Required Techniques & Kata

1 (1) GLANCING SPEAR
(right grab to left wrist)

Pin his grab and step back, pulling him into a right-handed glancing spear to the eyes that rocks him backward so that you can hook his front foot with a left front crossover, stretching him out to unwind and sweep him onto his back with your right leg (shooting in a straight right punch as he falls). Bounce back from the sweep to kick him in the face.

1) natural stance, attacker’s right hand grabbing your left wrist, your right hand goes underneath his grab as you turn your left hand palm up to pin his grab between the backs of both your hands
         -R foot step back to 5 o’clock to L neutral bow
         -R hand grabs his wrist, pulling him down and back
         -L elbow lifts up against his elbow, bringing him on his toes
         -L reverse bow
2) L neutral bow
         - R hand pulling attacker’s R arm to 6 o’clock
         - L horizontal elbow to R ribs
         -R hand releases grip, glances a heelpalm strike off the R elbow and shoots forward to R hand stab (palm down) to eyes, grab shoulder
         -L forward bow
         -L hand horizontal check under R arm
3) L front crossover to 4:30, L sweep kick to back of R leg
         -pulling with R hand (L can help too)
         -L front twist stance
4) release hand grab
         -pivot clockwise R backnuckle through R ribs
         -R stiff leg sweep to R leg
         -wide L front twist stance
         -R downward roundhouse kick to face

As Joe Stronsick pointed out, the technique works only as an immediate response to the grab. If you wait until the attacker pulls your arm into him, yanking you forward, Glancing Spear will be fighting his attack rather than using it. In that case, being yanked in, Stronsick’s response was to step in with a sharp inward horizontal elbow. That could be developed into Protecting Fans. Every block or yank or unexpected attack or change of plans can present an opportunity in Kenpo. These techniques help us rehearse opportunities, not answers. • As with Crossing Talon, yank pull him in close to you with the pin. Pull him right back to your chest, at about solar plexus height, and as you step back you will turn clockwise, your right hand coming up from underneath, around between you and him, to on top of his wrist, allowing you to grab and pull him, palm down. You have the opportunity for a secondary attack to either his elbow, if you flap up your left elbow as you pull down on his wrist, or to his fingers. The left hand, can grab hold of the fingers and break them forward as your right hand pulls his wrist back. Either technique will help to raise the attacker up on his toes, which makes the sweep kick easier. • Pull him in to the elbow and spear, stretch him out with the crossover, and take him down. Don’t let the momentum die. • The initial pull gets you out of the way of a left handed attack, and forces his right leg forward for the sweep kick. The kick, especially if you wear hard-soled shoes, would be very effective to the Achilles’ tendon. • Depending on your speed and the weight of your opponent, that final sweep will more or less resemble a hooking trip kick. If he’s light enough and you’re fast enough, your right foot can just pull his foot out from under, particularly if it’s still smarting from the sweep kick, and bounce back with the kick. You don’t pivot your left foot, and that’s what keeps it a twist stance. If your attacker has too much mass, or your left knee has too little meniscus left, you may want to make that a straight sweep back to a left forward bow, pivoting your left heel outward with the sweep. In any case, you drop your weight into sweep to add the power of marriage of gravity. • Check high with your left after you release, with your turn.

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2 (2) THRUST INTO DARKNESS
(right punch from left flank)

Hop away with a left back kick and turn into him with a right front kick, then kick his knees outward to open him up to a double punch to the head and body; then go away to come right back in with a right back kick.

1) natural stance, R foot step to 1:30 to L reverse cat stance
         -L back kick to stomach
         -pivot counterclockwise, L foot land to 4:30 L neutral bow
         -R snapping front kick to chin
2) land forward to 7 o’clock R neutral bow
         -L front crossover (sweep kick) to his R knee
         -R thrusting side kick to inside L knee, land forward to R forward bow
         -R backnuckle to R temple, L straight vertical punch to R ribs
3) R front crossover L step out to 2 o’clock        
4) L rear crossover to 7 o’clock
         -R back kick to head
           

One possible way to discern your attacker’s approach is to be looking down at your feet, which would allow you to see an approaching shadow. If you’re outside a sunny day not around noon and the sun is behind you.  It could help. It gets progressively more difficult to sense the attack as your attacker comes closer to attacking you from 6 o’clock. In class, practice it as a flank attack to be safe. • Your first defense is that hop away. That’s what keeps you safe. I add a left inward parry, just in case. That could be a bad idea, since it might be a knife attack, and you could get your hand cut. But I figure you wouldn’t get your neck cut. • In some cases you may simply shoot out a left back kick, impaling the attacker on your heel. Ed Parker wrote it as a simple step forward to the reverse cat. He also wrote landing from the kick in a left rear twist stance, then pivoting counterclockwise into the neutral bow and front kick. This happens at such speed that the difference may primarily be of perception. Work out which seems right to you, so long as you kick him twice, quickly and well.• The left front crossover of (2) can be a sweeping side kick to the right knee, if you can manage it. This makes the move into a chicken side kick. If you manage the left sweeping side kick, make sure that it’s to the front or inside of his knee. Open his stance, make sure you don’t close him up. You then have an opportunity to make your left front crossover after the punches into a sweeping kick to the inside right ankle, if it’s available. • The punch of (2) is called a universal punch, and is usually left over right, backnuckle over reverse punch • You begin with stepping away to enable a left back kick and end with stepping away to do a right back kick. Fearful symmetry. • Joe Stronsick prefers to hop out the side and make his first kick a side kick to the knee, breaking his leg inward. Even if your first two kicks are straight to belly and head, if the attacker turns counterclockwise, after the kick to the face, you could even then follow up with the skipping side kicks to the backs of the knees, taking him down like an inverted Buckling Branch. • The right backnuckle to the head also becomes an outward blocking check if the attacker comes back at you with a right backnuckle of his own, as he goes down.

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3 (3) CIRCLING FANS
(step-through straight left, straight right punch)

Double parry his punches as you step back to right front kick his belly, folding him into your right uppercut, then after you front crossover into him to fold him up again with a double punch you stretch him out with a right knee kick, and lift him up with a right forearm; then cross out to return with a right back kick.

1) natural stance, R/L inward circular parry
         -L foot step back, R foot drag back to R 45º cat stance
         -L hand checking crossed arms, R fist cocked at hip
         -R snapping front kick to groin
         -land forward to 1 o’clock R neutral bow
         -R uppercut to chin
2) L front crossover to L front twist stance
         -R inward (downward) block to crossed arms
         -L vertical punch to heart
3) R knee kick to inside of R thigh
         -L hand checking against crossed arms
         -land forward to 11 o’clock to R neutral bow
         -R upward horizontal forearm to chin
4) R front crossover L step out to 7 o’clock
5) R rear crossover
         -L back kick to any available target, most likely the solar plexus

The double inward circular parry begins with a right inward parry, pushing somewhat diagonally downward, so that as the left inward parry crosses in and down, you’ve pinned his arms against his body. The left hand stays in position, checking and pinning the attacker’s arms, as the right hand continues the circle up to an uppercut. The uppercut could also be a backnuckle, catching him on the bridge of the nose as he folds from the front kick. The uppercut makes more use of the right front kick by catching him on the way down, using his reaction against him.  But really, if you get the this point, don’t stop to think, just hit him. • The attacker presumably steps through with each punch, which helps us by setting up his right thigh for the knee kick. But even if he doesn’t help out, and the second punch is a reverse punch, you can use your right forearm check with the front crossover of (2) to open him up. • The left check is replaced by the right forearm as you step forward into the twist stance. You are pinning his arms continually until you cross out for the back kick. • The right knee kick destroys his base by hyper widening his stance. So with that strike, outside of the damage of the knee itself, you stand a good chance of giving him a very bad groin pull. Which is good to remember when working out, and if you’re dummying for this, to have all your weight on your left foot and control that right step. Lowering his height with the kick will bring him right into the forearm lift. • Many of your techniques at this level will make use of returning for another kick. It’s a handy habit.

