kinds of punches, strikes, parries, kicks, and take-downs.

   - Ceicei


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## The Kai (May 6, 2005)

A little cheeky, but haow about the Kenpo Fingers pose.  I.e. Reverse Bow with hands held so just the 1st two fingers are straight!  Arms can be in different postions


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## arnisador (May 6, 2005)

Ceicei said:
			
		

> Well, with many techniques we do move in very close and strike to the knees.


  In what way? Dropping low to use the arms, you mean?

 I do recognize the "Fingers Pose" from its description!


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## Doc (May 7, 2005)

Goldendragon7 said:
			
		

> X-Ray eyes.......


"Flashing chopsticks."


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## Ceicei (May 7, 2005)

arnisador said:
			
		

> In what way? Dropping low to use the arms, you mean?


  Well, some techniques do have hand strikes to their knees (usually to the back of their knees).  Many of the techniques, however, involve foot, leg, and knee strikes to their knees.

 - Ceicei


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## thesensei (May 7, 2005)

Well, Kenpo is one of very few, if any, systems that use knee buckles and breaks, i.e. Thundering Hammers (Repeating Hammers for fellow IKCA'ers).  However, for the most part, I don't think Kenpo can be "classified" in that way.  Kenpo is too sophisticated for that.  Having said that, you can normally tell a Kenpo stylist by watching.  This is one of the reasons I love Kenpo.  There is a little of the "hard" karate style, but a lot of the "flow" of Chuan Fa (Kung Fu).

So, I don't think there's a specific technique that is characteristic of Kenpo, but you'll sure know it when you see it!

Salute,
JB


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## Touch Of Death (May 7, 2005)

The answer to your question is to practice the jab off the lead hand and the reverse punch or forward bow off the back hand.
Sean


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## Doc (May 7, 2005)

thesensei said:
			
		

> Well, Kenpo is one of very few, if any, systems that use knee buckles and breaks, i.e. Thundering Hammers (Repeating Hammers for fellow IKCA'ers).


That would be grossly incorrect. You should be careful of speaking of what other styles do or do not do. What is your background for such an assertion? IKCA and .... ?


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## thesensei (May 7, 2005)

Doc said:
			
		

> That would be grossly incorrect. You should be careful of speaking of what other styles do or do not do. What is your background for such an assertion? IKCA and .... ?



Sir,

I apologize if I offended you.  I should have added a disclaimer - "to my knowledge."  And I realize that my knowledge is very far from all-encompassing.  My background is more than just IKCA.  I spent 5 years training in Chinese Kenpo (older Parker curriculum, similar to NCKAA) under a 3rd gen. blackbelt.  I have also studied American karate and TKD.  Neither of those styles included the knee buckles, and I asked my instructors (3rd and 4th degree black, respectively), and they had never worked with them.  I have also spoken to several other trad. stylists who had not used them.  

BTW, my definition of Kenpo is fairly broad.

Thank you for the reproof.  I will do more research into this subject.

Salute,
JB


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## Doc (May 7, 2005)

thesensei said:
			
		

> Sir,
> 
> I apologize if I offended you.  I should have added a disclaimer - "to my knowledge."  And I realize that my knowledge is very far from all-encompassing.  My background is more than just IKCA.  I spent 5 years training in Chinese Kenpo (older Parker curriculum, similar to NCKAA) under a 3rd gen. blackbelt.  I have also studied American karate and TKD.  Neither of those styles included the knee buckles, and I asked my instructors (3rd and 4th degree black, respectively), and they had never worked with them.  I have also spoken to several other trad. stylists who had not used them.
> 
> ...


No sir, you did not offend. One of the things we do here at MartialTalk is attempt to provide as accurate description and definition of the different topics as possible. Of course there are always varying opinions but those opinions must have a reasonable basis. Many come here for information with little to no background, and we strive to positively inform. Join the club sir.

Additionally, only some of the more modern stripped, and sport interpretations omit these methods. My own exposure runs the gamut from Shotokan, Hapkido, jiujitsu, Silat, Traditional Chinese Sciences, etc. and all have the buckle leg joint attacks in their respective teachngs.


