Requirements for Rank of Purple Belt
Look below for an overview of rank requirements. If you have any questions, bring them to class so we can work through them.
Purple Belt Katas and Sets:
Adult Card
Short Form 2
Finger Set 1
Stance Set 1
Kids Card
Short Form 2
Finger Set 1
Purple Belt Techniques:
For an overview of all belt requirements, download the Purple card here.
1 (1) TWIRLING WINGS
2 (2) SNAPPING TWIG
3 (3) LEAPING CRANE
4( 4) SWINGING PENDULUM
5 • CRUSHING HAMMER
6 • CAPTURED LEAVES
7 (5) EVADING THE STORM
8 (6) CHARGING RAM
9 (7) PARTING WINGS
10 (8) THUNDERING HAMMERS
11 • SQUEEZING THE PEACH
12 • CIRCLING WING
13 • CALMING THE STORM
14 • DARTING MACE
15 (9) HOOKING WINGS
16 • SHIELD AND SWORD
17 • GIFT IN RETURN
18 • BOW OF COMPULSION
19 • OBSTRUCTING THE STORM
20 • TWIN KIMONO
21 • SLEEPER
22 (10) SPIRALING TWIG
23 • CROSS OF DESTRUCTION
24 • FLIGHT TO FREEDOM
Use the typefaces to help you scan quickly:
All stances are in bold
Each foot change is in italics
Each strike is underlined
1 (1) TWIRLING WINGS
(rear two hand choke or shoulder grab)
Pin his hand and twirl into him as he pulls you back, breaking his grip with your left hand and dropping your right elbow into his ribs, then pivot back out, twirling your left elbow into his ribs and adding a backnuckle as you cross out (right, left, left).
1) natural stance, pin attacker’s L hand with your R hand
-step back L foot to R twist stance
2) unwind counter-clockwise to L forward bow
-L vertical outward block
-R inward horizontal elbow strike
3) pivot clockwise to horse stance
-L inward horizontal elbow strike
-R check by face
4) L front crossover to 10:30 with L backnuckle strike to ribs
With this technique you begin to meassure your front crossover exactly to the length of your forearm, elbow to backnuckle. Your are in contact at the elbow and crossout exactly far enough to whack him with your hand. You'll use this in many techniques, backnuckle and claw and hammer. • Go with the attacker’s pull and use your left heel to attack his shin or foot or whatever you can find with that first blind kicking step. This will disturb his balance and possibly check his depth. Instead of a twist stance, if you are at all worried about your knees, you may prefer making that initial left step to 4:30, possibly buckling the inside of his right leg, a straight shot as you sweep back to a left reverse bow. • The cross body pin, if secure, can be used with the left vertical outward block to damage the attackers left wrist, and will force him to turn, presenting the unprotected outside of his ribs for the right elbow strike. By going to pin his left hand, your right hand is already in place for the check with your left inward elbow strike. That strike should attack the inside of his ribs or his solar plexus. • This technique will also work against a shoulder grab, although that makes it unlikely to be able grab his left wrist, and do some damage with your left outward block as you turn into him. But you will get him off you, pay him back, and get out. •Be sure to keep the check some distance out from your face so that if your check does get hit, you don’t hit yourself in the head with your own hand.
2 (2) SNAPPING TWIG
(left hand chest push)
Pull him back with your left so that your right can shoot up to snap his elbow then down to yank him into a left chop to the throat. Your right fist then circles through his face, followed by your right elbow (right, left, right).
1) natural stance, step back L foot to 6 o’clock to R neutral bow
-as your L hand pins attacker’s R hand to your L shoulder
-R upward heelpalm through elbow
2) downward R crane strike to attacker’s bicep with
-L thrusting chop to throat as you drop to R forward bow
3) circle a R inward hammerfist through nose
-as you pivot back to R neutral bow
-L check by face
4) shuffle in with R horizontal inward elbow to head and L heel palm strike to head (sandwich)
As you step back with the attacker’s shove, your right hand shoots up to the elbow with your left hooking in for the pin. This creates forces in opposition that should aid the elbow break, particularly with stepping back to a neutral bow (marriage of gravity). Opposing forces are also at work in the forward chop/crane hit coupled again with marriage of gravity in a stance change. • The horizontal elbow following the diagonally raking hammerfist could be seen as either two circles with a shrinking radius, or a single collapsing circle.
