Kenpo Karate: Captured Twigs

Captured Twigs is a kenpo karate defensive technique used to defend against a bear hug from behind. The attacker attacks from behind, bear hugging the defender and capturing his arms in the bear hug. The defender pins the attacker's hands in place by grabbing with his left hand.

Then the defender steps to 9 o'clock with his left leg and squats into a horse stance, bringing with him the attacker, who now has to bend to keep the bear hug in place. As you step into the horse stance, your right hand should be in a hammer fist and striking the attacker in the groin. This will obviously stun the attacker.

This stunning technique should make the attacker loose his grip on the bear hug. At this point the defender lets go and gets the attacker's right hand away with a palm block. Also in this instant the defender will step his right foot into the 5 o'clock position.

Next the defender strikes with an elbow strike to the attacker's chin. After that right hand checks the attacker's right arm while the left hand guards the face and the right leg goes to a cat stance. And finally the defenders does a right snapping knife-edge kick to the inside of the right knee. That is Captured Twigs.

Now if yo have to defend against this, the prime objective you have is to guard your nuts. You may take several shots to the balls if you are not careful and make sure your opponent is completely in front of you the whole time. When your opponent steps into the horse stance, quickly move behind him to avoid the groin shot.

At this point you will be bent over. Depending on your relationship with ground fighting, you may want to knock out his knees and pin him to the ground. If not, you may be able to strike him in the balls from behind.

Kenpo Karate: Short 1 Kata

Step right into a horse stance with hands in chamber position.

This kata demonstrates the four basic blocks, done twice, while moving your horsestance around.To further illustrate, each the kata is like this:

- Block two punches from the north with inward blocks. Turn your head and see the attack from your left and yell, "kiaa"

- Block two punches from the west (left) with outward blocks. Turn your head and see the attack from over your left shoulder and yell, "kiaa"

- Block two punches from the east (behind you) with upwards blocks. Then you turn your head and see the attack from the right and yell, "kiaa"

- Block two kicks from the south (your right) with your downwards blocks. Turn your head and see the finish, "kiaa"

- Return to start position and bow out.

Please refer to the video for further instruction:

That should give you a demonstration of how to do the form. Please check out more videos from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/shodanx">Shodanx</a>

Kenpo Karate: Deflecting Hammer

Deflecting Hammer is technique number four in the list of techniques learned for American Kenpo Karate yellow belt test.

Deflecting Hammer is a kenpo karate technique that defends against a right front kick. The defender shuffles back diagonally, just enough to avoid the kick while also deflecting it with a right downward hammer. This keeps the attacker's momentum going forward, leading him to a possible right hand punch. The defender then left hand blocks the elbow and right elbow strike to the neck or face.

In this instance, it is hard to determine a proper counter. If you were in the position of using a front kick defend yourself against a kenpo karate attacker, they would use your forward momentum against you and use it for their ultimate elbow strike.

One defense comes to mind: instead of following up with a punch, plant your foot after the hammer deflection; you'll know what is coming anyway since you know this defense as well. Plant your right foot and immediately turn and do backside kick. This keeps your momentum going forward and will be a little surprise to your attacker who may not be ready for this type of follow up.

You may even try a turn and left outer swordstrike to the neck.

As always, give me you feed back below.

Kenpo Karate: Swords of Destruction

By now you've figured out that I am going through techniques in the yellow belt test for American Kenpo Karate. Sword of Destruction is very similar to Delayed Sword. In fact they are practically the same technique only in this case you are defending against a left hook punch instead of a right punch.

Left hook comes at your temple, your left foot steps to the 8:00 position while blocking with your right arm. You counter with a right front kick to the groin and then right swordstrike to the neck. Essentially Delayed Sword from the other side.

Now for a possible counter to this technique if it should be used against you. Your opponent is stepping inside after blocking your punch. You know he's going for your groin so you have a couple of options:

1. You can use the similar counters from Delayed Sword.
2. Step your left leg back to 5:00 position and right side kick into the chest followed by a left straight punch or any varying techniques that don't interrupt the flow of the side kick. This counter would also work in Delayed Sword.

