Kenpo Notes

[Thesemindz]

4. Kicks

Like the punch category, the kick category includes more than simple kicking. Any impact techniques executed using the legs or feet fall into this category. This includes knee strikes, shin strikes, kicks using the top, edge, and heel of the foot, and stomping techniques.

These techniques have the potential to deliver incredible force by calling upon the power of some of the largest muscle groups in the body. Their practice contains a greater degree of danger by requiring the student to decrease his base substantially during execution. While these techniques can be delivered outside of the natural zone of the legs, this increases the danger to the practitioner.

The trade between stability and power may be worth it to the practitioner, but only in specific situations. Like any technique, reliance on kicking independent of context can be dangerous and ineffective.


​

-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

5. Hugs, Holds, and Takedowns

This category contains an array of ways that the opponent can manipulate the student's body without relying solely on impact damage.

While this category does not generally contain techniques which apply stress directly against joints, it does contain a variety of techniques for disabling, repositioning, and controlling the opponent.

Hugs are techniques where the attacker grabs the student bodily around the torso and attempts to manipulate his position en masse. Hugs can be applied from the front, side, or behind, with differing degrees of effectiveness and application.

Holds are techniques where the attacker grabs the student's limbs individually, and uses leverage and anatomical structure to manipulate the student's whole by manipulating his parts. Techniques include arm drags, nelsons, and leg picks.

Takedowns encompasses any techniques used specifically for taking the opponent from a standing position to a prone position. This can include strikedowns, dragdowns, throws, trips, tackles, and slams. These techniques can be employed either to change range, comparative positions, or zones, to disable an opponent or put him in a disadvantageous position, or to change the context of the encounter to one more suited to the attackers strengths.

Each of these three categories shares a similar goal, physical manipulation utilizing stress over impact, yet they each accomplish that goal seperately.

​

-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

6. Locks, Chokes, and Strangulations

Locks, chokes, and strangulations are maneuvers which incorporate violent control techniques in an attempt to disable the opponent.

Locks are techniques which trap a weapon on all sides, either through application of force or by exploiting limitations in the natural range of motion of the weapon. This can be done to isolate a limb, to cause pain or maiming injury, or to create a lever to reposition the opponent with.

Chokes are techniques which limit the ability of the opponent to draw air into the lungs, eventually resulting in incapacitation or death. This can be done either by applying pressure against the throat to keep air from entering the body, or by applying pressure against the lungs themselves, preventing them from inflating, a process called positional asphyxia.

Strangulations are techniques which achieve asphyxia by preventing the flow of oxygen rich blood to the brain. This is accomplished by applying pressure to the carotid artery, or less effectively to the jugular vein.

While in common nomenclature choking and strangulation are terms which can be used intermittently, it aids the student to use these terms more specifically in their understanding of technique.


​

-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

7. Weapons

Weapons exist to increase the ability of the attacker to influence the combat situation. As force multipliers, they allow the atacker to increase his potential damage output exponentially.

Clubs are deployed primarily to deliver impact damage. In order to be successful to that end they require mass and acceleration. As such, in order to be effective they require space to move through prior to impact. However, they can also be used as levers to trap or disable limbs. While a variety of items can be used as clubs, each has different attributes such as weight and thickness which affect both their methods of execution and the depth and degree of damage they inflict.

Knives refer to any bladed implements used primarily for stabbing and slashing techniques. This normally includes standard "knife-like" implements such as common kitchen and pocket knives, daggers, swords, machetes, etc., but it can also include unconventional weapons such as jagged glass from broken bottles, or torn pieces of metal. In order to be effective, knives require pressure and motion, but require little or no empty space to move through prior to making contact. Upon making contact with their target, even with a small amount of applied force, bladed weapons are able to cause significant injury.

Guns refers to any projectile weapon, including firearms, but also bows and arrows, slings, and thrown weapons. While each example of projectile weapons have individual aspects to understand when planning for their defense, the fact remains that the likelihood of being confronted by a bow and arrow wielding attacker is slim. Instead, defenses against projectile weapons are focused primarily on firearms defense. Projectile weapons require direction and activation to be effective. Defensive maneuvers therefore are concerned with controlling the direction the weapon is pointed in and preventing or initiating the action as necessitated by the context of the engagement.

