Ed Parker and Kicking

[Rich_Hale]

Could Mr. Parker Kick?

Yep, he could kick alright, but remember - Mr. Parker practiced what he preached.

Take a run through our techniques and you will see that the term "kick" is used in 137 techniques, but how many of those kicks are delivered above the waist - while your opponent is still standing upright?

Mr. Parker believed, very strongly, that kicking the head made as much sense as punching the feet (as was already mentioned), but he not only allowed me to kick high, he encouraged it.

Mr. Parker knew that a roundhouse kick to the head was as easy for me as a punch to the stomach, so he never had a problem with it. In fact Mr. Parker enjoyed seeing a good head shot as much as the next guy - but still any time he taught me the mechanics of kicking, it was never high and always low.

On the other hand, every now and then, he would mention that I wasn't always going to be in my early thirties and weigh a hundred and sixty pounds. Now at 54 years of age and lingering around 200 pounds, I kick pretty much like he taught me - fast, hard, and yes, low.

Okay, I know I didn't really have anything new to add to the conversation. That's why I included a few of my Mr. Parker kicking people pictures to add to your viewing enjoyment.

 

[jukado1]

James Coburn starred in "In like flint", And a sequel, The first one was done before Coburn met Bruce Lee, And was choreographed by Bruce Tegner, As far as Ed Parker's kicks, He was very good at functional kicks, Not as good at "show" kicks.

 

[jazkiljok]

Well, I just watched and old episode of the Lucy Show with Ed Parker as a "Judo Karate" student demonstrating kenpo for Lucy and Viv, Well, he looked pretty good until it came time for him to demonstrate various kicks. MAN his kicks looked bad! I mean, I've seen Ed Parker do some awesome things, but kicking certainly was not forte`. Anyone know why this is? Was it an anatomical thing, or did he just not like kicking?

you know it's been way too long for me to remember any details of that show- and i know i confuse at times my memory of Ed Parker's bit on Courtship of Eddie's Father but i went to check the episode description here's what i got:


A prowler has been reported in the neighborhood, so Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Viv (Vivian Vance) decide to learn how to defend themselves. This decision leads to a memorable afternoon at a judo academy, presided over by real-life martial arts expert Louis Coppola. Despite the usual slapstickery, the girls become quite adept at judo--but their new-found athletic prowess inevitably backfires, and at the worst possible time to boot. -- Hal Erickson

Dick Martin
- Harry Conners
Louis Coppola
- Himself
Henry Kulky
- Tough Guy
James Seay
- Mr. Sheldon
Ed Parker
- Prowler

are you sure Parker was demoing kicks? he played the prowler on this episode. or is this episode description just wrong?

 

[Doc]

The best illustration of Mr. Parker's kicking philosophy comes in an actual event at the Pasadena studio. Some guy comes in asking a bunch of questions and eventually challenges Parker's ability to 'kick him the head.' (Foolish man) After some bantering back and forth a wager was made that Parker, because of his size and girth, would be unable to launch a head kick at the terminally stupid inquisitor. The money was placed in the guys shirt pocket as he set up in what he considered a 'fighting posture.' Mr. Parker asked him if he was 'ready,' and flinched a couple times and watched the guy raise his hands up every time. Suddenly the Old Man whipped a low roundhouse kick to the back of the guys knee and he hit the ground hard with a thud. Than Parker walked over, placed his foot on top of the guys head, and bent over and took the money out of his shirt pocket. "If muhammad won't go to the mountain, you can always bring the mountain to muhammad." he said as he smile and walked back into his office. I never forgot that lesson.

Mr. Parker had no problems with those who had the ability to execute other kinds of kicks from other styles. He even encouraged it for some while discouraging it in others less capable, or anatomically challenged. But even so he always cautioned everyone in their use in realistic circumstances, while admiring at the same time how good some of the guys were.

 

[Doc]

Doc,

I had a video tape of Mr. Parker teaching a seminar in Hawaii where he told the students, "I may not be able to kick very well, but I can teach YOU how to kick very well." Maybe he was exaggerating his lack of kicking ability. The Lucy Show that I am refering to was perhaps not his best example of kicking ability, but when I watched it, I thought I finally saw what he'd been talking about when he said that to those students. Especially when he demonstrated his spinning back kick. Clearly you've seen much more of Mr. Parker's abilities than I have so I'm in no way trying to dispute what you are saying about what you've seen. My comments were based soley on what I had seen in the tape and put together with what I had heard him say himself on another tape. I am not trying to bash on Mr. Parker's abilities in general (which would make me look rather foolish) and mean no disrespect. I was merely curious about what I had seen.

For the record sir, you know I never thought you meant anything negative for a nanosecond. I always appreciaye your questions, comments, and insights as we all learn from each other and poke each others brain and shake loose a thought and memory or two.

 

[Flying Crane]

Ark Wong believed the damage to the body caused by excessive stretching after the age of 10 years old, outweighed any benefit that might be obtained from a martial arts self defense perspective, balanced against longevity and efficiency.

Was this opinion for all stretching of any kind? I can certainly understand why one would believe that the extreme and aggressive stretching that is done in Modern Wushu is detrimental to overall health (much about Modern Wushu is really detrimental to longterm health, actually). But reasonable stretching as part of a warm-up routine to avoid injuries during training is certainly an important thing.

 

[Doc]

Was this opinion for all stretching of any kind? I can certainly understand why one would believe that the extreme and aggressive stretching that is done in Modern Wushu is detrimental to overall health (much about Modern Wushu is really detrimental to longterm health, actually). But reasonable stretching as part of a warm-up routine to avoid injuries during training is certainly an important thing.

Ark Wong's (and Ed Parker's) idea of 'stretching' was essentially what you speak of. But they also felt that you should do no specific stretching exercises, but simply began training slowly ala Taiji. Stretching exercises waste time, he would always say. Oddly enough, as an always 'thick' guy, I never stretched but had no trouble with high kicks at all when I was younger, even though I could not do static stretching. When I needed to kick, they would just work.