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## punisher73 (May 7, 2005)

As with alot of arts, it comes down to if the instructors are aware of things in their style or not.  If you're instructor does not find knee buckles effective (not saying they're not just going with them as an example) and doesn't teach them, then when the student then becomes an instructor he may not be aware that they are even there and so forth down the line.

For me, I think 5 swords when I first think of kenpo.  The fast striking open hands and quick stance movement encompasses what I think of first.


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## Hollywood1340 (May 8, 2005)

The Kai said:
			
		

> A little cheeky, but haow about the Kenpo Fingers pose. I.e. Reverse Bow with hands held so just the 1st two fingers are straight! Arms can be in different postions


 :supcool:


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## distalero (May 8, 2005)

No one seems to want to, so I'll take the plunge: as long as we're not confusing "characteristic" with "unique", then I'm wondering if you couldn't say that 5 swords, or better, what I know as the 5 count (from the Chinese Kenpo days), isn't characteristic of Kenpo, maybe especially if you throw the kick in. I think there might be a few reasons that this could be true. Just sayin'.


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## Drifter (May 8, 2005)

There is no real 'characteristic' technique. There's a lot of a little bit of everything in Kenpo. I would say that Five Swords and Thundering Hammer would be some of the the definitive techniques (at least for me), and part of that is that they are two of the Master Key moves, from which the others are derived.


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## Doc (May 8, 2005)

Hollywood1340 said:
			
		

> :supcool:


Yeah. Too bad they don't know the position those fingers should really be in. Everyone misunderstood Mr. Parker's posture. Twin Dragons has a secret.


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## thesensei (May 9, 2005)

Doc said:
			
		

> Twin Dragons has a secret.



And the secret is??????     :idunno:


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## Simon Curran (May 9, 2005)

thesensei said:
			
		

> And the secret is?????? :idunno:


Very cool and functional, thanks DOC.:asian:


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## Doc (May 9, 2005)

SIMONCURRAN said:
			
		

> Very cool and functional, thanks DOC.:asian:


Oh yeah. That's right. I told you the "secret" at the seminar in England. Nobody would have ever guessed that one single finger could affect a persons structural integrity. I guess they'll have to catch one of my lectures. Thanks for reminding me Simon. Youdaman.


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## Simon Curran (May 9, 2005)

Doc said:
			
		

> Nobody would have ever guessed that one single finger could affect a persons structural integrity. I guess they'll have to catch one of my lectures.


Ain't that the truth!!!

My brother and I were trying a few of the "experiments" last night at free training, and our instructor commented on how much of it reminded him of his Kung Fu days...
They weren't altogether dumn those old Chinese folks...


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## Doc (May 9, 2005)

SIMONCURRAN said:
			
		

> Ain't that the truth!!!
> 
> My brother and I were trying a few of the "experiments" last night at free training, and our instructor commented on how much of it reminded him of his Kung Fu days...
> They weren't altogether dumn those old Chinese folks...


Clearly there is a huge amount of information that never made it to motion kenpo - ya think?


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## Simon Curran (May 9, 2005)

Doc said:
			
		

> Clearly there is a huge amount of information that never made it to motion kenpo - ya think?


The differences are becoming clearer.:asian:


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## Goldendragon7 (May 10, 2005)

Doc said:
			
		

> Clearly there is a huge amount of information that never made it to motion kenpo - ya think?


  NOW beeee _*c a r e f u l*_ at what you say here .....:jedi1:  %-}  :mp5:


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## Doc (May 10, 2005)

Goldendragon7 said:
			
		

> NOW beeee _*c a r e f u l*_ at what you say here .....:jedi1:  %-}  :mp5:


There you go again Mr. Invisible.


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## scorpio (May 16, 2005)

I would have to agree that five swords could be classified as the definitive technique in EPAK. At least in my humble opinion. I can't comment on the  "top secret" finger postioning mentioned. Guess I'll have to wait to get my official membership card and special decoder ring!


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