Thesemindz said:
If mirror imaging the techniques is such a waste of time, why do we find this done in the forms? Specifically the forms 4,5, and 6 address mirror imaging the techniques. If this is such a detriment to learning, why did Mr. Parker include this in the forms that he created?
-Rob
First off sir, I never said that “mirror imaging” was a “waste of time.” Those are your words. I challenged the efficacy of the practice in already mapped and defined curriculum in a self-defense vehicle, where the impossible ambidexterity is not the focus of the activity. The philosophy is dedicated to the fostering of relatively rapid, effective, self-defense skills through activity-dedicated practice.
The inclusion of the opposite side in a form is, in most circumstances, an expression of basic skills outside of the context of the self-defense techniques. “Both sides” forms contain at the appropriate level, indexes of information, and tend to be seen at another level as “indexes of motion.” This can add confusion to the notion that everything is about “motion,” and therefore the self-defense techniques and forms are philosophically interchangeable. They are not nor were they ever intended to be at any level ever. Additional the forms, sets, and self-defense techniques evolved independently of each other at various paces, and were continuing that process when Ed Parker Sr. passed away.
Historically the Chinese forms always held information, but through the cultural migration the mistaken notion of all movement containing physical application or “bunkai” was born. Forms teach anatomical principles, target, timing, and specific energy breathing patterns. Specific applications are a mistaken Okinawan assumption that has migrated with the cultural influence.
An examination of the Ed Parker Sr. evolution of his various interpretations of kenpo yield a myriad of different philosophies and directions, depending upon the “snapshot” chosen for examination. Originally under the tutelage of “William” Kwai Sun Chow there was virtually no forms training. William Chow as a modern innovator rejected all traditional convention and instead chose to focus strictly on effective applications, instead of what he saw as “useless movement.” To this end he integrated any and all effective ideas from the various styles and arts of the islands.
This is where Ed Parker Sr. originally got his traditional influences. The island was dominated by the Okinawa/Japanese arts and Parker spent considerable time under the influences of Henry Okazaki, creator of Danzan Ryu Jiu-jitsu, with significant mat work.
When he moved to the mainland Parker realized he needed the forms training that had been missing in his own training. Thus he enlisted the likes of Ark Wong, Haumea Lefiti, Jimmy Woo, Lau Bun, Oshima, and even Hidetaka Nishiyama at various times to help him create “forms and sets.” Originally some forms were borrowed dirrectly from Hung Gar, Five Animal, and modified from Shotokan as well. Jimmy Woo also taught forms directly for Parker in Pasadena as an employee of Parker’s that included traditional Taiji-Quon. All the of the original forms and set information (Book Set, Stance Set) as well as a good portion of the book “Secrets Of Chinese Karate” were directly without modification from Jimmy Woo. "Tiger and the Crane" was at one time a common form in Kenpo directly from the Hung Gar interpretation, only to be modified later by Woo, then ultimately dropped completely by Ed Parker Sr.
The similarity of “Short two” to “Heian/Pinan Two” should also be obvious to the educated with the basic Okinawan/Japanese “H” pattern footwork and similar hand movement. Than again, “Short Two” and “Short Form One” were one form at one time that were ultimately cut in half to create two separate forms. "Star BlocK" also is lifted directly from Ark Wong's Five Animal Qung Fu. None of the forms are wholly Ed Parker creations but all contain his input and the final product is by his design.
Ultimately however Parker never left his “application first” perspective and always gave Chow credit for this innovation in the martial arts, which he carried to fruition in his own art.
My point is to encourage students to not assign a single purpose or philosophy to any of the Parker works beyond your instructor’s interpretations. The “popular” Kenpo is essentially conceptually based and therefore is designed to be interpreted by the individual to his/her most effective application of all the material. Techniques are not “mirror imaged’ in forms but instead, “ideas” are.
