In another thread
there was discussion regarding the USEFULLNESS of rolling when going to the ground. I did not want to pull the discussion off track there by disagreeing or agreeing with other's posts, but it brought an interesting question up.
In part I would have agreed a few months ago that Kenpo lacked "some" ground work, based on the fact that it is not an area frequently explored in depth by most instructors. I have since changed my opinion. I disagree strongly with those who state we have no ground work, rather I would concede that they have none "in their experience." Kenpo is three dimensional and techniques can be applied from the ground as I worked in a Women's Self Defense class over the past 6 weeks.
We need something if we are tripped by a curb, or step in a hole when pushed from behind, and thus, Encounter with Danger serves us well and should not be discarded or minimized in terms of what it teaches.
Over the past few months I have been exposed to a couple more systems that use rolling as a defense and as an offense. One is Russian Systema, (ok, a bit much for me with the rolling) and the Silat sub-system Harimau (which I saw in action and it was very, very effective.) Both fall outside the range of BJJ, which I do see as a ground art, but not necessarily as a "rolling" art. But pieces of both appear in our techniques and Contact or Control Manipulations, you just have to start thinking outside the box and reinterpret what you are seeing.
I am curious as to what other Kenpoist think? Have you really played with, then worked the techniques from the ground? Can "rolling", one of our more advanced MANEUVERS be utilized in the context of developing a good ground game in American Kenpo, without deviating from the Principles, Concepts and Theories as set out for EPAK practitionaers?
Whew, long question. Both barrels were firing today.
-Michael
there was discussion regarding the USEFULLNESS of rolling when going to the ground. I did not want to pull the discussion off track there by disagreeing or agreeing with other's posts, but it brought an interesting question up.
In part I would have agreed a few months ago that Kenpo lacked "some" ground work, based on the fact that it is not an area frequently explored in depth by most instructors. I have since changed my opinion. I disagree strongly with those who state we have no ground work, rather I would concede that they have none "in their experience." Kenpo is three dimensional and techniques can be applied from the ground as I worked in a Women's Self Defense class over the past 6 weeks.
We need something if we are tripped by a curb, or step in a hole when pushed from behind, and thus, Encounter with Danger serves us well and should not be discarded or minimized in terms of what it teaches.
Over the past few months I have been exposed to a couple more systems that use rolling as a defense and as an offense. One is Russian Systema, (ok, a bit much for me with the rolling) and the Silat sub-system Harimau (which I saw in action and it was very, very effective.) Both fall outside the range of BJJ, which I do see as a ground art, but not necessarily as a "rolling" art. But pieces of both appear in our techniques and Contact or Control Manipulations, you just have to start thinking outside the box and reinterpret what you are seeing.
I am curious as to what other Kenpoist think? Have you really played with, then worked the techniques from the ground? Can "rolling", one of our more advanced MANEUVERS be utilized in the context of developing a good ground game in American Kenpo, without deviating from the Principles, Concepts and Theories as set out for EPAK practitionaers?
Whew, long question. Both barrels were firing today.
-Michael