4 • ROTATING DESTRUCTION
(right front kick, left spinning back kick)

Right outward block his front kick as you lean back, then right downward block his spinning back kick as you retreat with a right rear crossover, setting yourself up to unwind with a left roundhouse and right spinning hook kick, then cross out to return with a right side kick.

1) R neutral bow, L hand middle check, R hand low, then as he tries to front kick you, circle R hand up clockwise under his kick, turning your hand from palm in to palm out as you go, so that you end up in a R extended outward block
         -R reverse bow
2) R downward block to back kick, R arm circling counterclockwise from extended outward block, turning him again to open him to your kick as you
         -R rear crossover to L front twist
3) unwind through a L neutral bow to L roundhouse kickto solar plexus
         -L foot land back as you R spinning hook kick to solar plexus
         -R foot circle in front to  land back to 6 o’clock R rear twist stance
         -L foot step out to 6 o’clock to R neutral bow facing 12 o’clock
-L rear crossover forward step out with R side kick to best target available

Your first most difficult task is to immediately realize whether you need this technique or Circle of Doom. If he commits to the attack and lands forward into you with the first kick he’s ideally set up for the upward snapping heel kick of Circle of Doom. If he plants back feet together to come in for the second kick you need to make use of Rotating Destruction. It is possible to sometimes read this correctly but the immediate importance is in safely practicing the techniques in the studio. When you do Rotating Destruction make sure to land back feet together before your second kick. •  You and your attacker rotate into each other, meshing like gears. Your two blocks turn him counterclockwise as you turn clockwise, and you continue your rotation with your first two kicks. And those kicks still urge him in a counterclockwise circle. If you catch his kick you will turn him around, his back to you, which either sets him up for his spinning back kick, or allows you to continue with a left scooping heel kick. Or maybe he intended to come in with the two kicks, and snapped that front kick back before you could turn him. In which case you’re either safely out of range, or you’re ready for a spinning hook kick, or he’s offering you an opportunity we haven’t considered here. • One difference from the Green belt Circle of Doom is that the earlier technique is a defense against only one kick -either you caught his kick before he could proceed into this, or timed it as he finished his attack. Another difference is that Circle of Doom drives counterclockwise, and here pretty much all of it is a clockwise force. • Shuffle back from the front kick if you need to, if for instance he commits with a thrusting kick instead of a snapping kick. Then you’d be in a right neutral bow before the crossover. • The final left step through to 6, left rear crossover back in for the kick, is a gauging step, just to set you up for the kick. You may want to make it deeper or shallower or to a slightly different angle, or omit it altogether, depending on your choice of target. A hopping side kick to the side of the knee would be very effective.

5 (4) FALCONS OF FORCE
(man to your left grabbing left shoulder with right hand,
man to your right grabbing right shoulder with left hand)

Step in front of the attacker to your right as you chop to his throat, then left rear crossover unwind counterclockwise, clearing your attackers with a left chop and right inward block, then kick each of them with your right, first the guy now in front, then the guy now to your right and exit with a basic right front crossover step out, extending your step-through to a right leg sweep.

1) natural stance, grabbed by one man to your left, and one to your right, L hand pin attacker’s hand to your R shoulder, R foot step to 2 o’clock R neutral bow as you
         -R outward horizontal handsword to throat
2) R hand across your chest to pin attacker’s hand to L shoulder, L rear crossover to 1:30, pulling attacker off balance as you
         -L outward handsword to throat
3) unwind counterclockwise to R neutral bow facing 6 o’clock facing R attacker
         -R inward block clearing off both attackers
         -R snapping front kick to groin
         -R foot land R forward to 7:30, L drag up R back kick to solar plexus
4) R foot land to 1:30in a R front crossover, L step out, continue R step through into clockwise R straight-leg sweep to L neutral bow facing (or over, if you just swept him) your nearest opponent

We practice this technique realizing it might end with the left step out after landing from the final back kick (I find the side kick simpler here) to the left opponent. If the attacker then follows through with another step through right punch, go into the sweep, otherwise, you’re done. • Mr. Parker took the technique out to the right step through, to a left neutral bow, and paused there to see if the right attacker came through with another punch. In any case, wherever the pause, the response to the punch is a 360º (or 540º) right leg sweep, ending in a right neutral bow (modified) or left neutral bow (Parker). • The right attacker, if he comes up with all available attacks, throws a straight right (into the inward block) following the right chop to his throat, and then rebounds from the kick to the groin with a step through left and step through right, that last going into the Kenpo student’s right-leg sweep. • You immediately make use of a basic strategy of fighting multiple opponents, which is to fight them one at a time. Attack first one, and take him out. Here you concentrate on the guy to your initial right, attacking him with the right chop, possibly an extension of your left chop through the other attacker, your right inward block, which can easily become a raking mace if any target avails itself, and the first right kick. On your way back, you now use this guy as a shield. Don’t go in between the attackers - this simply offers them equal access to you. Go in front of, or even somewhat to the right of your right attacker, so you line them up, and get them in each other’s way. The sweep, if you use it, will most likely be under your right attacker, if he’s followed you. • Making your first step to a forward bow instead of a neutral bow will increase your pull on the left attacker, and line up well with the right outward chop. It’ll slightly retard your rear crossover, however. Ed Parker wrote it as a horse stance. He also didn’t use pinning the grabs, instead substituting first a left check, and second, a “right inward horizontal slicing eye rake (palm down).” You might not find his eyes in range. •  Larry Tatum first steps right with the right outward handsword, then, pinning the left attacker’s grab to the left shoulder, his right foot steps left to 10:30 to ensure that the left outward sword hits the left guy’s throat. He relies on the right kick to disable that left opponent, and makes his fighting retreat towards 10 o’clock. • There’s no reason not to add a right and left inward parry to your retreat, just in case. • If you are dummying as the right attacker, add a straight left punch after he kicks your partner, then a step through right, step through left as he crosses away. This allows the student to practice all the built-in blocks, and keeps you fairly safe. The left attacker gets to mull over to side kick. Both dummy attackers should have the non-grabbing hand at your throat for protection. • The kick to the initially left attacker could be a thrusting heel kick, and could use a left rear crossover to get there, depending on what the attacker offers you. The kick needs to take him out of the equation and keep him from joining the pursuit; a side kick breaking his right knee would work.

6 • THE BEAR AND THE RAM
(front straight right step-through punch, rear bear hug - arms free)

Stop the guy in front with a front kick as you break his punching arm with a pair of strong inward parries, then proceed with Crashing Wings on the guy behind until he’s down. Then give a right back kick to the punching attacker, right front kick to the hugger, cross out to come back with left kick to the hugger, right side kick to the puncher.

1) natural stance, as front attacker steps through with straight R punch, R inward block to wrist, L inward heelpalm to elbow
         -R thrusting front kick to groin
2) R foot land R to 3 o’clock horse stance
         -both elbows stab downwards inward to forearms
         -L foot cat around right knee to R reverse bow
         -L upward diagonal outward rear elbow strike to chin
         -pivot counterclockwise to L neutral bow
         -L hand shoving him away toward 8 o’clock as he falls over your L leg
         -R downward hammerfist to groin
         -L forward bow
3) L rear crossover to 12 o’clock to L rear twist stance
         -R back kick to heart or solar plexus
         -without landing R foot, face to 6 o’clock R snapping front kick to face (probably still a low kick) land to 3 o’clock in R front crossover R front twist stance
4) L step out to 2 o’clock R neutral bow
         -L front snap kick to any available target, land to 11 o’clock
         -R slicing side kick to knee or other opportunity
         -land back to R front crossover, cover out away, bisecting attackers
 