Properly defending against weapon attacks should include considerations beyond those of defenses against empty hand attacks. It is not merely a matter of avoiding impact or properly employing foot maneuvers, it is a matter of controlling the weapon, disarming or disabling the opponent, and understanding what specific aspects of the weapon in context need to be addressed.

​

-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Families of Techniques

Offensive Locks
Offensive Strikes
Defense towards the Inside of the Body
Defense towards the Outside of the Body
Defensive Lock
Defensive Hug or Hold

​

The Families of techniques are a tool for aiding the student in seperating the many different aspects of violent confrontation into a few well defined categories. Techniques which lock or strike the opponent, techniques which defend from the inside or outside of the arms, and defenses against locks or hugs and holds.

While I find this tool useful, I feel that with some tailoring it can be of far greater use. To that end I find it useful to adjust the list to the following.

• Aspects of Combat

Defenses against striking techniques
Defenses against grappling techniques
Defenses against attacks from the front
Defenses against attacks from behind
Offensive striking techniques
Offensive grappling techniques

​

By replacing the previous list with this one, the student is more able to define and classify the dynamics of combat.

The student can be attacked with strikes, or grappling techniques. The attack can come from in front or behind the student, and in response, the student can either strike or grapple.

In practice, most assaults will incorporate a combination of striking and grappling techniques, as will most effective defensive maneuvers. Similarly, in a self defense situation, the relative positions of the combatants may change several times and the student must adapt to each change.

I have posted the following before -

In a violent situation, you can be attacked from in front or behind, you can be struck or grappled with, and you can respond with striking or grappling. Now, clearly these are gross generalizations of a much more complex situation, but by narrowing the conflict down to these parameters we are able to have a relatively low number of solutions which can be applied with small variations to a large number of possible encounters. This is important because numerous studies have shown that as the number of options increase, decision making time increases. Beginning with “On the Rate of Gain of Information” in 1952 by William Hick, studies over the last fifty years have shown that as the number of possible responses increases, the time required to choose amongst them also increases, even if all options are equally correct. This requires us to limit the possible number of responses to each possible stimulus in order to be effective. ​

So understanding the importance of limiting and defining the situation the student then categorizes the possible permutations as described above. ​

If attacked from the front, the defender must control space. If attacked from behind he must reposition one or all of the principal actors in order to best approach the encounter. ​

If grappled with, the defender must avoid being grappled to an inescapable position. If struck, he must avoid being incapacitated by the blow.​

If grappling in response, he must grapple his opponent to a disadvantageous position. If striking, he must incapacitate his opponent, through trauma or force.​

Understanding this allows the student to have a very basic understanding of the strategy and tactics necessary to defend appropriately to each of his opponents techniques and counter them with his own. While on their own, these strategies are simplistic, understanding them allows the student to spontaneously apply his skill and knowledge from the base of his understanding.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Zones of Awareness

Tight Mind
Kime
White Dot Focus
Black Zone Awareness

Flowing Mind
Mushin
Black Dot Focus
White Zone Awareness

​

The Zones of Awareness describe two types of focus which can be applied to the student as well as his techniques and his execution of those techniques. These terms have no bearing on the yin/yang symbol, religious or culutural practices, or asian culture. The symbol is merely used as a visual teaching aid for the purpose of exemplifying the differences between the two sets of terms to the student. The use of the japanese terms mushin and kime is to help the student to correlate between their practice and that of martial artists from other disciplines, but is completely unecessary in practice.

Dot Focus refers to the point of execution. Zone Awareness refers to the student's perception of the entirety of the combat arena.

In Tight Mind Awareness, the student is focused entirely on the point of execution, to the detriment of his awareness of the rest of the encounter. In Flowing Mind Awareness, the student is focused on the point of execution, but is also aware of his surroundings.