3 (3) LEAPING CRANE
(step through right punch)
You step outside to parry his punch, striking through the attacker’s ribs. Then kick out his near leg, back knuckle to his far ribs, and elbow his head (right, right, right, right).
1) natural stance, L step to side to 9 o’clock to L neutral bow
-L inward parry to outside of his R arm
-R horizontal dragon knuckle rake across attacker’s R ribs
2) drag up R foot to transitory R crane stance
-R snapping knife-edged side kick to attacker’s front (R) leg at the knee, buckling him to the ground
3) land forward between attacker’s legs in R neutral bow with
-R backnuckle to attacker’s L kidney, making his back arch into a
4) R inward horizontal elbow to head
- with L heel palm to the opposite side of his head (head sandwich)
The leaping crane of the title is the transitional stance before the snapping side kick. That kick should both bring the attacker to the ground and turn him in towards you, into your backnuckle attack to the kidney (or ribs). Using the step to the neutral bow with the strike adds power to the hit. And that backnuckle should make him arch his back, opening up for your final head sandwich attack. Each strike opens the next. • The technique was originally written by Ed Parker (actually, I believe the techniques were first written down by Huk Planas and Tom Kelly, for Mr. Parker) coordinating the strike with the leap to the crane stance, making the strike incidental to the technique. It didn’t really matter if you connect. This adaptation makes that strike significant. • Make sure to wrap your right hand around to your left hip, in a palm up hammerfist after the dragon knuckle attack, in order to be instantly ready for the next strike. The palm up position allows you to apply torque to the hit. Marriage of gravity also aids in that backnuckle to the ribs, landing your full weight on him after the side kick. • The step to the left, outside of a right punch is shared by many techniques - Dance of Death, Thundering Hammers, Sleeper, Gathering Clouds, Circling the Horizon, some others – in fact, that parry and step, allowing you to get behind the attacker, is the basic post-Purple response to a step-through punch. In this technique you will step more left than forward. That would vary if you are much smaller than your attacker, and need to go more forward to get behind him for the final hits. However the kick to the leg will spin him and make him give you his back.• On all of them it is critical that the parry be above the elbow, to avoid getting that elbow in your face. In an hook punch, or any punch swinging in from the outside it’s just as necessary to block on the forearm, below the wrist.
4 (4) SWINGING PENDULUM
(right roundhouse kick)
Offstep up the circle with a universal block against the kick, shuffle in with a groin strike, then offstep again with an elbow to the chin (right, right).
1) R neutral bow, guard up, L foot offstep up the circle counterclockwise to 4:30 (still in R neutral bow, now facing 10:30)
-L arm strikes outward down in a downward block and your R arm strikes inward to form a universal block at attacker’s leg
2) shuffle forward with R downward hammerfist to groin
-L hand checks high
3) offstep L foot counterclockwise to 2 o’clock to horse stance
-R upward vertical elbow to jaw
“Up the circle” often is used to indicate an attack, getting closer, as with Detour From Doom. However, I mean that one foot is the pivot point and your other is moving, going up (toward) or down (away) the circle in relation to the attacker. • Use the circle. By offstepping with the universal block you lessen the force of the roundhouse. The blow gets weaker as it extends past it’s original target, giving you an immediate advantage. • Make the shuffle-hammerfist reach the groin before his kicking foot hits the mat. If you make the first two steps, the offstep up and shuffle in, part of the same move, it’ll speed you up. The shuffle becomes the recoil shot from your first step. As in Thrusting Salute, where you step back to kick. Once you have the sense of safety from hitting each stance, then moving to the next part, adding them together in rhythms greatly increases speed and effectiveness. If you begin with the speed without articulating the stances you never get to use the Kenpo. Your technique will never be as effective as it can be if you learn it slow, first.• Remember in Kenpo all blocks are strikes, and the universal block will be most effective at or just above the knee. That target will both prevent the possibility of bending the knee in toward you, and give you a softer target than the shin. It can also numb the knee. You continue using the circle with stepping to the horse stance for your rear vertical elbow, to create a better line of attack.
