More techniques versus less techniques is an argument we've had a thousand times. Some schools like more, some like way more. Some systems have like 700 techniques. The system I was raised in had maybe 300 or so, including extensions, although I never learned them all. Other systems have considerably fewer. Some way fewer. I have been told that Mr. Parker only needed to learn 18 techniques to get his first black belt.
Personally, I don't think it matters. If your system works, good for you. I like having material to explore and play with. Other people want a few basic techniques they can adjust to any situation. I don't think one way is inherently better than the other, they're just different. It depends on what you want, and why you train, and how you train. Western boxing only has a few techniques, but it's a very formidable art. At the same time, I've known guys who had hundreds and hundreds of techniques who were very dangerous fighters. Luckily, there's options to meet every demand.
But in this thread, I wanted to address the simplest possible number of combinations we could collectively design. Can we reduce the number of techniques to fifty? Twenty? Ten? One? How few techniques could we theoretically teach and still consider it a form of kenpo?
This is purely an intellectual exercise. I've decided to use the categories of attack as I understand them as a launching point for this discussion, but feel free to go in any direction you want. In order to limit the number of techniques, I'm going to include a grapple and a strike in each defense. I've also limited this to standing techniques, although we could probably have a lot of fun doing the same thing with ground fighting techniques.
So, first we have grabs.
1. Grab Defense
Key = control the grabbing hand, cancel the offhand, counter
Opponent grabs you from 12. Pin the grab with one hand, step back and to the opponent's closed side into a fighting stance, strike to the body with the off hand, and apply pressure to the opponent's elbow for arm bar control. Finish.
2. Push Defense
Key = establish a base, cover, counter
Opponent pushes from 12. Step back into a fighting stance, bring up your guard, strike low/hi, clinch to control or takedown. Finish.
3. Punch Defense
Key = control space, break opponent's stance, counter
Opponent punches from 12. Step back with blocks. Move off line. Counter with low strikes. Bearhug to control or takedown. Finish.
4. Kick Defense
Key = evade, match strong line to weak line, counter as opponent lands from kick
Opponent kicks from 12. Step off angle with deflecting blocks. Counter with high strikes to opponent's relative centerline. Engage with head control. Finish.
5. Soft Grapple Defense (hugs and holds)
Key = establish a base, control, counter
Opponent bearhug from 12. Step into a fighting stance as you break the opponent's stance by controlling his hips. Counter with knee and head strikes. Escape hold. Finish.
6. Takedown Defense
Key = establish a base, jam, step out of takedown attempt, counter
Opponent double leg takedown from 12. Step back into fighting stance as you apply downward pressure to opponent's head/shoulders/upper back (sprawl). Step off line of attack. Counter with strikes to opponent's upper torso. Takedown. Finish.
7. Hard Grapple Defense (locks)
Key = control with off hand, move ahead of lock, counter
Opponent applies downward wrist lock from 12. Grab opponent's arms with off hand to control. Step into lock. Counter with strikes. Arm hold control. Finish.
8. Choke and Strangulation Defense
Key = keep oxygen flowing to brain, counter, escape seal
Opponent applies guillotine choke from 12. Turn head and grab arm. Counter with off hand strikes to opponent. Reverse guillotine on opponent. Strike with off hand/knee strikes. Finish.
9. Club Defense
Key = avoid traumatic impact, counter, control weapon arm
Opponent attacks with club strike from 12. Evade. Step in on back swing with strikes to the head and body. Isolate the weapon arm, disarm if possible. Finish.
10. Knife Defense
Key = cover vital targets, control weapon arm, counter
Opponent attacks with pummeling stabs from 12. Escape laterally to closed side while covering torso and neck with arms. Wait for opponent to over extend his position. Seize weapon hand and isolate it from the body. Establish control over the weapon. Counter with strikes. Finish.
11. Gun Defense
Key = understand counter range, barrel control, disarm
Opponent points gun from 12. If within one foot range, step off line of barrel. Engage, control the weapon with both hands and disarm. Counter with strikes. Finish. If between one foot and twelve feet, stay calm and wait for range to change. If over twelve feet away, run.