Both kinds of awareness can be exemplified within physical techniques. Two handed grabs, bearhugs, and chokes are examples of White Dot Focus/Black Zone Awareness. The student is using both of his hands for his technique, allowing him little opportunity to defend without abandoning his assault. Pinning and positional checks, and many Sophisticated basics are examples of Black Dot Focus/White Zone awareness. By continuing his assault while preparing for defense against future strikes or cancelling his opponent's ability to execute counter offensive techniques, the student exhibits both awareness of his point of execution and his potential environment.

Neiter type of awareness is inherently better or worse than the other. While typically Tight Mind awareness is thought of as "traditional" and Flowing Mind awareness as "practical," these distinctions are arbitrary once the student has developed an understanding of the differences between the two and has internalized the lessons on their application.

There are times which call for Tight Mind awareness, such as weapons disarms which due to the inherent danger of the technique and consequences of failure require a greater degree of focused action. There are times which call for Flowing Mind awareness, such as multiple attacker scenarios which require constant revaluation of the environment. Once the student understands both, he is capable of switching freely between either as best suits the context of the engagement.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Three Points of View

Attacker
Defender
Bystander
​

The three points of view are ways in which the student can interpret a combat situation from differing perspectives. Understanding the three points of view aid the student in learning self defense and anatomical positioning, but also in understanding the legal ramifications of the practice of self defense in the real world.

By viewing a violent confrontation from the attacker's point of view, the student can see how violence can be used in a goal oriented fashion. If the attacker is trying to steal a woman's purse, he may use different techniques than if he is trying to rape or murder her. By extension, because of his intentions different defensive maneuvers may be more or less successful for the defender.

From the defender's point of view, the student can learn how actions commited by the attacker can be misinterpreted, and also how to identify movements the defender did not intend to reveal. Through close observation, the student may notice shifts in body weight or position which betray the attacker's intentions.

From the bystander's point of view the student learns to see how uninvolved parties may interpret a violent encounter. Divorced of the emotional and chemical reactions of being assaulted, the student may develop a different understanding of the same stimulus as viewed from another perspective. The student may learn that certain movements which seem appropriate carry a high degree of risk in relation to the environment, as well as how bystanders might perceive and react to even the defensive use of force. This knowledge can aid the student in understanding the real world legal ramifications of the use of force, and how best to avoid them.

The Three Points of View are exemplified in the instructor student relationship. The student learns how to attack and defend, and watches as the material is demonstrated with other students. In this fashion he is able to experience the same material multiple times from multiple points of view.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Four Basic Motions

Thrust
Snap
Whip
Slice

​

The four basic motions describe methods of execution which can be used to deliver many different techniques.

Thrusting refers to a method of execution where the weapon is delivered with penetrating force to the target. The intention is to deliver a significant amount of force deep into the target for the purpose of deep tissue or organ damage. While powerful, thrusting techniques shed energy as they continue to maintain contact with the target. Even though they may last only fractions of a second more than other strikes, the difference in energy transferrence is noticable. While they still may deliver the same amount of force as other methods of execution over time, by delivering that force over a greater period of time the acceleration of the weapon is diminished, resulting in less force being delivered within any specific instant. The trade off is that the force is delivered with greater penetration, and thrusting strikes can be used to reposition the opponent due to the dispersion of the force affecting a greater surface area.

Snapping techniques strike the target and then are immediately withdrawn, causing the force of the strike to be delivered at the surface of the target instead of deeper within. As a result, the same amount of force as a thrusting strike may be transferred, but it will occur much quicker and over a smaller surface area. By striking and withdrawing in this fashion, the force is delivered into the target before the target is able to react to the impact. This is what causes solid objects, such as wooden boards or bats, or more appropriately to a self defense approach, bones, to brake on impact. While bones have a very high degree of tensile strength when compared with concrete or carbon fiber, they require time to for elastic deformation to occur. This is what allows martial artists to break concrete slabs. Their bones experience elastic deformation and return to their approximate shape, while the concrete slabs experience plastic deformation which is irreversible. However, if the force can be transferred before the tissue has a chance to experience elastic deformation, even if the difference is only fractions of a second, the target may shatter instead of deforming, resulting in broken bones.