Kenpo Karate: Alternating Maces

Alternating Maces is another technique in Ed Parker's American Kenpo Karate. Like the previous post, it is required for yellow belt promotion, and I will try my best to come up with a suitable defense against it.

As I've said, a skilled kenpo karate student is very fast. Delayed Sword and Alternating Maces are two techniques taught at the beginner level, but like I said before, your basics are your bread and butter.

Alternating Maces is a technique that defends against a two armed push, the kind that may be used in a school fight or possibly a bar. The defender rotates the hips and right inner block and push down on the arms. Just a fluid motion of blocking and pushing down (I hate to use the term blocking here, because it isn't really a block, but it is close enough).

Because the attacker initiated with a push, chances are that his momentum will keep him going forward. The defender then punches (left handed) the solar plexus to stop the opponent. After this stop, the defender uses a back fist to the temple.

A couple of things come to mind. 1, as the attacker's arms are pushed downward, the attacker's motion is directed downward and forward. What a I give to those who are defending against another kenpo artist who does the common defense of Alternating Maces is a kamikaze attack: a forward roll.

Because your arms are going down anyway, direct your hands down to start the roll. More than likely your opponent will not see this coming. As you are rolling, your legs go up. If you can miraculously kick him in the face, kudos to you. However, if he is an amazing artist, he will be able to counter this with a jump back, so you must be able to land on your feet.

2, You know what is coming next after the pushing down of your arms: a punch. If you are able to redirect your velocity, you can avoid it. Swing your back leg (at the time of conflict) to the side of the other leg in order to go sideways and either inside his body or outside.

On the inside of the punch, their is a possible counter of your punch to his solar plexus. On the outside, you could punch into the arm pit or you could wrap your arm under his armpit and then around his neck and put him into a full nelson.

If anyone has any other ideas, comment below. I'd like to know.

Karate Kenpo: Delayed Sword

I want to start a series on kenpo karate techniques and go over possible counters to them. Though a kenpo karate student may know how to do the technique, what would happen if another artist should happen to use it on them? I'd like to disect the technique, and find a counter.

As most of you know, Delayed Sword is a technique from Ed Parker's American Kenpo Karate school required for a student to recieve their yellow belt. Though yellow is still a beginning belt, your earliest techniques are almost always a martial artist bread and butter. To begin, I'll describe the technique.

Delayed Sword is a technique that counters a right hand punch or grab. Regardless of initial technique, the technique counters the right hand of the opponent.

The attacker punches with the right hand. The defender blocks with a right inward block, knocking the punch away and then follows with a right outward downward diagonal handsword strike to the attacker's neck.

After that strike, the defender uses a right front scoop kick to the groin to finish off the technique, then planting the right foot into a left neutral bow stance.

Now because you know the technique, you should be able to defend against it, right? Well with all kenpo karate techniques, speed is invaluable. Your opponent will be quick if they are as used to the technique as you should be. However, I believe that if you are just as quick, you can catch your opponent unaware.

So you punch and your opponent initiates the Delayed Sword technique. You know what is coming and if your opponent is using this technique, he should be be fast. You have to be faster.

After he blocks your right hand punch and is about to move in with the sword strike, pivot on your left and step your right leg back. This way you should be facing your opponent's back or side.

From here, you may be able to do a roundhouse kick to your opponent's chest. However the reach may be too far. I would suggest instead using your left foot and attacking the right knee.

As you step back, your opponent may be off balance; your neck has moved and isn't as easy to hit correctly. This will confuse the novice kenpo artist, and, as this counter is new, may surprise the seasoned warrior.

Your opponent may be off balance from the swordstrike, making a knee kick similar to the final ax strike to a falling tree.

That is my counter. If you would like, please tell me any problems or other variations in the comments below.