American Kenpo Karate: Key Principles and Rules<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.]<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ custom_margin=”-36px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”2_5″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/tambulimedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/American-Kenpo-Karate-book-Cover-Irv-Gill-Tambuli-Media-210×300.jpg” _builder_version=”4.4.4″ title_text=”American Kenpo Karate Book by Irvin Gill – Tambuli Media” url=”https:\/\/tambulimedia.com\/martial-arts-welcome\/american-kenpo-karate\/” url_new_window=”on” hover_enabled=”0″ align=”center”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”3_5″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ custom_margin=”||-14px|||”]What is the purpose of finding the Canon, the Key Principles, which determine exactly what American Kenpo is? This purpose it is to allow the practitioner\u00a0to self-correct his or herself. It allows the system to expand and grow without perambulating through the underbrush as it were or even degrading into something completely different. It allows us to understand the whole of our Grandmaster\u2019s wonderful system without having to know every bit of material. Consider this quote from Erwin Schrodinger (of Schrodinger\u2019s cat fame) who said, \u201cThe best possible knowledge of a whole does not necessarily include the best possible knowledge of all its parts\u2026\u201d If we understand what defines the system called American Kenpo Karate and its smallest components (called quanta in physics), then we can understand the entirety of its system, even though we will not, cannot, experience the totality of Grandmaster Parker\u2019s infinite insights into American Kenpo.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ custom_padding=”2px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″]Allow me to expand on this last statement. While Grandmaster Parker\u2019s insights are not infinite precisely, they are in all practical terms to the human mind. The number is really, really big.<\/span><\/p>\nThere is only a limited amount of material that comprises American Kenpo Karate. Some ardent Kenpo practitioners can perform all the techniques, forms and sets from one of the five different versions of GM Parker\u2019s Kenpo. For those of you who are not familiar with American Kenpo, these self-defense techniques were created by GM Parker in order to demonstrate the concepts of his system. They are drills to develop skills. I was extremely guilty of tracking down any and all sets, forms and self-defense techniques and then learning the extensions of those techniques. I collected information. On any given day, I can even do about 90% of them passably. But something was missing, I wasn\u2019t learning all the possibilities, there was no depth of knowledge. There was no flow.<\/span><\/p>\nOne day, I dusted off my college skills and attempted to mathematically determine the number of possible variations within a single technique. I felt this would help me to better adapt to any situation that might arise. It would result in, I hoped, a course of study for a while. That was a bit optimistic. You see, it is mathematically impossible to study the entirety of one technique, let alone the whole system. This\u00a0 stretched my math skills, so please bear with me. Or if math is not your cup of tea, jump ahead to the Introduction.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ custom_margin=”-19px|||||”]KENPO\u2019S \u201cFIVE SWORDS\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ custom_margin=”-28px|||||”]There is a self-defense technique in American Kenpo called Five Swords. There are nine counts or beats created by the movements in this technique. Please refer to the pictures below.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ custom_padding=”1px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/tambulimedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Kenpo-Karate-Five-Swords-1-of-3.jpg” _builder_version=”4.4.4″ title_text=”Kenpo Karate Five Swords 1 of 3″ hover_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ custom_margin=”-35px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″]1)<\/strong>\u00a0The attacker delivers a right roundhouse punch towards the defender\u2019s head. Obviously, for the sake of demonstration, this picture demonstrates that the defender is in the correct depth zone for the attacker to connect with his strike.\u00a02)\u00a0<\/strong>The defender slides his left foot back into a right neutral bow stance to evade the incoming strike. Yet, he is still in a good position for his counterattack. Then the defender executes a right inward block to attack the attacking arm.\u00a03)<\/strong>\u00a0The defender then executes a right outward sword hand strike (a chop) to the right side of the defender\u2019s head. His left hand is a positional check to the attacker\u2019s right arm.\u00a04)<\/strong>\u00a0The defender pivots in place into a right forward bow stance and delivers a left palm heel strike to the opponent\u2019s head while at the same time bringing his right arm down to a \u201cchambered\u201d position at his right side.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/tambulimedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Kenpo-Karate-Five-Swords-2-of-3.jpg” _builder_version=”4.4.4″ title_text=”Kenpo Karate Five Swords 2 of 3″ hover_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ custom_margin=”-43px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”|0px||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”6px|||||”]5)\u00a0<\/strong>The defender pivots in place back into a right neutral bow stance and executes a right vertical raised middle knuckle punch (a vertical dragon\u2019s beak) to his opponent\u2019s solar plexus, where the natural weapon fits into the target area. Note how the defender\u2019s left hand has retreated to a middle guard for a positional check against any possible further attack from his opponent.\u00a06)<\/strong>\u00a0For clarity, both sides of Movements # 5 will be shown.\u00a07)\u00a0<\/strong>The defender\u2019s left foot steps towards 4:30 into a deep right twist stance. He delivers a left outward sword hand (a chop) to the left side or back of the attacker\u2019s neck while cocking the right hand high. This also can be a high positional check against a left-handed attack from his opponent as well as preparation for the next strike.\u00a08)\u00a0<\/strong>The defender pivots in place into a right neutral bow stance facing 10:30 and delivers a right downward sword hand strike to the back of the attacker\u2019s neck as his left-hand retreats into a middle guard. For clarity, the camera\u2019s orientation has been reversed so that the defender is now on the right side of the picture.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/tambulimedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Kenpo-Karate-Five-Swords-3-of-3.jpg” _builder_version=”4.4.4″ title_text=”Kenpo Karate Five Swords 3 of 3″ hover_enabled=”0″ custom_margin=”-37px|||||”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ custom_margin=”||-14px|||”]9)\u00a0<\/strong>The right hand of defender on the right of the picture passes around the attacker\u2019s neck. The defender then delivers the left-hand, inward Tiger palm to his opponent\u2019s head as his right hand continued down into a low guard position, which also \u201cchambers\u201d his hand for the next strike. At the same time, the defender has started to turn to his left into a modified horse stance. Note the Angle of Incidence at the target area.\u00a010)<\/strong>\u00a0The defender delivers a palm down, upward, right hand sword or chop to the attacker\u2019s throat as he pivots in place into a right reverse bow stance.\u00a011)\u00a0<\/strong>As the defender\u2019s right hand checks the attacker\u2019s position, he lifts his right heel into a right rear cat stance. This is the \u201cchamber\u201d for a modified rear kick.\u00a0The defender simply bends his right knee to execute or \u201cfire\u201d the right rear kick. That entry path for the kick is an Angle of Entry which efficiently creates a preferred Angle of Incidence at the target area.\u00a012)\u00a0<\/strong>The right rear kick at full extension. The defender would next initiate the covering out maneuver starting with a right front cross-over step towards the upper right side of this picture, the original 4:30 of the engagement, and continuing with the rest of that movement which is covered later in this book.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.4″ custom_padding=”1px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.4.4″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ custom_margin=”||-31px|||”]