Whipping is a method of execution which relies on the conservation of momentum to apply great force at the termination of a strike. The law of conservation of linear momentum is a fundamental law of nature, and it states that the total momentum of a closed system of objects (which has no interactions with external agents) is constant. Until the point of termination the total amount of energy within a strike remains the same, however, momentum is the product of mass times speed (p=mv) or as Newton's Second Law states, F=ma. Because of this, as the mass of the weapon decreases, the acceleration of the weapon must increase in a corresponding fashion. This means that if a strike is launched with the body, by the point of execution the weapon will be traveling far faster than the body was originally. Although some of that energy will be lost along the way as natural muscle resistance, gravity, and air pressure act against the object, most of it will still be transferred into the opponent. This allows for weapons with a small amount of mass to be delivered with a great deal of speed, which upon hitting the greater mass of the target transfers much of the power with which they were originally launched into the opponent. Backnuckle strikes and finger flicks are examples of techniques which can benefit from whipping motions. Despite their relatively small mass, by coordinating the body with the strike they can deliver a large amount of force into the opponent.

Slicing techniques are those techniques which move past a target while maintaining contact with that target. Through a process called kinetic friction energy is transferred from the weapon to the target allowing for deformation of the contact surfaces. These kinds of techniques are often delivered to exposed vital areas where surface deformation could cause significant injury, such as the eyes, or where the slicing motion can be used to absorb some kinetic energy from an object in motion, such as a kick or punch, and redirect the rest, while dispersing the energy absorbed over a greater surface area in order to lesson the effect on the defensive weapon being used.

While many impact weapons can be delivered with each of these methods of execution, it is equally important to remember that defensive maneuvers and even stance transitions can take advantage of some of the properties of each of these methods of execution as well. Also, some Complex basics may incooperate combinations of methods as described above, resulting in a hybrid motion which has attributes of more than one of the four basic motions.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Constituents of Motion

1. Object (what moves)
2. Energy (what moves it)
3. Space (where it moves)
4. Direction (where it's moving to)
5. Angle (where it's moving comparatively)
6. Path (how it's moving)
7. Timing (when it moves)
8. Speed (how fast it moves)

The Constituents of Motion are a set of parameters that students can use to define the movement of any object within a given space.

First (1) the student must be able to identify the specific object he wishes to delineate. This allows the student to specify his observations. Then (2) the student must realize what the impetus of that movement is. Doing so will assist him in understanding how to categorize the stimulus. Next (3) the student must study the area within which the object is moving. What obstructions exist within that space? What actors occupy that space? Fourth (4) the student must establish the direction the object is moving in in order to begin to determine the objective of the object's movement. Then (5) the student must compare the position of the object relative to it's point of origin in order to estimate an approximate point of execution. Next (6) the student must use his knowledge of the direction and angle of the object to determine it's overall path of travel. This allows him to identify possible points of interception. Then (7) the student must identify the timing of the object along that path. Understanding the timing of the object allows the student to estimate any possible redirection of the object by it's motivator. Finally (8) the student must compare relative positions of the object over time to determine its speed of travel. This will allow the student to project time of impact and opportunities to intercept.

All of this seems like a lot for the student to do at any specific time. In an objective static environment the student can observe the movement of objects closely with the above criteria in mind to study the Constituents of Motion as they relate to any specific weapon or maneuver. In a combat situation, the student will apply the above criteria spontaneously, based on his experience and previous study.

While the skilled practitioner may be able to make judgements on the Constituents of Motion for any one object spontaneously in combat, he is still applying each of the above criteria every time in order to quantify as much information as he can about the stimulus so that he can construct the most appropriate response.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Newton's Laws of Motion

1. Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. (Law of Inertia)
2. The force of an object in newtons is equal to the mass of that object in kilograms multiplied by its acceleration in meters per second through a given space. (F=ma)
3. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. (law of reciprocal actions)

The purpose of exposing the student to Newton's Laws of Motion is so that they can begin to understand how the weapons they will employ in their defense affect and are affected by the environment within which they reside.


