Evading Storm if you're tall

[Hefeweizen]

I'm 6-4 and I've found it very difficult to execute Evading the Storm against my classmates who are shorter than me. What I mean by this is that it almost feels silly for me to get my body in such a low, crouched position in order to use a high block as my block of the overhead club attack. (I was not taught to crouch, it's just that this is physically necessary if I'm to use a high block)

When most people's head is at my shoulder level, you can imagine how low I have to be to have a high block executed against such a person.

Given this, what is the best thing to do for someone who is tall and wishes to block an overhead club attack?

I'm only an orange belt, so I realize there may be later techniques that address this. However, unlike other techniques that I can slightly modify (i.e. use knee instead of front kick) my height seems to prevent me from using this technique as well as my shorter classmates can.

Thanks in advance.
Hefe

 

[Michael Billings]

Although you can modify the form for you and execute an outward extended block (to block a beer bottle from a little guy, like 6' 1" or so, I think you should still practice the ideal phase of the technique. After all, I have at lest three or four guys in class now that are as tall as you, and I have had one that was a whopping 6' 7". No telling who will do what or when.

-Michael
Kenpo-Texas.com

 

[rmcrobertson]

I agree with Michael--and there's a guy in the studio I attend who admits to 6' 9", though I think he's actually 6' 10". Scary thing is, now that he's gotten to 2nd Black, his stances are so low and strong he's starting to look shorter...

 

[Brother John]

I've had a long history of studying under, working out with and teaching people who are taller than myself.
I'm 5'9"... not short, not tall either.
First instructor: 6'4"
2nd: 6'6"
Best friend in Kenpo: 6'6"
1/2 of my students are at least 3 or more inches taller than me.

I do very well against tall people now, but theres some midget blackbelt out there some where, with my name all-over his converse...

Your Brother (the Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum fighter)
John

 

[Les]

Originally posted by Brother John
I've had a long history of studying under, working out with and teaching people who are taller than myself.
I'm 5'9"... not short, not tall either.
First instructor: 6'4"
2nd: 6'6"
Best friend in Kenpo: 6'6"
1/2 of my students are at least 3 or more inches taller than me.

I do very well against tall people now, but theres some midget blackbelt out there some where, with my name all-over his converse...

Your Brother (the Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum fighter)
John

John,

I'm 5' 2" and I've only had Instructors who are taller than me.

All of my adult students are taller than me except one, and she's only thirteen and still growing, so soon she'll be taller than me too.

Some of my juniors are shorter then me.

Theres a picture of me with Mr. Simon Timms on my website that should make you smile.

Les

 

[Brother John]

Theres a picture of me with Mr. Simon Timms on my website that should make you smile.

It did.
Have a good one.
Your Brother (I smell the blood of an Englishman...)
John

 

[Les]

Originally posted by Brother John
I smell the blood of an Englishman...
Your Brother John

I'm NOT English.

I'm just unfortunate enough to live here.

Les

 

[Sigung86]

Originally posted by Hefeweizen

...
I'm only an orange belt, so I realize there may be later techniques that address this. However, unlike other techniques that I can slightly modify (i.e. use knee instead of front kick) my height seems to prevent me from using this technique as well as my shorter classmates can.

Thanks in advance.
Hefe

Howdy Hefe!

Since no one, with the notable exception of Michael Billings, has taken a shot at your original questions, I will. I went back through some old notes I have on this technique, and the notes I have do not call for a rising block, but rather a series of motions that we, in Tracy Kenpo, call Windmill Guard.

The technique notes that I have on this technique are that you step your left foot to 9:00 to a left hard bow while performing the windmill guard ... The windmill guard is, in this particular instance, performed as follows.

As your left foot steps to 9:00 in a hard left bow, you perform a very quick left high inward block, followed immediately with a right high outward extended block.

