# Heavanly, ascending fingers...



## satans.barber (Oct 25, 2003)

Until this week, we used to do Heavanly Ascent completely wrong - instead of making a thrusting wedge with the hands up between the opponent's arms, we would strike forwards into the opponent's stomach/sternum with both hands. Now, I knew this wasn't the wap EPAK'ers did it, but so many of our techniques are altered I assumed it was just another change. This is the way I was taught the technique by my instructor (although he didn't own up to that at the grading when it was pointed out that it was totally wrong!) and so I didn't really know any better.

Anyways, it turns out that we _are_ meant to do it with the thrusting wedge at the start, so I've just been practising it a bit the new way.

Now, with regards to the fingers, when we used to do the strike to the sternum we would never interlace the fingers, rather making a right fist and covering it with the left hand to drive forwards with instead, so that we didn't damage our fingers.

Looking at this tape I've been given, Sensei Cawood does in fact interlace his fingers though as he makes the wedge. My initial thought was that that was a waste of time really, and that the old covered right fist would work just as well for the wedge (interlacing fingers is clumsy and also dangerous from a counter-attack point of view to my mind).

I thought I'd see what the official version looks like, and looking at Mr. Billing's excellent and useful site (as always!) it states 'clasp the hands together'. To me, 'clasping hands' means that you essentially give yourself a handshake (thumbs crossed), in a Shylock-look-at-all-my-sheckles come my-hands-are-bloody-cold sort of a formation...is that how it's done?

Just looking for confirmation really, I like the clasping idea best out of the three alternatives I've mentioned though (quick and strong).

Thanks,

Ian.


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## Shodan (Oct 25, 2003)

I was taught this tech. with the clasping (self-handshake) hand position.

  :asian:  :karate:


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## pete (Oct 26, 2003)

we tend to do some things a little different than the standard EPAKers as well. From what i've been hearing, they are holdover principles from Chinese Kenpo, one of Parker's earlier systems. I guess now that EPAK is 20 years plus, "old" is a relative term.

Anyway, we do Heavenly Ascent with the hand clasped as you've described "Shylock Style" (i kinda liked that as a visual).  the rationale is your wedge strike will send the attackers arms up and over to his right and may be able to regrab your hands.  If the fingers are entwined he can control both of your arms and your entire upper body with one hand.  Clasped hands can be smoothly seperated after the wedge strike and continue to move through the remainder of the technique in circular movements, providing strikes with complimentary checks.


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## satans.barber (Oct 26, 2003)

Cool, thanks guys,

Ian.


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## sumdumguy (Jan 28, 2004)

That's interesting? I was taught and teach this tech with the same thrusting wedge application with the exception of the fact that the forearms are actually striking the opp's forearms (ulnar) before contact is made to the face with one fist covering the other the opp's arms are seperated much like parting wings to the outer rim and immediately with out loss of momentum or timing moving into a hooking wings (latter part of the tech) type of uppercut followed by the elbow to the chin as in circling wing (residual motion) and so on. Just another version.
:asian:


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