Newton's First Law, the Law of Inertia, describes the requirement of force as the impetus of motion. In order to be effective, the student must exert their will, and in so doing, act in their own defense.

Newton's Second Law, the Force Equation, teaches the student that at the most basic level, there are only two ways to increase the force of a strike, either by increasing its mass, or its velocity.

Newton's Third Law, the Law of Reciprocity, teaches the student that every time they strike the opponent, the opponent strikes them, and vise versa. This teaches the student to respect proper methods of execution as they protect the student from inadvertant harm.

The three laws can also be applied psychologically. Inertia can keep us moving long past time to give up, or keep us from acting lacking motivation. In order to be effective, not only in combat, we must learn to either act quickly or act decisively, for the impact of our actions will be affected by the speed and strength of our convictions. Each of those actions affects our environment, but also has a concurrent effect on us. By changing the world around us, inevitably we too are changed.

Understanding Newton's Laws of Motion teaches the student how to move. Internalizing these lessons, and utilizing them in practice, teaches the student how to move effectively.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Ten Ways to Add Power to a Strike

1. Strength
2. Ground Leverage
3. Torque
4. Back Up Mass
5. Opposing Force
6. Marriage of Gravity
7. Borrowed Force
8. Rebound Energy
9. Bringing the Target to the Weapon, vice versa, or both
10. Angular Momentum

These are the ten ways to add power to a strike. Because of Newton's Second Law, we know that there are really only two ways to add power to a strike, increase speed or increase mass. So these are really ten ways to accomplish one or both of those objectives.


1. Strength.

Strength is a matter of increasing both the amount of and the effectiveness of the muscle mass contained within the body. It is not merely a matter of improving the muscle mass in the weapon iteslf, because many physical factors contribute to the delivery of an effective strike, including stance and position, which include muscle groups outside of those contained solely within the weapon. In fact, as muscles chains work in sequential order throughout the body the effectiveness of any strike can be affected by the strength of a variety of individual muscles. Adding Strength can aid in increasing both speed and mass.
​

2. Ground Leverage.

Ground Leverage involves pushing against the ground with the legs to generate additional force for the strike. Think of pushing a car. In order to generate the amount of force necessary to move the heavy vehicle, you brace yourself against a solid object, the ground, and press against it. Because of Newton's Third Law of Motion, the ground pushes against you with equal force, which overcomes the force of the car pushing against you as you push against it. The end result is that the greater force generated by your legs overcomes the lesser force generated by your arms, allowing for the greater to be dispersed into the target. Ground leverage is a way to increase the mass value in the force equation.
​

3. Torque.

Torque is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist. The power generated by that movement is equal to the amount of torque mutiplied by the angular speed of the movement, or to put it another way, the force which causes the rotation multiplied by the time required for the weapon to move through its completed arc. By twisting around the axis of the body, we are able to generate a greater degree of force than we would otherwise utilizing purely linear strikes alone. The rotation of the body as the force which creates the torque, multiplied by the weapon's time of travel from point of origin to point of execution equals the amount of power generated by the strike. Torque aids the student in increasing the speed of the weapon.
​

-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

4. Back Up Mass

Back up mass refers to aligning the structure of the body behind the weapon as close to a 90 degree angle to the target as possible. By doing so, the student adds mass to the strike, increasing its value in the force equation. Rear kicks, horizontal punches, and straight tackles are examples of techniques which take advantage of back up mass. Backnuckle strikes and finger flicks on the other hand have very little back up mass, relying instead on methods of execution and increased speed to deliver energy into the target.
​

5. Opposing Force

Opposing force is created when two energized objects come into direct confrontation. Because of Newton's Third Law of Motion, the total force of both objects is delivered equally into each, resulting in a greater amount of total force than if a dynamic object struck a static object. Stop punching and stop kicking techniques take advantage of this force, as do techniques which rely on anatomical repositioning to bring the target towards the weapon.
​