The left hand claw shoving the attacker away in the Crashing Wings section is very helpful in arranging your attackers. You don’t want to pull the rear attacker around behind you, as often happens with Crashing Wings. That would mean you are turning your back to the punching guy. Shoving him off towards  8 o’clock is a better, safer division. • You can add a backward head strike, as in Scraping Hoof, to the elbow break and kick of (1). • While the left heelpalm to the elbow is a strong and helpful move, the right inward block is critical; it keeps you from getting hit. If for some reason you can’t get your left into the action, your inward block should still protect you. This response is essentially Snapping Twig on the left side. But for this move, this entire technique can be done effectively without use of any hands. • The left hand of Crashing Winds, as the elbow tucks to the hip, can be pulling down on his hair, collar, nose, eyes, anything to pull him over you left knee. • Make the left rear crossover of (3) into a hooking move to break any possible grab by the now prone rear attacker. Many moves that you learn and practice include shadings like this, where a simple move is slightly altered to cover a possibility of attack, a “what-if” that might or might not happen. What you practice with moves like snapping your left foot back into the rear crossover are ways to keep you safe and still get you where need to be, and on time. That snapping hooking rear crossover could also be a heel kick to the proverbial any available target. • You’ve probably already covered this notion with your teacher, but the left rear twist stance of (3) illustrates how the stance is named for both the leg in front (left) and the orientation to the attacker (rear). The other stances all include the orientation in the title. They all face the opponent, and the right or left tells you which leg is closer. There’s no such thing as a rear forward bow or a rear reverse bow. That would simply indicate that you are about to be hit in the back of the head. • Some folks make both final kicks slicing side kicks, and it has a pleasant rhythm. I’ve done it and enjoyed it. However you don’t need to pivot your front (right) foot for a front kick, you’re already in line, and you can get your weight behind it more effectively. Then landing from the kick into a twist stance naturally positions your foot for the second kick. So all in all, front kick/side kick is faster.

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7 • RAINING LANCE
(right step-through overhead knife attack)

Stepping left outside the attack, use both hands to parry right and track the knife down into his leg, then, always keeping one hand on the knife, hit him with your right elbow, pull his throat into an eye stab, chop to his throat and step through, pulling him down on your right knee as you pull out the knife from his leg and cut his throat.

1) L neutral bow, L foot offstep to 10:30 to L neutral bow
         -R outward parry against wrist of knife hand (as in Circles of Protection)
         -L inward parry (palm in), above R hand
         -pivot clockwise to horse stance as knife passes in front of you
         -pivot counterclockwise to L forward bow, as your left hand redirects the force of the attack stabbing his R thigh with his own knife. R hand checking low, shoving knife into him, keep L hand checking down against knife as you
-shuffle in, R inward horizontal elbow to chest L neutral bow
2) switch hands- R hand checks down against knife
         -L hand flips up to grab the throat, palm up, and pull forward
3) switch hands- L hand checks down against knife
         -R hand stabs (palm down, thumb and forefinger stabbing) to eyes
4) switch hands- R hand checks down against knife
         -L outward handsword to throat then L hand crane hooks and pulls down at throat as you
         -R foot step through to 10 o’clock to R neutral bow, pulling attacker down with L hand onto your R knee, breaking his back
5) R hand pulls knife out of thigh, cutting his throat, pulling in, toward you
         -L heelpalm to face, rolling attacker away off your knee

Practice the technique using only the right arm block (parry) to keep you safe. • Both hands parry the knife, continuing the attack as a circle, into the attacker’s leg. The right hand, palm in, is nearly straight throughout, and acts as a guide to the left. As a last resort, it is a shield, protecting your more vital areas from the blade. The speed of this parry, continuing the attack back into the attacker, is essential. Do not allow him time to turn the knife. Some folks will turn the right palm out as you circle down, to better assist the parry, and grabbing the attacker’s right wrist (between the left hand and the knife handle) as it stabs downward. In any case, rely first on your right to protect you, and be a living shield. • In Long 6, you see the end of this move as the left hand, palm down, pushes down along the extended right arm, pushing in the knife, whilst in the forward bow. • The horizontal elbow also serves to open him up, to square off the attacker for the remaining technique. Make immediate use of the inward elbow, catching the attacker on the way down as he folds up from stabbing himself with the knife. Usually in class we will slow down for safety, allowing a pause before the elbow, which allows the attacker to be so folded over as to make the inward elbow tough to fit. This wont happen at speed. If you are working at full speed make sure both students are aware of that, so’s you don’t end up with severe jaw damage. • The right handed eye stab is palm down, thumb into right eye, first two fingers into right eye. It’s the inverse of the grab just used to pull the throat forward. • You continually switch your hands, one to check the knife, the other to attack. This is a significant difference from the original Parker technique that worked in a left handed testicle grab while the right is stabbing to the eyes. • If you don’t get the knife, a simple hammerfist to the bridge of the nose or chin will do. • The left heelpalm can be to cheek or chin or any target, but beware of the oncoming knife. In class, pushing off the shoulder works well enough. As you’ve probably already been told, be very careful when cutting towards yourself with a knife

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8 • DESPERATE FALCONS
(two-handed wrists grab, his left hand to your right, his right hand to your left)

Pull his grab into a double punch as you left step forward, then right step into him as you right elbow through his head, pivoting away to right hammerfist his groin, then go across your body to sweep his left leg with your right , rebounding to knee kick his right thigh as you cross out.

1) natural stance, with attacker grabbing wrists, pull him down in a clockwise circle hands toward your right hip, your left over your right, crossing the attacker’s arms
         -L step forward to 11 o’clock to L neutral bow
         -L backnuckle to face, R vertical punch to solar plexus
2) L hand checks to outside of R shoulder, checking his depth and width
         -R foot step through to 12 o’clock to R neutral bow
         -R hand circles up counterclockwise through R uppercut to chin, R inward elbow to face
         -pivot counterclockwise to R reverse bow
         -R hand continues counterclockwise circle down to R diagonal downward hammerfist to R kidney
3) L rear crossover to 2 o’clock R step out to R reverse bow, buckling L leg
         -R rear hammerfist to the groin
4) R knee kick to inside R thigh, land forward to 8 o’clock, crossout

Use the initial pull to pin his hands, as well as crossing his arm. You can use the same pin as in Glancing Spear, pinning his right between the backs of your hands, or even extend that, turning your right hand inward to actually grab his right with your right and pull him forward into you. • Your first two punches leave his arms in between your fists - you backnuckle over his crossed arms to his face, and vertical punch under to the ribs or solar plexus. • Instead of following the line of the uppercut moving into an elbow and resolving into the hammerfist, Ed Parker flipped the right vertical punch to the sternum over into a backnuckle to the face, then brought in the right elbow as an inward horizontal strike before continuing on to the same hammerfist strike we use. • You may have need and opportunity to use your right knee as a kick to groin or thigh as part of the right step through of (2). • Desperate Falcons gives me the feeling that you basically walk right through the guy.

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9 (5) LEAP OF DEATH
(step through straight right punch)

Step back with your right foot as your right hand grabs his punch and your left hand breaks his elbow with an upward heelpalm, then circles around through his ribs to break the elbow again with a right inward block, taking him to the ground so that you can leap onto his back (sliding off to a straddling horse stance;, double heelpalm down on his head then grab it on the first bounce to yank his spine up against your knees;  break his neck with a clockwise twist after which your break his nose with a right chop, give him another left heelpalm back into the pavement, hop around and right roundhouse kick him to the face.

