Speaking of which, am I correct in thinking that American Kenpo has a set of techniques (waza?) called 'Sword & Hammer'? The reason I ask is Okinawa-te has a kata (at *leaast* 90 moves) that is called 'Sword & Hammer'. In fact, it is one of the primary katas we have to know for black belt. I wonder if any of the kenpo moves are in our kata, of if they simply just share the same name.
There is a single technique named "Sword & Hammer" used as a defence against a flank right side shoulder grab. I will dig up the manual I have for a exact description of one method that is used to execute this technique.
In short however, it is a hand check with the left hand, as you step out with the right foot to execute an outward chop to the throat. Then you drop the right hand to a hammerfist to the groin. There are variations on the technique but in all it's about 2 strikes. Throat and groin. Hence, "Sword & Hammer".
I'm at work now but later I will find and post a decription that you can read and follow. It's not the 90 moves of your kata though.
Thanks for the clarification, Gou. Nope, definitely not related to Okinawa-te's Sword & Hammer.
Okinawa-te's Sword & Hammer comes from what supposedly happened when Japan subjugated the Okinawans 400 years ago. According to some accounts, not only did the Japanese outlaw weapons, but they outlawed anything that could be used as a weapon, including ordinary knives and tools like hammers. Supposedly, villages had a sort of communal knife and hammer that were chained together and guarded by a soldier, who oversaw the use of these implements. According to the story, Okinawans would steal these tools and use them for self-defense. The first move of the kata is the clasping together of the open left hand (sword) and the right fist (hammer).
I remember reading somewhere that in the movie "The Perfect Weapon" which is the video bible for kenpoists.
:boing1:
Jeff Speakman said that he really didn't go any higher than purple belt really for most base techniques. I'm not saying he did or didn't but I was thinking, does this mean that really the lower belts have the meat and potatoes of the system? (at least for Jeff Speakman)
Maybe he means that the basic strikes and defenses necessary for basic self-defense are contained in the purple belt syllabus. Everything after that may be considered advanced application/theory on top of more advanced forms and whatnot.
Bear in mind, I'm not a kenpo practitioner. Just tossin' in my two yen.
His acting skills actually got better after that flick but sadly he just didn't have the pull without Parker to get anything made that didn't go "straight-to-video."
Gou when are you going to put more techniques up? Maybe you should do it like you did on your last forum, posting one each day and we can really rip them apart.