5 • CRUSHING HAMMER
(rear bear hug - arms pinned)
Step out to the side so that you can hammerfist to his groin hard enough to loosen his grip so you can scoot your other leg behind him and take him down over it.
1) natural stance, step L to 9 o’clock to horse stance
-R rear hammerfist to groin
-L hand pins attacker’s L arm
2) drag R foot to R cat stance
-shoot R leg back to 4:30 to R reverse bow, behind attacker’s L leg
-R heel palm again to the groin
3) pivot clockwise to R neutral bow
-R vertical elbow to jaw
4) continue clockwise turn to R forward bow
-L heel palm to L floating ribs, solar plexus or groin, as seems best
You are offered many sequential opportunities in this technique. The repeated strikes to the groin have different uses. The first hammerfist will loosen the attacker’s grip, and the heel palm will start to fold him forward into your rising elbow. The heel palm also gives you the opportunity to grab hold of the testicles with a squeezing claw (like the right hand of Squeezing the Peach) and keep hold as you rip upwards. • Let your strike contour the body, and after hitting the jaw, bring your elbow back tight into your right hip, arching him backwards as you bring him down with your left heel palm, to your best target of opportunity. • Almost all of our Kenpo techniques in response to a rear grab will commence with a hammerfist to the groin. • As with Crashing Wings, your first step must be immediate, before you can be lifted off the ground, and far enough to the left to allow your right foot to cat around. If you hold on to the attacker’s left arm during this process, you will pull him off balance with you, canceling his height and width, and pulling him into the right vertical elbow.
6 • CAPTURED LEAVES
(right side finger lock)
The handsword that chops you out of the grip twirls you into a rear elbow to the kidney, then reverse your direction to drive your other elbow into his ribs (left, right)
1) natural stance, R footstep forward at attacker’s urging to R forward bow
-L forward vertical handsword, tracking along the back of your hand to strike his fingers
-pull back with R hand to break grip
2) pivot counterclockwise to horse stance
-L rear horizontal elbow to attacker’s L kidney
3) pivot clockwise with R rear horizontal elbow to attacker’s ribs
-L hand checks by face
A popular variation:
1) natural stance, R footstep forward at attacker’s urging to R forward bow
-L forward vertical handsword, tracking along the back of your hand to strike his fingers
-pull back with R hand to break grip, and immediately regrab his R hand with your L (chopping) hand as your R arm moves up his arm with
2) R inward block to R elbow to break arm
3) pivot counterclockwise to horse stance
-L rear horizontal elbow to attacker’s L kidney
4) pivot clockwise with R rear horizontal elbow to attacker’s ribs
-L hand checks by face
This technique defends against an effective joint manipulation hold that would be worthwhile to know. Your attacker takes your right hand, your palm facing forward, in a finger lock His right hand is on top holding your forefinger and index finger together, his bottom hand (left) holding your ring finger and little finger together, with his thumbs parallel, pushing forward, to 12 o’clock, braced just above your knuckles on the back of your hand (he’s holding your phalanges, pushing on the metacarpal). The pain controls your movement, and you must break his hold before he uses it to take you down or out. • Grabbing the entire hand, still using all the fingers together as a lever, is also an effective attack, and is more likely to be used. In that case the attacker would be standing directly in front of you, not to the side. The technique would be the same. • Using your hands pulling forward and back at the same time will increase your power. Although it’s possible to break the hold with only the forward chop. You are presenting your back to your attacker. Do not linger, and cross out immediately after the second elbow. • You may add a right rear backnuckle as you go as in Twirling Wings.
7 (5) EVADING THE STORM
(right overhead club)
Your right hand circles up to block and grabbing on, pulls him down into a roundhouse kick. Then drive straight into him with a left punch and left knee, pivoting back forward to drop on his ankle (right, left, left, right).