1) natural stance, R foot step back to 6 o’clock to L neutral bow
         -R outward parry, turning outward to grab the punching R wrist
         -L upward heelpalm strike to elbow
2) L outward backnuckle through R ribs
         -R hand pulling R wrist toward 6 o’clock
         -L reverse bow
         -R forward bow facing 6 o’clock
         -L arm continues clockwise circle to R inward downward block
to elbow, R hand to R hip, forcing attacker prone face down to 6 o’clock
3) leap up to land with double heel stomp to kidneys, slide off to straddle attacker in horse stance facing 6 o’clock
         -double heelpalm to back of head, to mastoid process, bouncing attacker’s head off the ground, hands going through forward to grab chin on first bounce
         -knees point inward, touching each other in concave horse stance
         - both hands pull up on chin, bracing his spine against your knees, arching his back further than it should go
4) continue chin pull around with R hand
         -heel palm with left hand to R shoulder, breaking neck
         -R hand pulls through chin, snaps back to R inward handsword to bridge of nose, breaking it
         -L heelpalm to back of head, bouncing it off the ground
         -R close kneel, L knee to spine
5) hop and spin counterclockwise in the air, L foot landing to 7 o’clock, just above his R shoulder
         -R inward downward roundhouse kickto head, you are in a R reverse cat stance facing 6:00

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You can also parse down your first move as a right outward extended chop to right hooking crane, and the left can be seen as a more inward horizontal strike. In any case, outside of the damage of the heelpalm, this combined move should serve to pull the attacker forward off balance and up on his toes, all of which will make the takedown easier. He probably won’t have time to make it up on his toes, but that’s the direction he’s headed. • As a dummy, when you land keep your elbows in, and your face covered. It’s not necessary to whip your head back to indicate the arched back into the knees, which is how Mitch gave Jennifer Chang 12 stitches across her forehead with the back of his head. Which also serves to indicate how an attack is always possible. • The left reverse bow of (2) becomes the R forward bow. Your stance remains the same, although the dynamics within it change, and the changing position of the attacker falling forward make a right forward bow out of a left reverse bow. I can’t think of another time this happens, or so clearly defines what these stances are.  • The left inward block can just as well be another heelpalm, so long as you’re pushing him down. When practicing this, just make sure you allow your dummy enough slack so as not to push the elbow too far, while pulling on the right wrist, and let go of the right wrist in time for him to catch his fall. As the dummy, don’t force the student to break your arm to get you to move. • The timing of the head strikes, neck breaks and heel palms depend a lot on the timing of his head bouncing off the pavement. Practicing in the studio, you’ll just have to imagine this response. • If your moves are successful, you will do the latter half of them on a dead guy. Use the downward heelpalms, particularly the second, as springboards to help you gain altitude for the spinning leap.

10 (6) PROTECTING FANS
(step-through left hook, right reverse punch)

Your arms fan clockwise with left/right parries to his punches as you  left step forward, turning your right parry into a wrist grab yanking his right arm down to your hip as your left hand stabs to his eyes and your right foot kicks to his groin, landing forward between his legs with a right inward elbow to square him off, then step back with right scoop kick through the groin as your right hand slices his eyes and your left chops his throat.

1) natural stance, as attacker steps through with a left punch, L foot step to 10:30 to L neutral bow
         -L inward parry to inside of L arm
2) as R hand circles upward contouring your torso, R elbow anchored to R hip, pivot to L forward bow
         -R extended outward handsword block to outside R reverse punch
         -L hand check high
3) R hand grabs R wrist, yank down to your R hip
         -R front kick to groin
         -L horizontal eye stab
4) R leg land forward to 11 o’clock R knee checking inside R thigh, R neutral bow
         -R inward horizontal elbow to heart
         -L hand checking R arm against attacker’s body
5) R outward eye slice, R inward eye gouge
         -R foot step back to 5 o’clock, R front scoop kick, to L neutral bow
         -L outward handsword (palm down) to throat

The attacker’s left leg is assumed to be forward, although Protecting Fans would work just as well to a right/left punch, and just as well with the attackers right leg forward. You have already done this with the right leg forward, without the kick, in Gathering Clouds. Parry the punches, checking his depth with the kick and eye stab, then go inside with the elbow. You should be fairly safe with any straight punch attack. • Your right extended outward block begins with a chop to the wrist that flows into the grab. But a hammerfist will do fine. It’s not necessary to end up grabbing the attacker’s wrist. Make sure that you can continue with simple parries, going right into the kick and stab. • An excellent and aggravating exercise can be had by simply varying the second punch between a right straight punch and hook, and varying your response between the inward left parry of Protecting Fans, and the outward block of Fatal Deviation. It’s tough to train yourself to recognize and respond without thinking to different attacks, but it’s useful, unless the attacker has promised you to use only hook punches. • (4) and (5) pretty much reprise Gathering Clouds except that his punching right arm isn’t in the way, so that your right outward eye slice immediately follows the inward elbow. • The eye slice moves outward to the right, palm down, hand flat; then it flips clockwise to return inward, palm down, fingers hooked. You might consider the outward slice attacking the right eye and the inward gouge popping out the left. • The final chop could be an inward (fingers pointing right) heelpalm to the sternum. Practice it that way so you can actually hit your target hard without necessarily permanently damaging your attacker.

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11 (7) DECEPTIVE PANTHER
(low/high right roundhouse kicks)

Universal block his kicks as you offstep up the circle to kick out his supporting leg with a right side kick, landing into him circling down with right/left hammerfists, then circling back up with a right backnuckle as you pivot out to a right heel kick.

1) R neutral bow, L foot offstep to 4 o’clock to R neutral bow
         -universal block (R inward, L downward) to kicks
         -L foot drag up R side kick to L knee
2) land forward to 10 o’clock in R neutral bow R knee check to body
         -pivot clockwise to rotating front right twist stance
         -R downward backnuckle to mastoid
         -L downward hammerfist to L kidney
3) pivot counterclockwise to R close kneel
         -R upward backnuckle to face
         -L hand checking to shoulder
         -continue counterclockwise pivot to R rear cat stance
         -R rear scoop kick step out to 4 o’clock
           
You could as well start this from an natural stance, and step back to a right neutral bow facing 10 o’clock. And you could as well do this technique against a right front kick/ right roundhouse combination. • The beginning block and offstep are identical to Swinging Pendulum. Here we use a drag-up, since it’s a kicking technique, as opposed to a shuffle for the hand hammerfist of Swinging Pendulum. A drag up will usually be used with a kick, and shuffles with punches. A drag up doesn’t really change your range at all, it enables the kick or step that will alter your range. The range change is immediate with a shuffle, and while the drag-step is a two part process, and will always take longer than a shuffle. • The universal block is a downward block and an upward block together, and the downward block is usually along the line of the forward foot, as in Long Two. Here, however, the downward blocking arm and rear foot are both left. It seems to me that the fist of the downward blocking arm is always pointing in towards the body of the attacker, which is what provides your shield from shoulder to groin. The upper, inward block, is your insurance. In this case, since you don’t know the attacker is going to kick twice until it’s too late, you might simply drop your left as you offstep, keeping your right just where it was, which turns out to be a good idea. • The drag-up is quick, like a hop. • You are kicking out his supporting leg, and will do the most damage when all his weight is still on it, while his right is still in the air. • The scoop kick also serves to break his grip if he’s making a final grab whilst collapsing.

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12 • COURTING THE TIGER
(left and right flank arm grab, pulling him forward)

Step back with your right foot to pull down both attackers, elbowing the guy to your left then rebound your right foot through a slicing side kick to the knee of the guy on the right, stomp your right foot down on the left guy’s right foot, making him lift it enough to take him down with a front kick. Land back from the kick to backnuckle the guy behind you then go back at the left guy with a left/right chicken kick and right backnuckle, before lifting up the guy now behind you with a straight-leg right kick.