This could be considered a double factor, I guess, or perhaps gaseous expansion (somewhat like some of my posts :lol: ), but it increases your safety factor by three... 1. The step to get off centerline, 2. The initial high inward block (that involves anatomically correct alignment of the left arm and forearm), and 3. The follow up "high" outward to outward extended block that also involves anatomically correct alignment of the right arm and forearm to a protective block.

Anatomically correct means, in this instance, that your arms are extended out from your body so that they are parallel to the ground and your forearms are extended upward at 90 degrees to your arms. In other words, someone viewing from 3rd person from your 9:00 or 3:00 would see your arms and forearms bent at a right angle with 90 degrees at the elbow.

This is probably not what your instructor intends, and it is not my place to try to change what you are doing, but in the interest of usefulness of the technique, I thought this might be something practical for you to consider. But, then, I'm one of the silly old school who sees absolutely no reason to ever use a rising block against an incoming overhead club... It just seems like a good way to get hit, or at the very least, to, dramatically, cut down your safety margins.

Respectfully and most sincerely,

Dan Farmer

 

[Hefeweizen]

Thanks for your response. That modification (if it is one) sounds more effective. I'll double check my manual but I'm fairly sure we are performing a high block from this position.

Is "Tracy Kenpo" a drastically modified system from Ed Parker's system? I'm a beginner and not informed about such issues.

One aspect of Kenpo that sold me was the claim that it is a modern, evolving system that does not strive for preserving itself as an "art" for art's sake, but sometimes I wonder about this with many of the techniques.

I'll try the block as you described it and mention it as an alternative to my instructors and see what they say.

Thanks

 

[Klondike93]

The way I was taught do this is with a left inward parry then right extended outward upward block and grab. So it's pretty much just an extended outward block and not a true high block.


:asian:

Klondike

 

[Sigung86]

Originally posted by Hefeweizen
...
Is "Tracy Kenpo" a drastically modified system from Ed Parker's system? I'm a beginner and not informed about such issues.

...

Thanks

Tracy Kenpo Karate (Karate means China hand, not empty hand in this example) ... Is what SGM Parker was teaching in the way back olden days. The Tracy Brothers, Al, Will, and Jim, ended up going their own way and created a "Kenpo Empire" based on what they took with them ... Before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, this happens all the time. Just so happens that the Tracy Brothers were great businessmen as well as martial artists. They promulgated Kenpo through out America with their patented franchise biz.

Ed Parker continued to develop and refine his methods adding and subtracting as he felt he needed to in order to create American Kenpo. In the end, the rest is, as they say, history.

Ed Parker's Kenpo is considered by most to be the innovative, modern Kenpo, while Tracy Kenpo is the "compilation" of material that the Tracy Brothers took with them when they left. It has gone through a number of reorganizations, but is generally felt to be the "traditional" arm of Kenpo.

Hope this helps. Hate to talk in such generalities, but one slip of the keyboard around here often invokes a screaming, flaming spam war. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to address them in private message or email

Take care,

Dan Farmer

 

[Sigung86]

Originally posted by Klondike93
The way I was taught do this is with a left inward parry then right extended outward upward block and grab. So it's pretty much just an extended outward block and not a true high block.


:asian:

Klondike

That would be the way you were taught... Not all are taught the same way, unfortunately. Actually, in order to preserve integrity, and usefulness of the blocks as well as the safety zones, as opposed to a simply "slightly possible" upward-outward- extended block to a grab or a rising block, I indicated a high inward and outward block. But I will bow to one more well versed in American Kenpo techniques.

I simply stepped in to try and fill a void for a seeker. :asian:

Dan

 

[Michael Billings]

Dan,

Thanks for the good definition of the difference between Tracy and EPAK. Clean, concise, and correct.

Your techniques sounds sorta like a variation of Reversing Circles, unless I misread it.

Good stuff.

If you have to do the inward, upward outward variation, try stepping to 9:30 or 10:00 and "attacking" the elbow (or right above it) with you block acting as a strike. OUCH!!!!

Oss,
-Michael
Kenpo-Texas.com