1) natural stance, L foot step to 9 o’clock to L forward bow
-R extended outward block to attacker’s R wrist
-grab R wrist, pull attacker’s hand forward and down towards your R hip
-R roundhouse kick to belly or groin
-L hand checks at chest
2) land forward to 1 o’clock into R neutral bow
-as you continue pull with R hand past R hip
4) L straight reverse punch to attacker’s R ribs
-straight L knee to outside of attacker’s thigh
5) L foot offstep land forward to 12 o’clock, turning counterclockwise and drop to L close kneel on attacker’s Achilles’ tendon
Some teachers are adamant about tracking down the leg as you land from the roundhouse kick, though some people find this jams them later, with the ending. • Use the initial right parry to continue and guide the attacking arc of the club, and with the grab, to pull the attacker into your roundhouse kick. The left punch and left knee follow the same straight line into the attacker’s undefended right side. The punch should feel as though it’s actually pulling the knee attack with it. • Mike Ortiz uses a more aggressive evasion, stepping forward to 10 o’clock in (1) with a left inward parry/right bent arm upward parry that catches and hopefully breaks the elbow at the wrist. This is much like the initial move in Brushing the Storm. However, it might leave you too close for a roundhouse kick. • The knee attack of (4), properly placed into the side of the thigh drives through as though to separate the layers of thigh muscle. It will paralyze the leg or at least make walking difficult. If that attack drops your attacker down to his knee, with his toes naturally bent so that the heel is in the air, the subsequent drop on the exposed calf or ankle could rip the Achilles’ tendon from the ankle. This demonstrates Marriage of Gravity. • Close kneels and wide kneels are effective weapons. An alternate ending, if the attacker oddly doesn’t buckle from the knee attack, would be a straight right knee to his inner thigh or quadriceps. Avoid running into his knee with yours, and damaging your own kneecap. • Edmundo Arguello adds a right downward hammerfist to the neck at the end.
8 (6) CHARGING RAM
(low grab or tackle)
Parry his arms forward as you step to the side, dropping him with a chop to the neck, then lifting him with kicks to the belly and face (right, right, left).
1) natural stance, L foot step back and counterclockwise to 4 o’clock to
R neutral bow
-R inward downward block to his L wrist
-L outward downward block at L elbow
-R downward handsword to attacker’s neck
2) L hand checking attacker’s L arm, pull back to R 45º cat stance
3) R snapping front kick to ribs, land slightly forward
4) L snapping front kick to jaw
5) land back to R neutral bow
The first step of this technique will only work if the attacker’s arms are fairly straight at you. If the initial left block/parry fails, you move into Broken Ram. You can also make Charging Ram work with a wider arm span (the sort of attack that might also make you respond with Hooking Wings) by inverting your first two strikes, ie:
1) natural stance, L foot step back and counterclockwise to 4 o’clock to
R neutral bow
-R outward downward block at L wrist
-L inward downward block to his L elbow
-R downward handsword to attacker’s neck
This makes your first move into an arm break. If it doesn’t work, you can still go right into Broken Ram. • Whether you start in right neutral bow or natural stance, the initial success of the technique depends on clearing the attacker’s left arm and preventing it from getting around you. One effective method is to meet the arm with a sort of double forward palm down chop, right hand on top, to the attacker’s upper arm. It works as a scissors. Much the same as hitting the wrist in Obstructing the Storm. As the left hand parry’s the attacker’s left arm forward, pinning it against his body, your right hand is continuing its circle forward, up, and down in the chop to the neck vertebrae. Your left hand check should be firm. Jim Foschia teaches that parry as a block, a hard chop, and it can be painfully effective. • If you have sufficient speed and power and balance, the two kicks can be a single chicken kick. The target of the first kick could be the groin, solar plexus or belly, whatever is open, and creates a lot of response.
9 (7) PARTING WINGS
(high two-hand push)
Step back, spreading his arms to open him up to two high chops, (right to the ribs and left to the throat), then rebound your left from the throat to drop on his belly collapsing him into a straight right punch to the heart.