12. Multiple Opponent Defense
Key = stay constantly mobile, line/group/separate, engage individually
Multiple Opponents engage from all directions. Immediately move in any direction with committed strikes to break free from the group. Move laterally to force the opponents to move past each other to engage. Use short, quick combinations of strikes against each opponent as they come within range, never lingering or grappling an opponent and constantly moving off angle to escape the other combatants. Finish each opponent when possible, moving away from fallen opponents to keep from tripping and falling to the ground.
Ok. I know that's super general, but I was just trying to establish a base line for defenses. I'm also sure some of you guys will disagree with some, or all, of what I've written here. Feel free to tell me where I've gone off base.
But do you think a person could use those twelve techniques, or some variation there of, to create a comprehensive kenpo style approach to combat? Each of the attacks comes from 12, but the movements could be applied in any direction. You would have to supplement the basic techniques with a curriculum of grappling and striking basics since they wouldn't necessarily be taught within the techniques themselves, and you would then run each of these scenarios through a variety of "what if" type scenarios. What if it's a hook punch versus a straight punch. What if it's a horizontal club strike versus a vertical club strike. Etc. Etc.
What do you think? Under this kind of dynamic approach would twelve techniques be enough? Do you think you could do it in less?
Like I said, I like having hundreds of techniques. I look at what other styles and arts are doing and try to learn from and add their approaches to what I'm doing. I'm always adding and expanding. But I also understand the importance of simplicity. Jab/cross/hook/uppercut. Superfoot used to fight with only three kicks and he was a champion. A thousand clunky, poorly trained and rarely practiced techniques won't do you as much good as a single cross punch practiced again and again against the heavy bag with intensity and focus. We can expand or contract as we please, as long as we're training. That's what matters.
And for the purpose of this discussion, let's just consider all the "so you think you're smarter than Ed Parker" and the "you're ruining the system" and the "you can't take out techniques and still call it kenpo" and the "you're only trying to destroy what you don't understand" responses already said. We all get it. This is a thread for considering paring down the techniques, not arguing over who's betraying the memory of Ed Parker.
-Rob
Personally, I don't think it matters. If your system works, good for you. I like having material to explore and play with. Other people want a few basic techniques they can adjust to any situation. I don't think one way is inherently better than the other, they're just different. It depends on what you want, and why you train, and how you train. Western boxing only has a few techniques, but it's a very formidable art. At the same time, I've known guys who had hundreds and hundreds of techniques who were very dangerous fighters. Luckily, there's options to meet every demand.
But in this thread, I wanted to address the simplest possible number of combinations we could collectively design. Can we reduce the number of techniques to fifty? Twenty? Ten? One? How few techniques could we theoretically teach and still consider it a form of kenpo?
This is purely an intellectual exercise. I've decided to use the categories of attack as I understand them as a launching point for this discussion, but feel free to go in any direction you want. In order to limit the number of techniques, I'm going to include a grapple and a strike in each defense. I've also limited this to standing techniques, although we could probably have a lot of fun doing the same thing with ground fighting techniques.
So, first we have grabs.
1. Grab Defense
Key = control the grabbing hand, cancel the offhand, counter
Opponent grabs you from 12. Pin the grab with one hand, step back and to the opponent's closed side into a fighting stance, strike to the body with the off hand, and apply pressure to the opponent's elbow for arm bar control. Finish.
2. Push Defense
Key = establish a base, cover, counter
Opponent pushes from 12. Step back into a fighting stance, bring up your guard, strike low/hi, clinch to control or takedown. Finish.
3. Punch Defense
Key = control space, break opponent's stance, counter
Opponent punches from 12. Step back with blocks. Move off line. Counter with low strikes. Bearhug to control or takedown. Finish.
4. Kick Defense
Key = evade, match strong line to weak line, counter as opponent lands from kick
Opponent kicks from 12. Step off angle with deflecting blocks. Counter with high strikes to opponent's relative centerline. Engage with head control. Finish.