1) natural stance, then as the attackers step forward with L attacker’s R hand on L shoulder and R attacker’s L hand on R shoulder, L foot step back to 7:30 to R rear twist stance facing 12 o’clock as your
         -R hand crane pulling down R attacker at elbow, L horizontal elbow to ribs
2) R slicing side kick to 3 o’clock to L knee circles around front to
         -R foot stomp on attacker’s R foot in R front twist stance        
         -L knee kick to back of R thigh, raising it up to allow
         -L front kick to inside of L knee, taking him down, turning him
3) L foot land back toward 4 o’clock to L rear twist stance as you
         -R backnuckle to face
4) pivot left to R cat stance facing 3 o’clock and L/R chicken kick
         -R foot land forward to 2 o’clock to R neutral bow
         -R upward stiff arm backnuckle to face
5) shuffle as necessary to R upward stiff-leg kick to face
         -R foot land forward to R front twist stance, cross out to 6 o’clock

This technique works exceptionally well if your attackers are pulling you forward. If you are dummying for this attack, in the interests of your own safety, step forward with the foot closest to the middle. As with all techniques working with kicks to the knees, do not force the student to kick full strength at the knees to force you to go down, and be careful if you are doing the knee kicks. • It’s possible to stomp the left attacker’s right foot on that first step to a rear twist, particularly if he has stepped forward with his left. • And although some are adamant in an contradictory view, Courting the Tiger works just fine if you are still all in a row, just grabbed, before they’ve started to drag you off. • Pull the right attacker down and off balance with your right hand. If you have a strong grip, use it, if you’re more comfortable with the crane shape, rely on that. • You might notice that you step first to a right rear twist stance, although the left leg’s in front, then circle the right leg around to a right front twist stance. Your stance is named by the lead foot oriented to attacker (or the person you’re attacking, or simply in Kenpo short hand, the bad guy). The guy on the left is initially fractionally behind you, particularly if you can get him with the first stomp. Therefore we call it a rear twist. Landing from the circling side kick, we hope to continue attacking the guy to the left, and now the right foot’s in front, so it’s going to be a right front twist stance. But both times you’re facing 12 o’clock. The first time your left foot’s toward 12, the second time it’s your right toward 12. • Hopefully your right foot stomp makes him raise up his right foot. In any case your left knee kick must get that right leg out of the way. • The backnuckle target of (3) can be the face or groin or whatever presents itself depending on if he’s standing, kneeling , prone, whatever. It wouldn’t hurt to practice it at different ranges. And it might hurt. • If the left step back to the left rear twist of (3) has an opportunity at a target, make it a stomp. Of course. • Your final upward backnuckle strike is to the face or temple or whatever’s available, and your final kick is probably up to his jaw. •  Your final stance is a right front twist since having finished off your right opponent, you’re landing back toward the left guy, but as it turns out, you’re free to leave, bisecting the attackers lines of attack.

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13 • GATHERING OF THE SNAKES
(a step-through left punch from the first attacker as the second circles up around behind him)

Work Circling Destruction against the first punch as the second attacker comes up behind the first guy, each of you circling to the right. But instead of scoop-kicking away, side kick that first guy’s left knee, shoving him into the second guy. Then go after that second guy with a left roundhouse kick and a left backnuckle followed by a right backnuckle as you right front crossover and unwind into a left spinning back kick that rebounds to front kick the first guy one more time before you land and cross out. 

1) R neutral bow, as first attacker steps through with straight left punch, second attacker stepping forward behind him (for consistent safety, the attacker should keep his L hand on his buddy’s shoulder)
         -R foot offstep to 1:30 R inward block, L outward block to outside attacker’s L arm, R outward backnuckle to ribs
         -L foot offstep to 3 o’clock, L heelpalm to chin, R forward bow
         -R inward handsword to neck, grab shoulders
2) R side kickto L knee
         -land forward to 6 o’clock to R neutral bow
         -shoving first attacker down into second attacker
3) pivot R foot to R front twist stance
4) L roundhouse kick to head, L hand cocked to R hip
         -L foot land forward to 5 o’clock to L neutral bow, L horizontal backnuckle to head, L hand check(or grab) to his L shoulder
5) R front crossover to 6 o’clock to R front twist stance, R backnuckle to the head
6) unwind counterclockwise, R upward stiff-arm backnuckle to head
         -L spinning back kick to solar plexus
         -without landing, L front kick to solar plexus
         -L foot land to 3 o’clock toL front twist stance, crossout to 3 o’clock

The second attacker should make use of the left hand on the shoulder to stay in the proper relationship. Of course, as you feel secure with the technique and your own safety, try as many variations as you have heart for. • Begin with Circling Destruction, timing the backnuckle to coincide with the right foot landing from the offstep. • Your left offstep goes farther up the circle than with Circling Destruction, and depending on the second attacker you may need to offstep even farther up the circle. The idea being to get far enough behind the first guy so that you can throw him down in front of the snake gathering up counterclockwise behind him. • What o’clock you land to after the side kick taking out the first attacker’s knee depends on where the second attacker is. In any case you simply need to toss them together. If the first guy hits the second guy’s legs hard enough, you could bring the second attacker down into easy range for a roundhouse kick to the face. If you didn’t manage to buckle his legs, of course you choose another target. If you are dummying for the attack, and if you decide to remain upright and avoid the falling compatriot, still stay close enough in for the oncoming series of kicks. • The left roundhouse of (4) introduces a flurry of lefts - roundhouse kick, backnuckle, spinning back and front kicks. With the right backnuckles, the whole thing forms a circular pattern. • Some folks, depending on the range of your attackers,  combine the handstrikes of (4) and (5). In any case it will be pretty near simultaneous. It’s the same sort of preference as in Delayed Sword, just stepping back with a block and kick, landing forward with the chop, or as in Detour from Doom, dragging up to a cat stance with a left downward block and right punch to the face instead of using the step to a universal block. For me, it’s simpler and faster and stronger, and easier to feel and remember.. The timing is mighty close in any case, the backnuckles in this case separated at most by the time between landing with you left foot from the kick (with the left backnuckle) and landing with the right in the front crossover (with the backward right backnuckle). • The final front kick might be to the jaw or groin, depending on what’s available. And how far you stretch.

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14 • GLANCING LANCE
(step-through right knife thrust)

Shuffle back out of range as you parry out then step right back through into him with a kick and eye stab. Hop behind him as your hands chop through his stabbing arm, knocking it away. You land in a crane stance behind him, your right leg cocked to kick out his right knee as your right hand claws back through his eye and your left hand pushes forward on his shoulder. Land into him as your right elbow to the neck, the circle in a left roundhouse punch to the head followed by a right inward elbow for a final right elbow sandwich.

1) L neutral bow, shuffle back towards 6 o’clock to L neutral bow
         -R outward handsword (palm down) to R wrist
         -L inward heelpalm to R elbow (or arm)
2) step through R with a R snapping front kick to groin
         -land forward to 1 o’clock to R neutral bow buckling R leg as you
         -R two-finger eye stab
         -L hand checks to shoulder,
3) L foot hop to 10 o’clock to L crane stance, R leg cocked by L knee as
         -R hand circles counterclockwise through R outward handsword (palm down) to R elbow to
-R heelpalm to jaw, cup chin as
         -L hand returns to check at R shoulder
4) - R snapping side kick to R knee, turning him inward, as you snap your R elbow straight down, pulling back R claw through face, as you L check forward on his shoulder, twisting him impossibly
5) R foot land forward R neutral bow checking against attacker’s hip with
         -R outward horizontal elbow to back of neck, then
-L inward hooking middle knuckle fist to L mastoid, then open fist to check against head as support for
         -R inward elbow to R mastoid (head sandwich)

Nothing in this or any other knife technique is more important that not getting stabbed. The initial shuffle back is your basic security so practice it with the assumption that your parry will fail and if you end up in range, you will get stabbed. • Instead of an outward handsword, make the first move with the right hand an inward crane, pulling the arm against the left heelpalm, forcing him to drop the knife as you break his arm. This requires a bit more skill than the outward parry, so be sure you’re not pulling the knife into your side. • Rebound from the shuffle back with the front kick. It’s a wind up. • The hand circles intersect and are punctuated by the kicks. The hands never stop moving. • The second handsword/heelpalm strike to the right arm might hit the same targets as the first time, or the second time you may be better moving up the arm to a left check to the shoulder and right handsword to elbow. So long as you are continually checking the knife away. • The hop to 10 o’clock gets you behind the attacker. • The right inward claw, with the elbow pinned down to your waist, pulls the attacker down and in to the right outward elbow that bounces him into the middle knuckle punch that knocks him into the inward elbow. This move, with the left hand check and right knee check, is one of the most complex in Kenpo colored belt techniques. • The right forearm braced across the collarbone becomes the fulcrum to the right hand cupping the chin. You are essentially doing a right downward elbow toward his right kidney, if you can reach it as he falls. As you drop your elbow, and your weight, behind the guy, he will continue on the backward fall you initiated with the left check. Sometimes this will seem to work completely against the knees, as the body tries to bend on the left knee from the torque of this pull, and on the right knee from the kick. Be very careful in practicing at speed, and if you have already damaged knees, tell the other student, and don’t do it. • You can also do the right hand in (3) circling in to a stab to the eyes, raking back through, rather than as a heelpalm and neck break. • The right outward elbow and left inward middle knuckle are nearly simultaneous.