1) natural stance, R foot step back to 6 o’clock to L neutral bow
-with R and L outward handswords to attacker’s wrists
2) chop forward to L ribs R inward horizontal handsword (palm up)
- pivot counterclockwise to L forward bow
-L hand cocks to R ear, palm facing in
3) L outward handsword chop to throat, palm down
- pivot clockwise L neutral bow
-R fist cocks to R hip, palm up
4) L downward heelpalm to abdomen (fingers pointing R)
-straight R reverse punch to solar plexus as you pivot counterclockwise to L forward bow, L check at middle
For maximum power make sure to go through vertical outward blocks on your way to the extended outward blocks that are the handswords of (1) • Step back, chop/chop, drop/punch, in a high-low pattern. You might need to shuffle in with the heelpalm to the abdomen, as he falls back from your handswords. Just make sure you don’t leave any space after the chop to the throat, rebounding immediately to the drop.• As with most all of your Orange and Yellow card style of response, you take advantage of the attack by stepping back. • Jim Foschia points out that this attack is more likely at close range, the attacker standing close and suddenly shoving. Don’t miss the shoulders with your initial push. Make sure that you are attacking the attacker with your first move. • If you block forward with your left chop, and parry with your right, you will open up your attacker, forcing him to present his left ribs, and adding the force of his charge to the first right rib strike. You can increase the power of this turn by hitting higher to the upper arm or shoulder with your left chop/block. But the runs the risk, as always when you hit above the elbow to the inside of the arm, that you’ll cause his fist to swing in on you. • If you are dummying for this attack, go with the turn then immediately bring your chest back to facing front, so that the rib strike doesn’t hit with full force. • The heelpalm, a left palm down drop, is an attacking check, and can be a very effective use of marriage of gravity. Some people will even shuffle slightly in with the strike to add more power. If it is extremely effective you may fold the attacker over so far as to lose a good shot at the solar plexus, but a strong hit to the heart, even protected by the sternum, can be lethal. If you go to the solar plexus, the dragon knuckle fist, as in Clutching Feathers, will fit best.
10 (8) THUNDERING HAMMERS
(step through straight right punch)
Step forward outside of his punch, fold him in half with an inverted backnuckle strike to the solar plexus, then hammerfist down on his kidney and neck.
1) natural stance, L foot step forward to 10:30 to L neutral bow
-L inward block outside attacker’s R arm, on or above his elbow as
-R fist cocks to R side, parallel to R thigh
2) shuffle forward to 12 o’clock, drop to L wide kneel outside attacker’s R knee
-R horizontal ridgearm (use the first knuckle to maximize the strike) to attacker’s solar plexus
-L fist cocks to L ear, elbow out, palm facing away
3) L downward hammerfist to his L kidney as you
-pivot clockwise to R close kneel facing 4:30 as your
-R fist cocks to R ear, elbow out, palm facing away
4) R downward hammerfist to his neck as you
-pivot counterclockwise L close kneel facing 12 o’clock
-L hand checks his R arm and shoulder
As with many techniques to come, you begin with stepping forward on a 45º angle to outside of a step through right, with an inward block or parry. Compare this technique to Dance of Death and Sleeper to illustrate when and why each would be the better choice. The inward block must be above the elbow when you attack to the outside of the arm, or you risk collapsing his elbow directly into your face. • The shuffle ridgearm (clothesline) attack must be strong enough to fold over your attacker, so that you can reach your targets on his back.• Your knees aid in the attack. Your stance change is a weapon, and if you are just to the outside of his right knee you will make him buckle as you pivot. • As you hammerfist to his back, moving to the next attack, your hands are also checks. The strongest check (and the only one generally used at our studio) is the left pushdown check that accompanies the right neck strike, but you can also insert a right check between the ridgearm hit and the neck hammerfist, accompanying the left hammerfist.
11 • SQUEEZING THE PEACH
(rear bear hug - arms pinned)
Sweep out his legs, your left to his right, and your right to his left, pulling him along by the groin as you switch, letting go only to elbow his face as he falls.
