Is Kenpo a viable fighting and self defense art
- Thread starter Mider
- Start date
Can't really be sure of that without feeling the strikes.
AIKIKENJITSU
Green Belt
I have been teaching it since 1976 and I have used it maybe six times to defend myself. Each circumstance was different. I am 5'2" and small boned. I have had to use it about six times in my life to defend myself. I found it very effective and it quickly puts a end to any attack I've had.
The main essence of American Kenpo is speed. But I'm sure that's true of many martial arts.
Now I don't believe in the forms and I've never practice them except to pass my test for rank.
American Kenpo in my view is very effective. Is it perfect? No, but it is reliable.
Sifu
AIKIKENJITSU
Green Belt
I have only been doing Kenpo for a few months but have been having a great time learning. The defensive techniques (at least the ones I have learned) are not too difficult to learn. Repetition is the key. The most challenging part for me is the forms and footwork. I'm sure over time it will come with muscle memory.
I’ve been to a lot of Kempo schools, none of them trained, taught or fought the same way.
The same goes for Tae-Kwon-Do schools, Tang-Soo-Do, Ueichi-Ryu, American Karate and Boxing gyms. I can’t actually remember any two dojos of any kind that did things the same way.
The same goes for Tae-Kwon-Do schools, Tang-Soo-Do, Ueichi-Ryu, American Karate and Boxing gyms. I can’t actually remember any two dojos of any kind that did things the same way.
Seems to be many Kenpo variations. One of my friends takes Kenpo at another school in Mass. It's very different from the Cerio one I got to.
TransformationWell
White Belt
So,
I'm not completely foreign to the art. I did approximately a year of it from 18-19 years old. But after having studied other arts, there are just some things that I: a.) don't understand the logic behind--and--b.) would not ever do in an actual fight as I don't think these tactics are good strategies. To elaborate:
A.) 1.)Many kempo masters(Tatum. Larry Kongaika, others) strike themselves alternating with countering..sort of a back and forth. There's no explanation why. Is it to seem more flashy? Some martial art styles will strike themsevles just before the initial counter(ie: an arm drag) to serve as a distraction before the set up, but that's not what seems to be happening here. This seems very unnecessary and it prolongs the counter attack by a very long time.(which leads to inefficiency).
2.) There's too many strikes as a counter. I once counted 11 strikes to an opponent against one punch(!!).
3.) There's too many strikes to the same area of the body. I watched a video once where the black belt struck to the face, then circled under the opponents arm, then a hit to the back of the neck, then the face again, then the back of the neck again, then a stomp kick behind the knee.
B.) 1.) Little to no(from watching multiple videos) use of footwork to close the gap. In many cases, I see the person being attacked, step away completely(ie: Larry Tatum), this gives the opponent an opportunity to attack again
2.) No exploitation of stealing or tipping the opponents balance--no use of leverage to distort the opponents structure/balance.
I bear no ill will. I would rather learn Kempo than learn NO martial art, but it would not be my first choice(or even high on my list).
I'm not completely foreign to the art. I did approximately a year of it from 18-19 years old. But after having studied other arts, there are just some things that I: a.) don't understand the logic behind--and--b.) would not ever do in an actual fight as I don't think these tactics are good strategies. To elaborate:
A.) 1.)Many kempo masters(Tatum. Larry Kongaika, others) strike themselves alternating with countering..sort of a back and forth. There's no explanation why. Is it to seem more flashy? Some martial art styles will strike themsevles just before the initial counter(ie: an arm drag) to serve as a distraction before the set up, but that's not what seems to be happening here. This seems very unnecessary and it prolongs the counter attack by a very long time.(which leads to inefficiency).
2.) There's too many strikes as a counter. I once counted 11 strikes to an opponent against one punch(!!).
3.) There's too many strikes to the same area of the body. I watched a video once where the black belt struck to the face, then circled under the opponents arm, then a hit to the back of the neck, then the face again, then the back of the neck again, then a stomp kick behind the knee.
B.) 1.) Little to no(from watching multiple videos) use of footwork to close the gap. In many cases, I see the person being attacked, step away completely(ie: Larry Tatum), this gives the opponent an opportunity to attack again
2.) No exploitation of stealing or tipping the opponents balance--no use of leverage to distort the opponents structure/balance.
I bear no ill will. I would rather learn Kempo than learn NO martial art, but it would not be my first choice(or even high on my list).