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15 • DOMINATING CIRCLES
(Step through right cross-push to right shoulder)

Left parry his right arm under your right arm as you cat your right foot around behind his right leg and sweep him backward, shooting a right heelpalm to the jaw, then switch your hands with a left heelpalm to the jaw as your right grabs hold of his right wrist so that you can right/left step around in front of him while holding his wrist, twisting him into a half nelson over his head, and yank him forward into a right knee kick.

1) natural stance, L foot step to 10 o’clock
         -L parry to R push, above elbow
         -R leg cat around behind attacker’s R leg
         -R arm circles clockwise, downward elbow strike to forearm, pin elbow to your waist, trapping attacker’s R arm against your R side
2) R heelpalm to R jaw
         -L hand check to shoulder
         -R leg step back to 4:30, sweeping R leg to L forward bow
3) R leg rear crossover 10:30 R front twist stance
         -switch hands, L heelpalm to chin, (fingers out), R hand grab R wrist
         -wrap L arm around head, twisting attacker counterclockwise and belly down
4) L leg step out to 10:30 R neutral bow facing about 4:30
         -L hand checking to shoulders, R hand pulling wrist straight up over his back in a half nelson
5) shuffle back (attacker is now facing face down you as you face 4:30)
         -push L , yanking back with R to dislocate shoulder (attacker is falling on his face, toward you)
         -R close kneel on head

Your first step, with your left foot, is a gauging step, and may be unnecessary. For example if he doesn’t step through, if he’s already standing in front of you and suddenly shoves your right shoulder, you may just step around behind his right leg to a horse stance, and then sweep him, essentially moving to a reverse bow as your heel palm strikes to his left jaw, turning his head in the other direction. I find this difficult, and prefer to find a way to go with the flow of the attack and turn it against the attacker. Mr. Parker’s sequence runs the risk of having to resist that shove as you try to step around him. • It will make little difference to the headlock which direction his head is turned, if you can get it there. I find the forward bow/right jaw strike simply and therefore better and that’s why I wrote it in the bigger print in the previous section instead of here in Palatino 10 point. • After the first heelpalm, the right hand tracks down the arm, maintaining a constant check until the wrist grab. • The second heelpalm serves to further turn the head, and following body, counterclockwise. It will also work as a handsword chop to the throat that immediately transforms into the head grab. • As you finally cross out, your first step could be a left sweep kick to the face.

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16 (8) DESTRUCTIVE FANS
(left flank right step-through punch)

Offstep left into the punch with a right outward, left inward parry, the right hand circling on to chop to his ribs, then stretch out his base with a left front crossover and unwind to sweep him with your right, giving him a punch and a kick as he falls.

1) natural stance, L foot offstep to 8 o’clock to L neutral bow, L foot behind attacker’s R foot
         -R hand circles clockwise to parry outward (from palm in to palm up)
         -L hand circles clockwise to parry inward
         -R hammerfist (palm up) to floating ribs
2) R hand grab whatever at R ribs
         -L hand grab R arm
         -L front crossover sweep kick to R ankle to L front twist stance
3) unwind clockwise from twist stance
         -R backnuckle through ribs
         -R stiff-leg sweepto back of R leg, land to 2 o’clock, pulling his stance to a split
4) shuffle forward to 8 o’clock to L close kneel
         -R vertical punch to head
         -L check
         -R stomp kick to target of choice

Keep your parries above the elbow. • The hammerfist could also be an inward (palm up) handsword, to the same target. Parker wrote the strike as a hammerfist to the solar plexus. • The left sweep and the unwinding right sweep can bring the attacker’s stance to nearly a split. The stiff-leg sweep can go anywhere from 1 o’clock to 3, hooking and pulling the foot. In fact, Mike Ortiz uses a hooking right sweep to grab the attackers foot, both kicks working in hooking curves. • That first right parry begins similar to a vertical outward block, turning forward and out  almost as a punch to the face. It’s also similar to the opening left parry of  Shield and Sword. In any case, in either case,  you must step into the punch, slicing into it like a blade, like the Titanic should have done with that iceberg.

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17 (9) UNFURLING CRANE
(step-through left hook, right reverse hook punch)

Step back to a right neutral bow as your right hand circles through blocking the left and right punches to end up striking to the groin as you shuffle in, continuing with a raining claw that ends with a drag up as your right hammerfist strikes again to the groin, then circles up with a right elbow and claw rising with a right scoop kick and coming down with a right chop to the neck and a right side kick to the knee, your left hand checking and striking throughout, as best it can.

1) natural stance, L foot step back to 7 o’clock to R neutral bow
         -L hand checks high
         -R extended outward block to forearm of L hook
         -R inward block to forearm of R punch
         -R hand continues to circle counterclockwise downward to R hammerfist to groin, shuffle in towards 12 o’clock R neutral bow
2) L inward overhead claw through face
         -R hand roll clockwise to a R backnuckle to face
         -L hand check under R arm
3) L hand circle clockwise to L heelpalm to R jaw
         -R hand circle counterclockwise R hammerfist to groin
         -L foot drag up to R front cat
4) R front scoop kick to groin
         -R upward claw to R hand cocked by R ear
         -L hand check at chest
5) R side kick to inside of R knee
         -R inward handsword to neck
         -R foot land back to 7:30 R front twist stance, crossout to 6 o’clock

The attacker can step through with each punch. • Advanced students on the lookout for extra strikes may find one between the first two blocks, as a hammerfist through the face, as in Shielding Hammer. In fact, you don’t need to have a right hook to make this technique sensible. Think of it as an extension of Shielding Hammer, an even more extensive alternative to the 1st Brown Shielding Hammer. • I do each hit to the groin accompanied by a move forward, first with the shuffle, and then with the drag up. Some folks combine the right hammerfist to the groin with the left heelpalm  while still in the right neutral bow, then drag up with the upward claw. • The first series of right hand hits - to the left hook, right hook, and groin, is all part of a counterclockwise circle. It may be a Salvador Dali sort of clock, but it’s a single move in that three dimensional direction. • The right arm pivots around the elbow in a clockwise (standard Timex) motion when you’re going into the right backnuckle to the face of (2). That’s the rolling motion I mentioned. • The drag up with the second hammerfist is a gauging step for the kick, and you may not need it. Or you might use a shuffle. You will usually use a shuffle with hand strikes, and a drag up with foot maneuvers, and there are several reasons for it. The shuffle is more stable, and is probably a smaller change, depending on how much spring you have in your legs. But you’re probably staying in close to fight, just a couple of inches out of his range, and the shuffle moves you in just enough to hit. The drag up doesn’t really change your range, it enables the kick, but you can cover much more ground, and even extend it into a crossover if you need to. Mr. Parker didn’t use a drag-up before the scoop kick, using instead a shuffle with the left heelpalm to the jaw. His sequence also made use of an upward right rear elbow/claw after the second groin hammerfist, to coincide with the left downward heelpalm and scoop kick. • Use a left outward handsword (palm down) to the throat with the scoop kick of (4) instead of just a check. Why not?

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18 (10) GRASPING EAGLES
(front right hand to lapel grab and rear right hand to shoulder grab)

Your first move folds up the front guy with a right kick to the belly as you knock off his grab with a left inward block and hit the guy behind in the groin with your right hand, then as you land forward switch your hands - your right striking the front guy’s chin as your left hits that groin again, then kick them away with a left front kick and right rear kick.