1) natural stance, L sweep step back to 4:30 through attacker’s R leg, to R neutral bow facing 10:30
-L heel palm claw to attacker’s groin, grab and squeeze testicles
-R hand checks attacker’s arms
2) L step forward to 12 o’clock to L neutral bow, pulling attacker by testicles
3) R rear scoop kick through groin
-land R foot back with stomping sweep kick to L knee and leg
-R rear horizontal elbow to jaw
-L hand checks low
The heel palm claw is not just a grab, but also a hit, as you’d use breaking a board with a heelpalm. • Your first step creates enough space for a clear hit to the groin and you have to be able to move him. You will have the most power hitting high on your thigh, and be able to do more damage hitting lower, just above the knee. Sweep his right leg with your left, and his left with your right. These cross body sweeps destroy his balance and his base. You cancel his height and width. To do this you must attack the legs, not simply step between them. The second sweep, with your right foot following the scoop kick, can break his leg with the attack to the inside of the knee. • The final back elbow should capitalize on the effect of that sweep, as he collapses forward into your strike.
12 • CIRCLING WING
(rear two-hand choke, pushing)
Go with the push, stepping forward as you turn back into him, circling your elbow down over his arm to pull him into a stab to the eyes with the other hand, then circling your elbow back up through his chin as you turn around to hammerfist to his groin.
1) natural stance, L step forward to 1:30 to L neutral bow
-L hand pins attacker’s R hand
-R hand cocks to L hip
2) pivot clockwise to R neutral bow facing 7:30 as you
-circle R elbow down over attacker’s R arm, pulling him in toward you, dropping to
- R forward bow with
-L Kenpo hand stab to eyes
3) pivot counterclockwise to horse with
-R upward elbow to chin
-L check at chest
-continue pivot to R reverse bow as you
-R rear hammerfist to groin
Go with the attacking push, and use the left hand pin to pull him off balance. The downward circling wing increases that pull, so that he will fairly impale himself on your left four finger stab to the eyes. • A strong pin can also help the first circling wing damage the attacker’s right wrist, as it is caught and twisted. The attacking wing simply circles clockwise, then counterclockwise, with a straight line tangent added at the end of each turn.
13 • CALMING THE STORM
(step-though right roundhouse club)
Step into the attack with an outward block to the wrist and a straight punch to the jaw, then work your way down his body with a reverse punch followed by a back knuckle, with the other hand checking the club with each punch.
1) natural stance, step R foot forward to 11 o’clock to R neutral bowas attacker swings club at head
-L outward block at attacker’s wrist
-R vertical punch to face
2) pivot to R forward bow
-L vertical reverse punch to ribs
-over a R inward parry
3) pivot back to R neutral bow
-R horizontal backnuckle
-L waiter’s check (palm up)
The beginning, as with Five Swords, is a step into the storm, which is where we find the calm. First you cancel his depth with your step-through right punch. • The subsequent punches work their way down the body, taking the best target at each opportunity. Your first might be the nose or jaw, then heart or ribs or solar plexus, then possibly the floating rib. This is a popular target, since it has the least support of the ribs, and a strong enough hit will break it of. Your final waiter’s check might also be an extended outward block or an extended outward handsword. Using a handsword chop might well make him drop the club.
14 • DARTING MACE
(two-hand right wrist grab)
Step into him with a left to the face and a right to the body, then step through him with a left chop to the throat and a right heelpalm to the chin.
1)natural stance, L foot step forward to 12 o’clock to L neutral bow, outside attacker’s R foot
-R hand turns clockwise to grab attacker’s R wrist, controlling and turning his R arm present his elbow to
-L inward block following through to
-L vertical jab to face
-as you pull R hand free, cocking it to R hip
-L arm drops down and forward to check attacker’s R arm, pinning it to his body then drop to
2) L forward bow with
-R vertical reverse punch to solar plexus
3) drag up R foot to R cat stance between attacker’s legs with
-L outward handsword (palm down chop) to throat
4) step-through forward to 12 o’clock with R foot to R neutral bow
-with R heel palm to chin
In almost all techniques where we are grabbed, we grab the grab. Take control of the grab by grabbing it. That takes control of the attack and forces the attacker to present his upturned elbow to the strike of the inward block(that resolves into a punch to the face). The grab itself is inversely similar to Crossing Talon, as you use only one hand and he’s using two. Even if the attacker is too strong or too prepared to allow reversing the grab on him, continue on with striking through his arm to the face. This first move, which happens in an instant, is complex. It makes use of joint manipulation, sequential opportunity, and a compound strike. As well, of course, of marriage of gravity in the stance change to neutral bow, and forces moving in opposition as you pull down on his arm as you punch through it. But once the move makes sense to your body, it will feel simple. • The footwork is also fundamentally simple, and aggressive. We step forward twice to twelve o’clock. This is because you are walking through your attacker. You want to attack his groin and his right knee in the process, if available. If necessary, your first step might be a bit to the left, towards 11 o’clock, and your second step to the right towards 1 o’clock. Ideally your first step would land your left foot just touching inside his right foot, so that you have an open clear angle for your right step. You should be able to buckle your attacker’s right knee with your final step through. The drag up to a cat, land to neutral bow actually is simply a step through, deconstructed here so as to illuminate the timing of the strikes. As you work on Short Two, you will see this cat stance step through quite a lot.