6. Marriage of Gravity

Gravitation is a natural phenomenon by which objects with mass attract one another. At the Earth's surface, ignoring air resistance, the effect of gravitation causes objects to fall towards the ground at an acceleration of 9.8 meters per second per second. This means that, taking into account the average arm or leg length of roughly one meter, and an approximate time of delivery of .4 seconds, a descending strike will fall with an approximate natural velocity of roughly 4 meters per second at the point of impact, depending on time and distance of travel. All descending strikes naturally have this additional force acting upon them, just as all ascending strikes have this natural force acting against them, which must be overcome and decreases the overall potential force of ascending strikes. While it is generally thought that increasing the mass of the weapon will assist in increasing the affect of gravitation upon it, and thereby the amount of force transferrence, in practice the difference is so negligable as to approach true zero. Mass only affects the rate of descent by overcoming the air pressure pushing the object away from the earth, and would have no effect on velocity or acceleration at all in an airless environment. Even at the Earth's surface, the affect of mass against air pressure over a total path of travel of less than one meter on an object falling at 9.8 meters per second per second over the course of less than one half of one second is not appreciable. While gravity does add speed to descending strikes, its effects are roughly equal for all strikes regardless of their overall mass. Sometimes instructors teach that adding mass to the weapon, such as falling with the weight of the body as opposed to the weapon alone is marriage of gravity. This is more closely related to Back Up Mass, and will add power to a strike by increasing the mass value in the force equation, but has little or nothing to do with gravitation.
​

-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

7. Borrowed Force

Borrowed Force is generated when force acts upon an object, causing it to change its uniform state of motion. When this occurs, the object may be caused to acclerate or decelerate. If the object accelerates as a response to the force acted upon it, then the speed value in the force equation is increased, resulting in greater overall force output. This can be accomplished by a force generating torque, such as in techniques where the student is pushed on one shoulder causing him to rotate around his core and adding force to strikes executed with the other shoulder, or by the student being pushed from behind and into an opponent.
​

8. Rebound Energy

Rebound Energy takes advantage of Newton's Third Law of Motion. Because of the reciprocal action of opposing forces, when a strike makes contact with a target, an amount of force is transferred from the target to the weapon itself. Each time the weapon makes contact with a target, it is simultaneously delivering and receiving force. If that force is resisted, it is wasted. However, if the energy of that force is used immediately to launch the weapon along a new path, it can add to the power of the next successive strike. If that weapon is then delivered in line with the direction of the force applied, it can increase its speed and therefore its overall force output.
​

9. Bringing the Target to the Weapon, vice versa, or both

By bringing the target and weapon together, the student generates speed in the initial action. While this may seem overly simplistic, it is the basis of the speed value in the force equation. If the weapon and target do not come into contact, then no force is transferred. By bringing the target and weapon together simultaneously, the speed of both moving objects is combined to generate even greater force. The target can be brought to the weapon by taking advantage of anatomical responses in the opponent to previous strikes executed by the student.

​

10. Angular Momentum

Angular Momentum is the process by which an object rotating around an axis will continue to rotate around that object unless acted upon by an external torque. Theoretically, any object existing in a vacuum attached to a fulcrum by a lever would continue to rotate around that fulcrum unendingly in the absence of the application of an external force. What is important about angular momentum is that it is a conserved quantity, meaning that it doesn't decrease absent that force being applied. Once the object is in motion, except for losses attributable to air resistance and muscle tension, the energy level of the rotation is constant. If the length of the lever is reduced, the speed of the object must increase to compensate for the reduction in that lever's contribution to the overall angular momentum. This is akin to a ice skater pulling her arms in towards her body and spinning faster. Because the contribution of her arms towards her angular momentum is reduced, while no other factors contributing to her angular momentum are increased, her speed must increase as a result in order for her angular momentum to remain constant. The student can achieve the same result by drastically altering the length or angle of a weapon along a circular path. Punches that become elbow strikes, or backnuckle strikes that become outward hooking crane traps, are examples of ways in which the student can take advantage of angular momentum to increase the speed, and by extension the overall force output, of a strike.

