# Tips - Tricks for Blocking Set 1 and Striking Set 1



## Yondanchris (Mar 30, 2011)

Okay folks, 

   As most of you know I have just begun my journey into American Kenpo after many years of Shaolin Kempo.
I am really blessed to be able to take lessons from one person here on the forum and a local Black Belt 
of Mr. Salantri's (Mr. Manny Martinez). Anyways I figured before I start lessons I would jump ahead 
and start practicing Blocking Set 1 and Striking Set 1. 

Do you guys have any tips/tricks or preferences when you guys teach or perform those sets? 

I will post some video of my progress next week after my lessons so you all can see me
desperatly trying to shed some pounds and learn some kenpo! 


Thanks, 

Chris


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (Mar 30, 2011)

Sandanchris said:


> Okay folks,
> 
> As most of you know I have just begun my journey into American Kenpo after many years of Shaolin Kempo.
> I am really blessed to be able to take lessons from one person here on the forum and a local Black Belt
> ...


 
Pay attention to the paths travelled by your hands as they pass THROUGH, not TO their intended targets. Each movement follows a plane. Kenpo Guy Productions has a very nice video demonstrating the way the planes come together when viewing the Universal Pattern in 3d, on youtube.





 
Each intersectiong node is a location from which you can freely jump to another plane... one intersecting at the node points. 

Too many spend too much time missing the vital relationship between line, path, and arc, as well as target. What differentiates kenpo at its higher levels of performance emobodiment is the emphasis on circles and semi-circles, with paths that pass through a target, rather than going to it and stopping or snapping back on the sme line travelled in delivery. The return path of the orbit should eventually becomes the path which loads the acting hands next strike. Think about swim strokes... each hand never stops moving. It simply continues a path of travel that passes through the surface of the water, recovers to the body, and still continues its motion to the point of coming out of the water, loading, and passing through the surface yet again.

One can do kenpo "techniques", going to the targets, and not through them. But -- if you watch the guys who are standouts, it is definitely about "through". Including Mr. Parker. So, instead of banging into or at your target points, slow it down and move smoothly through them.

Saw a kenpo demo recently... it was good karate, but not what I would say represents technical kenpo at its best. 

D.


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## Touch Of Death (Mar 30, 2011)

Anchor your elbows, and bring your elbow back and to the center on all your return motion. This should help your body move as a unit.
Sean


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## Inkspill (Mar 31, 2011)

Make sure your basics are correct, it is a common error for the outward extended block to go to 3 and 9 instead of the 45 degree angle at about 2 and 10 o clock. also, make sure the outward extended block is high enough to block your head, people tend to go low on this block from the inward block. Also keep your eyes in the correct place. In block set the eyes remain forward. In strike set the eyes are forward when striking forward, when striking with both hands, and with the doubles. 

Also make sure you are in a good solid horse, settle into the horse and keep your toes slightly in, erect posture with hips tucked forward, etc.

I've seen some people on youtube make stance shifts and twist their bodies in all sorts of sloppy ways, don't do that lol. 

Also, make sure the blocks are blocking and the strikes are striking. Your blocks & strikes should be such and be energized.


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## Touch Of Death (Mar 31, 2011)

Inkspill said:


> Make sure your basics are correct, it is a common error for the outward extended block to go to 3 and 9 instead of the 45 degree angle at about 2 and 10 o clock. also, make sure the outward extended block is high enough to block your head, people tend to go low on this block from the inward block. Also keep your eyes in the correct place. In block set the eyes remain forward. In strike set the eyes are forward when striking forward, when striking with both hands, and with the doubles.
> 
> Also make sure you are in a good solid horse, settle into the horse and keep your toes slightly in, erect posture with hips tucked forward, etc.
> 
> ...


It's Ok to align your body with a strike.
Sean


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## billc (Apr 2, 2011)

Once you have the basic idea, you and a partner should put on padding, maybe a helmet, and some light gloves.  Then have him try to take your head off with the punch you are training to defend against.  That should help you develop good blocking technique.  Keep it controlled in that have him do the one punch to start with.  Have him do it over and over till you get confident.  Move on to the next one.  I would also suggest that you watch boxing video, and Muay Thai video.  They train to hit hard, while moving, and it will help you understand some different punching training methods.  

The part about having someone really try to hit you is a good starting point.  A lot of good and bad technique will be revealed in this method.


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