Forever Training
Yellow Belt
Hello, all.
I am a newbie on this site although I have been studying kempo for a long time.
I come from a Shaolin Kempo background and am now interested in learning EPAK.
After doing some research about the style and its curriculum on-line, I recently visited
Clayton's Kenpo in South Windsor, CT to observe a class.
At this dojo, the 1-hour adult class has all levels of belts in it. I was told that after
15 min warming-up, the beginner group (white-purple) break off from the advanced
(blue and up). Then, the beginner group worked on their technique of the week
(Sleeper) and the advanced group did theirs. Then, for the last 15 minutes or so, sparring.
I was told that their system was to teach everyone in a group (white-purple) the same
technique (1 tech/week, 3 tech/month). The idea being that everyone in the group is on
the same page and tested on the same material, although they are promoted at different
levels depending on where in the cycle of techniques they are.
If I understand it correctly, regardless of where you start in the cycle, you will have all the
techniques/material at blue belt test, then you move into the advanced cycle.
Is this training cycle system common in EPAK dojos?
Follow-up Question:
This means that if a student comes to class twice per week, s/he receives about 1 cumulative
hour of technique instruction and partner practice per technique...give or take.
Does this seem adequate for the average adult to get the technique "locked into memory"
as one progresses through the techniques?
When compared to my kempo curriculum system, it appears that EPAK is faster-paced in
introducing material and expecting it to be learned, considering how many techniques there
are (holy cow, btw).
I am a newbie on this site although I have been studying kempo for a long time.
I come from a Shaolin Kempo background and am now interested in learning EPAK.
After doing some research about the style and its curriculum on-line, I recently visited
Clayton's Kenpo in South Windsor, CT to observe a class.
At this dojo, the 1-hour adult class has all levels of belts in it. I was told that after
15 min warming-up, the beginner group (white-purple) break off from the advanced
(blue and up). Then, the beginner group worked on their technique of the week
(Sleeper) and the advanced group did theirs. Then, for the last 15 minutes or so, sparring.
I was told that their system was to teach everyone in a group (white-purple) the same
technique (1 tech/week, 3 tech/month). The idea being that everyone in the group is on
the same page and tested on the same material, although they are promoted at different
levels depending on where in the cycle of techniques they are.
If I understand it correctly, regardless of where you start in the cycle, you will have all the
techniques/material at blue belt test, then you move into the advanced cycle.
Is this training cycle system common in EPAK dojos?
Follow-up Question:
This means that if a student comes to class twice per week, s/he receives about 1 cumulative
hour of technique instruction and partner practice per technique...give or take.
Does this seem adequate for the average adult to get the technique "locked into memory"
as one progresses through the techniques?
When compared to my kempo curriculum system, it appears that EPAK is faster-paced in
introducing material and expecting it to be learned, considering how many techniques there
are (holy cow, btw).