1) natural stance, R snapping front kickto groin
         -L inward block to R elbow
         -R rear hammerfistto groin
2) R foot land forward to R close kneel
         -R inward heelpalm to chin
         -L rear heelpalm claw to groin
3) L snapping front kick to groin
         -R thrusting back kick to stomach
         -land R front crossover, cross out to 9 o’clock

This technique has a very symmetrical feel to it. You begin by splitting your attack forward and back, then pivoting left with the heel palm strikes, then pivoting back right to kick straight ahead and straight back. It feels neat. • Ideally, the front attacker is grabbing with his right hand, so you can break his arm at the elbow. If he’s grabbing with the left, just turn the technique around. The right hand rear grab has much less effect, since you’re hitting below the grab to the groin from each side. • The snap kick should fold him up for the heelpalm strike. • The close kneel, with a somewhat left pivot, allows you more range for your strikes. It’s not named right close kneel or left rear close kneel because, in fact, it’s both. • Where your feet land after the kicks is determined by the position of your attacker. These landings are all gauging steps.

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19 • PARTING OF THE SNAKES
(front right overhead step-through punch, rear left grab)

Step in under the punch with an upward block as you ridgearm the front guy’s groin, then grab onto him and pull him into a right knee kick that then straightens out to kick the guy behind as you punch the guy in front, parting these snakes; keep going after the guy behind with a rear cross over to backnuckle his face, then finish up with a left/right chicken kick and right overhead claw to the front guy and a right/left chicken kick to the rear guy.

1) L neutral bow, shuffle forward L close kneel
         -L upward block to overhead punch
         -R ridgearm to groin
2) L hand crane hooks over the head
         -yank head down with L hand, pulling head into R knee kick
         -R rear elbow
3) R vertical punch to face
         -R back kick to solar plexus
4) R foot land back to 6 o’clock
         -L rear crossover to twist stance
         -R rear backnuckle to face
5) L front kick to solar plexus/R front kick to jaw land forward to R neutral bow (forward chicken kick) with
         -R downward overhead heelpalm claw through face
6) R back kick/L step-through back kick land back to R neutral bow (rear chicken kick)
7) L front crossover, R foot step out to 3 o’clock

It’s very easy to get a finger tangled in a gi and dislocated. Whenever possible I prefer to use a crane grab, as in Snapping Twig or Courting the Tiger.  But if you’re secure in your grabbing abilities, this’d be a fine time to grab whatever you can at his shoulder to pull him into the knee kick. You can also make the upward block into a claw to the face, if it’s available. • Follow the circle of the last claw, of (5), allowing it to pull you back to the rear attacker, and the second chicken kick.

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20 • THRUSTING LANCE
(right step-through knife thrust)

Evade the stab by hopping back as your right hand blocks  the knife hand - then attack with a left heelpalm to the groin, have both hands grab the knife hand as your right foot steps back through and you twist and break his wrist and take the knife in your right hand. Come back forward with a chicken kick, landing forward to slice him up in a figure 8 pattern ending with filleting his right arm, sweeping his right leg, and stabbing him with his own knife.

1) R neutral bow, shuffle back to 4 o’clock to R neutral bow
         -R inward (downward) block to R wrist, immediately
2) shuffle forward as you right check the hand R neutral bow
         -L underhand heelpalm to groin
         -L hand checks outward as R hand checks down, trapping his hand between them (a grab is not necessary, you pin the hand as in a sandwich)
3) R foot step through to the rear to 7 o’clock to L neutral bow
         -your hands twisting his knife hand counterclockwise to palm up
         -L foot pull back to L 45º cat stance
         -push down and bend his hand back towards the palm, breaking his R wrist
4) L/R switching  chicken kick land forward to R neutral bow
         -R hand pulls knife out backwards towards 6 o’clock
         -L hand checks to shoulder
5) R knife slice upward, then outward/inward figure 8 across throat
         -R downward stab through top of triceps below shoulder
6) L step through to 12 o’clock as you raise up your R hand, filleting his triceps to the elbow
7) L sweep back against his R knee to 10 o’clock to L reverse bow
         - R knife stab to heart through back

An earlier version relies on grabbing the knife:
1) R neutral bow, shuffle back to 4 o’clock to R neutral bow
-R inward (downward) block to R wrist
-R hand grab his R hand, your thumb on the back of his hand
2) shuffle forward, still gripping the knife hand R neutral bow
-L underhand heelpalm to groin
-L hand grab his R hand, your thumbs together, pointing towards his knuckles
You have only your thumb securing the grab and he could possibly break out of it. I find it feels safer to me for that moment shuffling forward, so I did it anyway, then switch to the double hand grab as I step back through. • Another variation allows you to slide up his arm with your left arm, trapping the whole arm, not just the hand. This is an Aikido grab, and most effective, if a wee bit close to the blade. • If you don’t feel like so much stabbing, you can omit the penultimate downward stab and triceps fillet with:
5) R knife slice upward, then outward/inward figure 8 across throat
6) L step through to 12 o’clock R upward elbow to R armpit
• As with all knife attacks, you’ve noticed the knife, so you begin in a fighting stance, guard up. • Try to block right at the wrist. You don’t want to block on the knife blade, and you don’t want to block up the forearm and allow him to swing the knife inward to stab. Ideally, you hit right on his wrist. • The step through and pull to a cat stance of (3) stretches him out, offering his face or ribs for the kick. It’s your choice, depending on how far forward he leans. • If you break his wrist and he drops the knife, continue with a hammerfist through the rest of the technique. If he still holds the knife after the attempted wrist break, you should be able to take it out and continue as written with the knife in your right hand. Don’t, in any case, proceed while he still holds the knife. A few repeated pushes with your thumbs should force the issue. • The chicken kick is a left front kick to the ribs, right front kick to the heart. Use the landing from the left foot of the chicken kick as a gauging step. • If the knife attack comes in blade up and you are able to get hold of the handle from a clockwise circling grab, you’ll have it in your right hand, blade down, facing forward down when you pull it out of his hand. That’s what this pattern is based on. You slice upward across the carotid, then outward to the right (palm up) again across the throat, turning palm down to slice back inward left across the throat, circling around to stab into the right arm just below the shoulder, into the triceps. Lifting up your right arm, blade slicing inward as you drag up, as though you’re raising your hand with a question in class. This motion filets the arm, cutting off at least the triceps, possibly holding the arm with the inward-braced knife, all the way upward, possibly cutting though up to the wrist. The stab immediately precedes the sweep. • If you lose the knife, lift him up with an upward lifting straight-arm backnuckle, then come down on his nose with a raking backnuckle through the nose before circling clockwise to backnuckle inward across the left jaw, then figure 8 over to backnuckle outward across the right jaw, then left step through with a right upward elbow to the armpit, and right downward hammerfist to the mastoid with the sweep. • The left foot step through goes just past feet together, and not all the way to a left neutral bow. • At the end, your left hand could hammerfist to the ribcage as your right strikes down. You may also choose to circle your right hand around clockwise to stab to the heart from the chest side, as in Broken Rod, which you will learn soon.

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21 • BLINDING SACRIFICE
(two-hand choke)

Step in with your right foot as you blind him, then whip your hands down (knocking down his hands) to grab his testicles and rip them off, then backnuckle his kidneys and pull him into you as you pull back to a cat, then step forward into him with a double thumb stab to the eyes, then whip his hands down and back up to double backnuckle his temples, grab his head, and yank it down into a right knee kick that straightens out into a right side kick to his right knee.

1) natural stance, R foot step forward to 1 o’clock to R neutral bow, double Kenpo hand finger stab to eyes
         -hands chop in outward circles to double heelpalms to groin, grab testicles, and pull inward
         -whip both hands outward to double inward hooking backnuckles to kidneys (R to L, L to R)
2) pull back on kidneys with R foot drag back to R 45º cat
         -double vertical outward blocks to hands rising to protect his eyes
3) R foot step forward to 1 o’clock to R neutral bow
         -double thumb jabs to eyes
         -whip hands downward against attackers arms
         -double backnuckles to the temples
4) both hands grab head, snapping elbows down against jaw
         -pull head down into R knee kick to face
         -R leg straightens out to R side kick to inside R knee
         -R leg lands to 10 o’clock R stompto R foot R neutral bow
         -R front crossover step out to 6 o’clock

In a Kenpo hand, your hand is held stiff, your middle two fingers tightened and retracted somewhat, so that all fingers are supporting each other; here most importantly, your first two fingers are a single stabbing unit. • As your hands whip downward to the groin, they are twin outward handswords that will probably chop to the attacker’s forearms as he reaches up to protect his eyes. • Unless you have a strong enough grip to pull his testicles off, will fall into you with the groin pull, so that you could use forehead strike to his nose to maintain your depth. • If the attacker is already on top of you, jammed up against you after the groin pull, you may need to shuffle back to the cat rather than just drag as you pull on his kidneys. • It’s possible to work in a pair of finger flicks to the eyes as you whip your hands from outward blocks to thumb jabs to the eyes. If you’re very fast. • His arms may or may not be raising after the thumbs to the eyes, your path down and back up is the same.

