Kenpo Salute

[JonathanMaberry]

I'm doing research on hand positions as found in various martial arts (for an article I'm writing for The Journal of Asian Martial Arts).

One position involves the hands being held up, palms out, with index fingers touching at the top and thumbs touching at the bottom. It makes a rough diamond or spade-shape.

I've seen this in the Kankudai kata in karate, as a transitional movement in aikido and jujutsu, but I believe is also appears as part of the formal salute in Kenpo.

Can anyone verify this for me?

Thanks

 

[Touch Of Death]

I'm doing research on hand positions as found in various martial arts (for an article I'm writing for The Journal of Asian Martial Arts).

One position involves the hands being held up, palms out, with index fingers touching at the top and thumbs touching at the bottom. It makes a rough diamond or spade-shape.

I've seen this in the Kankudai kata in karate, as a transitional movement in aikido and jujutsu, but I believe is also appears as part of the formal salute in Kenpo.

Can anyone verify this for me?

Thanks

I was taught to try for a triangle.
Sean

 

[Carol]

I was taught to try for a triangle.
Sean

Thats how I learned it as well.

 

[JonathanMaberry]

Do you know of any books, videos or DVDs that show this salute step-by-step?

 

[MJS]

Do you know of any books, videos or DVDs that show this salute step-by-step?

I too was taught the triangle. Here is a description that may help you out.

 

[Shodan]

There's also a saying that goes with the Kenpo long greeting/salute that not many seem to say/incorporate anymore.......but during the part where we are making the triangle, it says "I have no weapons"......hope that helps somehow.

The full saying follows all the hand motions we make during the salute and is as follows (the version I learned):

We the Warrior,
And the Scholar,
Join together and go forth to battle.
Back to back we fight to bring the countries back together.
I have no weapons,
I hide my secret-
And pray for forgiveness should I ever have to use it.

 

[Ray]

I was taught to form an upside-down heart; instead of having the thumbs be the bottom line of the triangle.

 

[brianlkennedy]

The "triangle deal" probably was picked up from a Buddhist form of bowing I noticed it here in Taiwan. Some Taiwanese buddhist (both lay Buddhist and ordained) will do a kind of salute to the Buddha by touching index finger to index finger and thumb to thumb, with the palms facing down to the floor; which makes a triangle. Then the hand,with the thumbs touching the center of the forehead and the index fingers towards the Buddha is moved in an up and down bowing motion three times (for the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha).

I remember the first time I saw it in a Taiwanese temple, thinking to myself as kind of a joke "wow, that guy must be an Ed Parker Kenpo dude". Not very likely, there are no Ed Parker or Tracy Brothers schools in Taiwan!

take care,
Brian

 

[Touch Of Death]

The complexity of the salute was important. It helped identify people from long distances. If you didn't do it like you were from their school, villiage, ect, then you were an imposter.
Sean

 

[Ping898]

I was taught to try for a triangle.
Sean

ditto

 

[Benjp]

Here is an historical meaning of the hand postures according to Bruce Juchnik, who got it from James Mitose (which probably at one point filtered down to Chow and then to Parker, but I could be mistaken).

from http://www.skski.net/mon.html

Kaishu: Open Hand Position (looks like a triangle)

First Representation: The right hand and left hand are placed together in the shape of a mountain. Look for the good in man as you would see a mountain from a distance, without nitpicking flaws and imperfections.

Hope this helps,

Ben

 

[Blindside]

Do you know of any books, videos or DVDs that show this salute step-by-step?

Infinite Insights Vol I by Ed Parker

But the reference to the kosho-arts given by Benjp is a good one since the hand positions were borrowed from the mon.