5. Soft Grapple Defense (hugs and holds)
Key = establish a base, control, counter
Opponent bearhug from 12. Step into a fighting stance as you break the opponent's stance by controlling his hips. Counter with knee and head strikes. Escape hold. Finish.
6. Takedown Defense
Key = establish a base, jam, step out of takedown attempt, counter
Opponent double leg takedown from 12. Step back into fighting stance as you apply downward pressure to opponent's head/shoulders/upper back (sprawl). Step off line of attack. Counter with strikes to opponent's upper torso. Takedown. Finish.
7. Hard Grapple Defense (locks)
Key = control with off hand, move ahead of lock, counter
Opponent applies downward wrist lock from 12. Grab opponent's arms with off hand to control. Step into lock. Counter with strikes. Arm hold control. Finish.
8. Choke and Strangulation Defense
Key = keep oxygen flowing to brain, counter, escape seal
Opponent applies guillotine choke from 12. Turn head and grab arm. Counter with off hand strikes to opponent. Reverse guillotine on opponent. Strike with off hand/knee strikes. Finish.
9. Club Defense
Key = avoid traumatic impact, counter, control weapon arm
Opponent attacks with club strike from 12. Evade. Step in on back swing with strikes to the head and body. Isolate the weapon arm, disarm if possible. Finish.
10. Knife Defense
Key = cover vital targets, control weapon arm, counter
Opponent attacks with pummeling stabs from 12. Escape laterally to closed side while covering torso and neck with arms. Wait for opponent to over extend his position. Seize weapon hand and isolate it from the body. Establish control over the weapon. Counter with strikes. Finish.
11. Gun Defense
Key = understand counter range, barrel control, disarm
Opponent points gun from 12. If within one foot range, step off line of barrel. Engage, control the weapon with both hands and disarm. Counter with strikes. Finish. If between one foot and twelve feet, stay calm and wait for range to change. If over twelve feet away, run.
12. Multiple Opponent Defense
Key = stay constantly mobile, line/group/separate, engage individually
Multiple Opponents engage from all directions. Immediately move in any direction with committed strikes to break free from the group. Move laterally to force the opponents to move past each other to engage. Use short, quick combinations of strikes against each opponent as they come within range, never lingering or grappling an opponent and constantly moving off angle to escape the other combatants. Finish each opponent when possible, moving away from fallen opponents to keep from tripping and falling to the ground.
Ok. I know that's super general, but I was just trying to establish a base line for defenses. I'm also sure some of you guys will disagree with some, or all, of what I've written here. Feel free to tell me where I've gone off base.
But do you think a person could use those twelve techniques, or some variation there of, to create a comprehensive kenpo style approach to combat? Each of the attacks comes from 12, but the movements could be applied in any direction. You would have to supplement the basic techniques with a curriculum of grappling and striking basics since they wouldn't necessarily be taught within the techniques themselves, and you would then run each of these scenarios through a variety of "what if" type scenarios. What if it's a hook punch versus a straight punch. What if it's a horizontal club strike versus a vertical club strike. Etc. Etc.
What do you think? Under this kind of dynamic approach would twelve techniques be enough? Do you think you could do it in less?
Like I said, I like having hundreds of techniques. I look at what other styles and arts are doing and try to learn from and add their approaches to what I'm doing. I'm always adding and expanding. But I also understand the importance of simplicity. Jab/cross/hook/uppercut. Superfoot used to fight with only three kicks and he was a champion. A thousand clunky, poorly trained and rarely practiced techniques won't do you as much good as a single cross punch practiced again and again against the heavy bag with intensity and focus. We can expand or contract as we please, as long as we're training. That's what matters.
And for the purpose of this discussion, let's just consider all the "so you think you're smarter than Ed Parker" and the "you're ruining the system" and the "you can't take out techniques and still call it kenpo" and the "you're only trying to destroy what you don't understand" responses already said. We all get it. This is a thread for considering paring down the techniques, not arguing over who's betraying the memory of Ed Parker.
-Rob