Solo kenpo training

[Headhunter]

Last night I did my first solo training kenpo for a while. I got my technique lists and did all the techniques from green belt-1st brown (4 belts 76 techniques) and it was great to do it again and while it wasnt as physically tiring as say a heavy bag workout it was a lot more relaxing and it felt great to flow through the movements again at my own pace. That's one of the things I love about kenpo is the beauty of it, yes of course the moves are effective but its also a beautiful style to do in my opinion. Also one note I do have is that in Krav Maga which I've done a few weeks of now its very very similar to kenpo. There's no forms but the techniques are extremely similar and sometimes find myself automatically going into a different technique that I know simply on instinct which makes me happy because it shows that if I ever did need to use it I can use those moves instinctively.

 

[_Simon_]

Ah nice man .

Yeah I love solo training and being able to just flow into whatever. When you have enough of a foundation you can really explore alot that you wouldn't usually have enough time to explore in class. Even doing a sort of 'shadowsparring kata' or 'free-association kata', just seeing what comes to you, and what moves flow into what spontaneously. Often I find that moves from certain katas will just come out at certain parts naturally haha, but seeing what you can transition to from different positions is very educational and fun.

And yeah, also love beauty and aesthetics in a style , even some techniques just feel so amazing to perform

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I like solo training, but have trouble staying focused during it. I don't think I've ever repeated any form more than 3-5 times in a row on my own, nor spent more than about 15 minutes on any solo MA activity, except when I'm working on curriculum or developing a form. I just don't stay engaged well working solo.

And I relate to your slipping into Kenpo techniques during Krav Maga. I've done similar when cross-training - slipping into NGA versions of techniques during JJJ training, because it felt so similar that my body just followed what it was used to.

 

[Headhunter]

I like solo training, but have trouble staying focused during it. I don't think I've ever repeated any form more than 3-5 times in a row on my own, nor spent more than about 15 minutes on any solo MA activity, except when I'm working on curriculum or developing a form. I just don't stay engaged well working solo.

And I relate to your slipping into Kenpo techniques during Krav Maga. I've done similar when cross-training - slipping into NGA versions of techniques during JJJ training, because it felt so similar that my body just followed what it was used to.

I'd never do a form 5 times in a row because frankly I haven't got time for that. Techniques I will because they take about 5 seconds at most to perform at full speed

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I'd never do a form 5 times in a row because frankly I haven't got time for that. Techniques I will because they take about 5 seconds at most to perform at full speed

What Kenpo calls a "technique" (assuming I understand Kenpo usage properly) is closer to what I'd call a "form" - just a different usage. To me, "technique" is a single movement (like a hip throw). If I lead into it with a block and an elbow, then finish with a downward punch, and repeat that set of movements over and over, I refer to that as a "form", though a relatively short one.

Of course, that's all assuming I understand the way Kenpo uses that term. If not, I'm just wrong.

 

[oftheherd1]

What Kenpo calls a "technique" (assuming I understand Kenpo usage properly) is closer to what I'd call a "form" - just a different usage. To me, "technique" is a single movement (like a hip throw). If I lead into it with a block and an elbow, then finish with a downward punch, and repeat that set of movements over and over, I refer to that as a "form", though a relatively short one.

Of course, that's all assuming I understand the way Kenpo uses that term. If not, I'm just wrong.

In the Hapkido I studied we didn't have forms either. There was interest in that in the Korean Hapkido Association in the mid 80s, but then they decided against it. To us then, a technique is more what Headhunter seems to mean, and what you say you call a form. But then do you also have forms such as karate or TKD practitioners would mean the term? I will remember anyway that when you say form you probably mean technique as I would use the word technique. That always puzzled me as I understand you lineage would be Aikido, and as I understand, they also use 'techniques.' Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

In the Hapkido I studied we didn't have forms either. There was interest in that in the Korean Hapkido Association in the mid 80s, but then they decided against it. To us then, a technique is more what Headhunter seems to mean, and what you say you call a form. But then do you also have forms such as karate or TKD practitioners would mean the term? I will remember anyway that when you say form you probably mean technique as I would use the word technique. That always puzzled me as I understand you lineage would be Aikido, and as I understand, they also use 'techniques.' Correct me if I am wrong.

In most of NGA, the only forms they have are actually shorter. A single technique, plus the entry to it (the attack). Mainstream NGA would call those "classical Techniques", and I call them "classical forms". I have a few longer forms I've created (about 10 techniques strung together), and I refer to those as our "kata".

Just a clarification, NGA is not descended from Ueshiba's Aikido. We're a cousin art, also directly derived mostly from Daito-ryu, though we have significant other influence from Judo and Shotokan Karate. Our Daito-ryu techniques look a lot like what you'd see in the Yoshinkan branch of Aikido.