​

The Ten Ways to Add Power to a Strike is not an all encompassing list of methods. It is intended as a primer to aid the student in developing an understanding of ways in which his actions can increase elements of the force equation to make his striking more effective. Many of the Ways overlap in practice, and many striking methods will encorporate several of the Ways at any time.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Three Stages of Learning

1. Embyonic
2. Mechanical
3. Spontaneous

The three stages of learning define the ways that the student receives, interprets, and applies new information.


At the Embryonic stage, the student is incapable of making any progress in his learning without the guidance of the instructor. Information must be fed to the student slowly and in small pieces in order for it to be of any use. During this stage the student must be shown how new material relates to material he has already learned, and is unable to build upon that foundation without direction.

With time, the student progresses to the Mechanical stage. At this stage, the student is able to make observations about his learning which can lead him to formulating questions which can lead to new knowledge. The student still requires an instructor to provide the answers to his questions, but new information can be offered to the student in larger chunks, and the student can more readily identify the connection between it and previously learned material. However, he is generally unable to see how the answers to his questions can apply to questions yet unasked.

At the Spontaneous stage the student has enough experience to answer some of his own questions without appealing to the authority of the instructor. During training, the student may experience spontaneous enlightenment of new applications for previously learned material. His practice will expose to him aspects of techinques he may have known for years that he has never previously considered. In this stage, the student becomes an active partner in the learning process.

Understanding the stages of learning allows the student to realize his place in the learning process. It will not necessarily assist in his learning, but it will assist in learning about learning. For the instructor, understanding where his students are in the learning process allows him to structure lessons according to their specific needs, thus aiding them in their study.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Three Stages of Technique Formulation

1. Ideal
2. What if?
3. Spontaneous

The Three Stages of Technique Formulation describe ways in which the techniques are practiced and applied by the student.

In the Ideal phase, the student is concerned only with learning and practicing the technique exactly as proscribed by the instructor. Weapons and targets are predetermined by the technique and customization of the material is not allowed. The attacker is assumed to be of roughly approximate size and shape to the student for the purposes of self defense application. It is important that the student learn exactly how the technique is supposed to be performed correctly in order to fully understand the rationale behind each of its seperate components and how those components work in synthesis.

During the What If? phase the student is asked questions about possible variables which could occur during a violent confrontation. What if the opponent is a different size? What if he reacts differently than expected? What if he has a weapon? What if he has friends? What if the student is injured, or off balance, or distracted? There are an infinite number of possible variables, and while it is impossible to address them all, the student is asked to address some of them in order to determine how the technique could be applied to a dynamic situation. The purpose of this phase is not to invalidate or discard the technique as taught. Instead it is to reinforce the lessons contained within the material and to demonstrate to the student how those lessons can still be applied as circumstances dictate.

The Spontaneous phase of technique formulation involves giving the student the opportunity to apply the lessons he has learned to spontaneous assaults. He is given no advanced warning of the nature of the attack, and is instead encouraged to respond to stimulus with the most appropriate action he is capable of. This need not be at street speed, and it need not incorporate fully integrated combat. It could be as simple as merely asking the student how he would respond to a single right step through punch from 12 oclock. The student's response should then be analyzed, with the student's input, to determine if he used the concepts and principles he has been taught and applied the techniques appropriately. Then the student is encouraged to return to the Ideal phase to examine once again how the material can be applied without customization.

The purpose of the stages of technique formulation isn't to evolve beyond the material, it is to understand how to more accurately apply the material. Each phase should be looking backwards, not forwards, to develop a better approach to combat. In the Spontaneous phase the student should be looking back to the What If? phase and the Ideal phase for the appropriate response. In the What If? phase the student should be looking back to the Ideal phase to determine what to do when the situation changes. While the What If? and Spontaneous phases ask questions, the Ideal phase contains answers.


-Rob

 

[Wishbone]

Chlorophyll? More like Borophyll!

