KT:Mr. Parker's kicks

[Clark Kent]

Mr. Parker's kicks
By Roadrunner - Tue, 07 Aug 2007 16:51:46 GMT
Originally Posted at: KenpoTalk
====================

As claimed in another thread, someone alleges that his kicks were horrible. Can anyone else substantiate this claim? I'd like to hear what Doc has to say since he worked with him a lot. Most of us have seen footage of Mr. Parker on video, so what do you think? I have talked to some people who were personal students of Ed Parker up to his passing and they said the man could kick. So, any takers??? :lurk:


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[terryl965]

His kicking ability was above average for that time frame, I remember seeing him in San Diego doing an exhibition with my father he said he was above average and I would say my father would know since he trained military people in the Art of self defense.

Me I believe he was way before his time and did alot for the Arts and would hope his kicking skills was like the rest of his skills.

 

[Empty Hands]

I have also spoken to some students of Mr. Parker's, and they say that when he got much older his kicks began to suffer, especially in their height. One such student said he would get into a very low horse stance when being kicked into a new rank to avoid getting hit in a more sensitive spot! This may be the origin of this rumor.

 

[Touch Of Death]

He changed to lower kicks because of his idea of kicking. Take Attacking Mace. The exagrated step method is so much faster than the ajust for heighth, kick, readjust for a landing method, that its a wonder more people don't try to kick like Mr. Parker...
Sean

 

[seninoniwashi]

As a newbie to MT, I hope I don't get beat up over this

I guess it really depends on what you're looking for in his kicks. When I was first starting in kenpo years ago I use to watch the few seminars and video clips out there and I was not impressed. What I was looking for then was form. However, the majority of the clips I have viewed are sparing and real time technique demonstrations - hard to judge form. Having never seen Mr. Parker in person I can judge very little and my judgement is limited to what I've seen through the small window of video...

 

[Doc]

I have also spoken to some students of Mr. Parker's, and they say that when he got much older his kicks began to suffer, especially in their height. One such student said he would get into a very low horse stance when being kicked into a new rank to avoid getting hit in a more sensitive spot! This may be the origin of this rumor.

Nice rumor, but it's just that. Somone claiming to be a student of Ed Parker spinning tales to sound like they were there. First of all the fancy kicks that most see now didn't exist in most arts pre-late fifties. All kicks were basic as in Kenpo, in all the arts. Even the ealier Korean Arts were much more practical with an emphasis on grappling, and manipulation skills.

The early fifties ushered in TKD, and a little later Wushu, that had an influnce on many arts through exhibitions and competitions which they were designed for. These kicks were crowd pleasers, and competition winning executions that many adopted.

The Ed Parker Lineage from William Chow was always a practical self-defense art that initially emphasized, once again, grappling and manipulations. Later as a mainland import by Parker, it initially retained that influence with throws and locks, but kicking has always been pretty much as it is in the manipulation arts. Practical, effective, and unrelated to competition or exhibitions.

To that end, Parker personally never changed his kicks, but allowed that others could tailor their Kenpo to their liking. Students from other arts brought some of those kicks with them when coming to Kenpo. The explosion of competiton venues beginning with the IKC also had an impact upon what was accepted.

However, a look at the self-defense technique manuals from the sixties shows no sign of anything but the same practical kicks that Parker utilized and taught for practicality all his life.

To suggest that he might kick someone in the groin because he couldn't get his kicks above the waist, is an insult to the man's ability. When he passed at 59, he was still capable of drilling you with a front kick at any height he desired. I think I still have a bruse to prove it.

 

[Empty Hands]

Nice rumor, but it's just that. Somone claiming to be a student of Ed Parker spinning tales to sound like they were there.

Well, this man was certainly a student of Mr. Parker's, I have confirmed that. I will say no more since it isn't my place, and I have no wish to start any contentious arguments or drag anyone's name into this.

 

[Doc]

Well, this man was certainly a student of Mr. Parker's, I have confirmed that. I will say no more since it isn't my place, and I have no wish to start any contentious arguments or drag anyone's name into this.

You know I understand. A whole lot of people were "around" Ed Parker, and his name was on a lot of diplomas, but very few were actually on going students. And yes some of those names are well known.