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22 • SNAKES OF WISDOM
(right hand to left shoulder, left hand to right shoulder grab)

Step back as you claw your hands through their faces and hook their arms then step back forward as you smash their heads together and step again forward to separate their collided heads with a knee kick, landing back, then stepping back with your right as you pick up their ankles, and give them each a kick across your body.

1) natural stance, attackers to either side, L guy’s R hand on L shoulder; R guy’s L hand on R shoulder, R foot step back to 7 o’clock to L forward bow as you
         -R backward claw through face/L backward claw through face
         -hook both arms backward over attackers’ arms
2) R foot step forward R forward bow
         -double uppercut punches to elbows
         -double backnuckles to the ribs as your fists circle backward then 3) slap hands forward over the shoulders to double heelpalms to the backs of the heads, smashing heads together
         -L step through knee kick to heads
4) L foot land back to 7 o’clock R close kneel, both hands push down on heads or shoulders- they should fall forward to allow you to chop out with
-double outward handswords to ankles, crane grab to ankles
            -R foot step through back to 5 o’clock to L close kneel, yank back with both hands
            -stand up pulling back to L 45º cat, hands still hooking ankles, pulling them backward each up onto their outside leg
         - R step-through front kick to groin, R foot land back next to L
         - L front kick to groin

The first step back is officially to a neutral bow, but you have more power dropping your weight to a forward bow, plus it keeps your hips straight forward to better align both the rear heelpalm strikes. So that’s what I’m doing. • If I’m pulling on much heavier or larger attackers, or for whatever reason don’t have the balance, I find it easier to start the final kicks with a left front kick, a sort of Delayed Sword type kick, rather than using the rebounding Thrusting Salute type kick. • It might help to think of the right steps back and forward as a single move. Which actually includes the left step forward to separate the bonked heads. It’s all one attack to the heads. • The uppercuts work both to damage the elbow, and with the step forward to the stance change of the forward bow, force the attackers’ heads to collide. • The left knee kick separates the collided heads. • Ed Parker wrote the technique without the last right step through backward to the left close kneel, so that you pull up on the legs immediately from the right close kneel, and your first kick a right front kick to the left attacker (the Delayed Sword sort of kick). • The final front kick targets could be the groin, or knee, or whatever’s best at the time. They might be two front ball kicks, or a front kick and a roundhouse kick (which is what Parker wrote)- it’ll depend on the attackers’ positions.

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23 • ENTWINED LANCE
(step-through right knife thrust)

Step across the knife thrust with an outward left parry, then step through into him with a right heel palm, then widen his stance with a pair of ricocheting right side kicks as you stab to the eyes, landing forward from the kick with the backnuckle then circling up with a right elbow and circling down and out with downward right/left hammerfists.

1) natural stance, L foot step to 2 o’clock L front twist stance
         -L hand hooks outward over thrusting R wrist, palm up
2) R foot step forward to 1 o’clock horse, with R knee check as you land with
         -R heelpalm to chin (fingers pointing to 9 o’clock, thumb down)
         -L hand check to R shoulder
3) R inward side kick (sweep kick) to inside R knee
-L finger stab to eyes then rebound without landing with
4) R knife-edged side kick to inside L knee
-as your L hand slide down to check forearm, R backnuckle to R ribs
5) R foot land forward to 1 o’clock R neutral bow
-R upward elbow to chin (or inward to throat or heart, depending on height)
6) R downward backnuckle to R temple
         R foot offstep back to 3 o’clock, L neutral bow
         -L downward raking mace to face with L front crossover cross out
        

This could also be the defense for a left flank right step-through knife attack. That would be a safer sort of moment, since you wouldn’t be stepping across the path of the knife. The first step keeps you safe, and is to your right, the faster the stab the more towards three o’clock you must go. Ideally you want to begin your forward move with your first step but you don’t want to overcrowd the knife. This is an easier moment in the flank attack version, since you can simply step forward to a twist. The beginning is mighty similar to Twirling Hammers. • Your right step forward should probably buckle the bad guy’s right knee with your right knee. • Use the side kicks to destroy his base, widening him to splits, canceling his height. • The right elbow flaps up from the backnuckle. • Make sure that you are crossing out of range with the final hammerfists, since you are leaving him with the knife. Until you cross out, make sure that the knife arm is checked. Try grabbing all the way to the wrist with your left check after the eye stab.

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 24 • FALLING FALCON
(step-through right push)

Use his shove on your left shoulder to trigger a step through behind his right leg as you pin his shoving hand with your leg, and attack his shoulder with your right elbow as you pivot left, bringing him to the ground as your right hand grabs his right wrist leaving your left free to break his arm at the elbow, then both hands grab on and yank him up into a left stomp kick that lands far enough to the left to allow your right shin to kick to the back of his elbow, then heel scoop kick his kidney then roundhouse kick his solar plexus then sweep kick the very damaged right arm as you front crossover out.

1) natural stance, R foot step forward to 10:30 (behind attacker’s R leg) to R neutral bow
         -L hand pin attacker’s R hand to L shoulder
         -R vertical elbow to the armpit
2) pivot counterclockwise to L forward bow facing 6:00, keeping your right elbow welded to your body as you pivot, so that all your forward drive translates into torque, taking down the attacker, his head pointing to 6 o’clock, your L hand holding his R wrist, extending his right arm
         -R hands snakes underneath L, turning clockwise from palm flat to your chest to grab the attacker’s R wrist, allowing a L heelpalm to elbow as you pivot back clockwise to a R forward bow facing 12:00
         -both hands grab R wrist, yank upward as you L stomp kick to face
3) L foot land (a little wide, to around 4:00) to L neutral bow facing 6:00
         -L hand snakes under attacker’s R wrist, grabbing, twisting it over your L knee, leaving the elbow facing back to a R shin kick to the elbow
         -R rear scoop kick through R kidney
         -R downward looping roundhouse kick to solar plexus, still holding R arm
         -R sweep kick to R arm
         -land R front crossover to R front twist stance facing 6:00

A step through attack is helpful, allowing you easier access to the back of his right leg, but this works just fine from a standing push. In either case you make use of the attack to trigger the step forward. The main differences with Triggered Salute come from the fact that you step around outside his right leg rather than into it, and that because of this you are closer in and must use a closer range weapon than a heelpalm salute. The elbow strike works as well, and differently, as either a more vertical attack into the armpit, or a more horizontal attack to the right shoulder. The best attack depends mostly on your mass, and the length of your forearm. The horizontal strike can get more weight behind it, and moves in a single circle to the takedown. The vertical elbow can lift him on his toes and make the takedown easier as you redirect your drive from upward to the left. Each has advantages, so you may as well work out which one is your personal favorite. It seems like larger folks prefer the horizontal humerus attack. I believe it’s favored by Rick and Scott Gonzalez. • The pivot to right reverse bow is part of the step forward. The forward momentum moves directly into the rotational drive, and the attacker is tripped over your right leg. So you make use of the forward/rotational momentum, the force of the elbow strike, and the pain of the strike to work this takedown. If you are helping dummy for this, try and force the student to make the manipulation of the first two effective without forcing the student to make extensive use of the third element. • Bracing the wrist around the knee with the shin kick should force the attacker to arch his back, opening him up for the rear scoop kick. • The four kick mini festival for the right foot may well win the prize for most consecutive kicks without touching the ground in a regular technique. Kenpo Riverdance.