 

[Thesemindz]

• Three States of Kenpo

1. Solid
2. Liquid
3. Gaseous

The Three States of Kenpo are a way to categorize motion by its application.


Solid state techniques are those which rely heavily on physical contact between the student and his environment. These techniques usually involve a high degree of contact manipulation when engaging an opponent, or a high degree of contact with the ground when moving. Techniques can be offensive, defensive, or based on motility. Some examples include offensive knee checking, push drags, grabs, bearhugs etc.

Liquid state techniques are those which have some degree of contact between the student and his environment, but which rely less on contact manipulation. These techniques tend to be more fluid in execution. Examples of these techniques would be punches, kicks, sweeps and steps.

Gaseous state techniques are those which rely on little contact manipulation outside of that which occurs as a result of impact damage, and often involve the student eliminating his base entirely. These techniques may be very fluid in execution, but tend to lack force because the student's weapons are seperated from his structure. Jumping and dropping kicks are examples of gaseous techniques as are flying tackles.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

Five Main Targets

• Front of the Body

1. Eyes
2. Throat
3. Solar Plexus
4. Groin
5. Knee

• Back of the Body

1. Base of the Skull
2. Spine
3. Kidney
4. Groin
5. Knee

The Five Main Targets on the front and back of the body are a list of targets that the student can focus on when striking. While each of these targets can be struck to cause pain to the opponent, the injury which can be inflicted is far more important and can in some cases cause temporary or permanent disability or even death.

On the front of the body the student can strike to the

1. Eyes, causing temporary or permanent blindness and possible brain damage.
2. Throat, resulting in difficulty turning the head due to damage to the surrounding muscles, difficulty breathing, and possibly death.
3. Solar Plexus, resulting in spasming of the diaphragm causing difficulty breathing, possible organ failure, and in rare cases death due to commotio cordis or heart failure.
4. Groin, resulting in debilitating pain, serious internal injury, possible organ failure and abdominal injury, and in extremely rare cases, death.
5. Knee, resulting in bone, muscle, and joint damage, as well as the inability to stand, walk, or give chase.

On the back of the body the student can strike to the

1. Base of the Skull, resulting in atlanto-occipital injury, causing damage to the medulla, hypertension, and cardiopulmonary instability, possibly resulting in death
2. Spine, resulting in damage to the nervous system, partial or total paralysis, or organ failure
3. Kidney, resulting in possible sepsis, fever, and unconsciousness
4. Groin, resulting in debilitating pain, serious internal injury, possible organ failure and abdominal injury, and in extremely rare cases, death.
5. Knee, resulting in bone, muscle, and joint damage, as well as the inability to stand, walk, or give chase.

Certainly there are more targets on both the front and back of the body, however, each of these sets of targets are selected both for the injury they can cause their opponent, and for the comparative ease with which they can be struck on an aggressive opponent. Being versed in the Five Main Targets also requires that the student understand which weapons are best used against each of those targets.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

• Clock Concept

The practitioner imagines that he is standing in the center of a clock face drawn on the floor, and assigns a number on the clock to the direction from which his opponent attacks.
​

The Clock Concept is a teaching tool which aids in conveying information to the student about the position of actors within a theoretical combat scenario. Opponent's approaching from the front of the student are said to be approaching from 12 oclock, likewise opponent's from directly to the student's right are said to be approaching from 3 oclock, etc. Generally the clock positions are determined by the starting position of the student and remain static throughout the engagement, meaning that if the student turns 180 degrees, 12 oclock is now behind him and 6 oclock ahead of him. While the Clock Concept is useful as a teaching tool, it exists primarily in the arena of theoretical practice.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

As a brief unrelated note, within these notes I have continually referred to the student with masculine pronouns. This isn't because I have some bias for or against female martial arts practitioners. It is simply because these notes were originally written by me for me about my practice, and being male, contained primarily masculine pronouns. Using the he/she conceit is unnecessarily cumbersome, however, all of these notes apply equally to both men and women.


-Rob