sma_book and I attended the Friday evening session of 'Huk's class ... It was scheduled from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM ... which means it started a bit after 7:00 and was still going strong when we had to leave at about 9:30 PM (My guess is they will go til about 11:00, but maybe later).
We were going to review some 'Problem Techniques', so Huk asked for us to put some of those problem techniques on the board. In the two hours that we were there, we reviewed 'Flashing Mace' and 'Entwined Lance'.
At this point in our training, we have not been exposed to these techniques (Both Sheryl & I are Green Belts in the 16 belt system). As challenging as it might seem, learning these two techniques in a seminar with Mr. Planas is much better than our first seminar with 'Huk', when 4 months into training, as Yellow Belts, we were learning Blinding Sacrifice .... My brain still hurts from that ... although, I do remember the technique.
Any how .. here are my 'take-aways' from tonights class.
As we got started, Huk pressed us to remember, our system, like all systems, is made up of 'Basics' and 'Techniques' ... and since 'Techniques' are just sequences of 'Basics' ... LEARN YOUR BASICS (my emphasis).
Flashing Mace breaks a Kenpo rule; "Don't split your stance" ... the first move, dropping into the wide kneel, splits the stance .. which is bad, because it doesn't change the focal or target point. We can do this, in this technique, because the attack is an uppercut, targeted and the midsection and not the face.
Next, we were reminded that the finger set is comprised of inserts, which can be, and should be, put into the techniques when they don't interrupt the technique. In this case, a couple of eye flicks/slices really help position the body.
The right hand does an outward circle into a chopping punch at the floating ribs. Be sure of the target (my wife was real good with the floating ribs part of this technique). --- The Kenpo Motto is 'Speed Power Accuracy' --- although Mr. Planas feels it should be 'Accuracy, Power, Speed' (just enough speed to get it done). Then, reverse the circle, with another eye slice, as move the attackers left arm as you 'box the ear', turning the line, and shuffling into with the elbow to the side of the face/head.
Lastly, on this technique ... I think ... We grafted in some extra stuff on the end (I'm not certain, because I don't know the technique as trained yet). After the elbow to the face, we added an inward circle to capture and lock up the arm over the opponents back, which allowed for a knee to the face, or a figure 4 lock behind the back, and a couple of other moves which escape me at the moment.
We continued with Entwined Lance ... which is not really a very smart technique because we move to the inside. It is safer and smarter to remain on the outside but everything in the system has reverses and opposites and this techique shows we can move to the inside. But ... when we move to the inside, we need to be aware of, and cautious of the rear weapon.
"What is useful and what is useless will be discovered through time, experience and logic."
Anyhow, in class tonight, Mr. Planas was quite emphatic, don't let the knife hand go ... if you do, you will get the pointy end stuck in you. So, twist and waiter check (don't get in your own way - which I did more than once), grab (and don't let go), step in and chop (ouch) ... insert the eye poke here ... as you circle in to the ribs with a punch ... kick - kick - (just like scraping hoof, but on the front side) ... and then one more whack.
(again, please understand, tonight is the first time I have worked this technique .. it is my guess that this is a 'Practical Application' explanation of this technique i.e. how you would run this technique against a real bad person, with a real knife, who really wanted to hurt you. It is probably taught a bit different on the training mat for class. This being said, I can think of no better way to learn it -- except perhaps in a private with Mr. Planas).
We were further discussing some of the lock ups and grafts available on the end of this technique.
At this time, we had to get home, to make sure the teenage children were behaving ...
Thanks to Diane Cogliandro for hosting the seminar at Revere Karate Academy.
And Thanks to Richard 'Huk' Planas for his experience and knowledge.
Mike & Sheryl
Last Edit Before Posting : This is certainly not everything Mr. Planas explained in my time with him tonight. And I quite probably left some important things out, do to my inexperience. If anyone has read this far, I hope you find it useful. Typing this post has no doubt assisted me in remembering some of the items I learned this evening. If this information helps you out, great. If you have any insight into what we did, I welcome that as well.
Good Evening.
)
:asian:
Reading the post I kept thinking wait a second he's describing Glancing Wing. No big deal. I"m glad you had a good time.
