Technically correct targets are not immutable. Our curriculum is made up of techniques with prescribed movements and targets. Many students ask me the dreaded “what if” question. However, this time it is a relevant and necessary question. “What if the opponent is much taller or smaller than you? Or you can’t reach the target I […]
Month: August 2009
Personal space and overcoming fear
Kempo or any martial arts practiced for the purpose of self-defense requires the violation of personal space and boundaries. This means someone will be very close to you during your training. Not just at arm’s length but pressed up against your body and pushing against you. For some people in today’s society, that is very […]
Grow a Little Bonsai
The bonsai tree was made famous in martial arts circles by the movie “The Karate Kid”. Mr. Miyagi had a room full of these tiny, beautiful trees. A bonsai tree is tiny tree cared for by the gardener. You must prune the tree everyday to maintain its size and shape. Part of the gardener’s job […]
31 Flavors of Shaolin Kempo Karate
On the Shaolin Kempo message board (sponsored by Yahoo! Groups and moderated by Golden Leopard Kempo), an interesting question was brought up years ago. Below is an elaboration on my answer regarding the evolution of Kajukenbo into Shaolin Kempo Karate. Fluid Thought in Kajukenbo Most Kajukenbo practitioners are taught to learn what works and discard […]
Half Knowing is Not Knowing
Just knowing a bit of a technique or recognize it doesn’t mean you “know” it at a competent level. This is a key frustration for most instructors, the student who knows it all yet can’t perform the technique. Here are some of the complaints I hear from these students. “Oh, I know that technique. Can’t […]
The Bad Guy Weapon
In the modern day, you are rarely armed when attacked. Between gun control laws, air port security and knife limitations, we don’t have many options. Luckily in Kempo, we can use a bad guy as a weapon against multiple attackers. When faced with multiple opponents, you need all the advantages you can get. They have […]
Kempo in Action 5
Here is a real life example of how one of my students actually used a technique in an actual bully situation. “James” vs. the BB Gun. Several weeks ago, one of my junior students (a nine-year old Brown Belt) said he performed a variant on Gun #7 on a neighbor. His opponent had a BB […]
3 Things to think about before you get mugged
There you are, at night, on a dark street with two thugs pointing a gun at you. They want your money and jewelry. Is that the time to think about the value of your items and your loved ones? Is this the ideal time to pause for a few moments so you can think about […]
Energy as a Visual Tool
The term “energy” has several meanings often conflicting. In terms of Kempo, we should consider the scientific notion defined as: “In physics, energy is a scalar physical quantity that describes the amount of work that can be performed by a force, an attribute of objects and systems that is subject to a conservation law. Different […]
Kempo in Action 4
Here is a real life example of how one of my students actually used a technique in an actual mugging attempt. “David” a man waiting for his car, approached by two assailants. The names are changed but the story is true. David was waiting at a dealership for his car to be repaired. He paced […]