15 (9) HOOKING WINGS
(two-hand low push)
Step back to right kick his groin as you hook open his grab with your hands and land forward, tracing a figure 8 through his face with a right hammerfist and backnuckle, then knock his head up and down with a vertical elbow followed by a heelpalm claw.
1)natural stance, L foot step back to 6 o’clock to R neutral bow
-with double outward crane hook to inside of attacker’s wrists
2) pull back to R cat stance
3) snapping R front kickto attacker’s groin
4) land forward to R neutral bow
-R inward diagonally downward hammerfist to L jaw
-R hand circles clockwise to R outward diagonally downward backnuckle to R jaw
-as L hand checks at chest
5) shuffle forward with R upward vertical elbow
6) R front crossover to 7:30 with R downward heel palm to nose and claw through face
The first three moves happen pretty closely together; you step back to hook his arms out of the way and kick to the groin all at once. The neutral bow is a transition to the cat, which is a transition to the kick. Along the way your hands hook his wrists out of the way. • You might use a thrust kick to the solar plexus or belly to create some distance, if you find that necessary. • When you use the snapping kick to the groin, you fold the attacker in half, and follow that folding with your hammerfist across his left jaw. The looping infinity symbol figure, or figure 8 on its side, makes a left, right and center attack to his head, and must be continuous. • You need to be crossing out with your heel palm claw because your new weapon needs a greater range than the elbow attack.
16 • SHIELD AND SWORD
(straight step through left punch)
Step forward outside of a left punch to chop to the neck and elbow to the ribs, then offstep to right hammerfist through his left kidney, roundhouse kick to right kidney.
1) natural stance, R foot step forward to 1:30 to R forward bow
-with L extended outward block to outside of attacker’s punch
-as R handsword cocks, palm outward, to R ear
2) R inward handsword to attacker’s neck
-with R neutral bow
3) L horizontal inward elbow to L ribs
-with pivot to R forward bow
-as R hand checks attacker’s shoulder or upper arm
4) L foot offstep counterclockwise up the circle to 4:30 to R twist stance
-as L hand checks outward at attacker’s L arm above elbow
-as R fist cocks to R ear
5) pivot counterclockwise to R neutral bow
-with R hammerfist to L kidney
6) continue pivot with R roundhouse kick to R kidney
You step into the left punch, slicing forward with your outward block. Moving from point of origin is very important here, in order to prevent getting a fist in the nose. Your left hand comes directly up, bending the elbow, beginning almost like a parry with the back of your hand; it turns into the outward block as soon as hand touches the punch, and the turn adds power to the block. Your step forward, combined with the attacker’s step through, will carry your block past the elbow. Beware of stepping back left and forward right, which will just slow you down. On the other hand, if you are slow in getting underway with the technique the double step may give you a bit of space insurance.• Jim Foschia practices that first outward block as a left backnuckle, then when it’s ingrained as a snapping punch, puts it into the technique, retaining the power and speed of the punch with the block. • This technique begins very close in, and you may want to use a horse stance rather than a neutral bow with the chop. As you step up the circle the twist stance is transitory, and if your knee is giving you trouble, you can step to the neutral bow immediately with little loss of power. You will always have power associated with a stance change when it can make use of marriage of gravity. The offstep puts you in a position very similar to that of your first step, left arm blocking, right arm cocked. • As the right hand hits you may use an extended middle knuckle dragon’s fist instead of the hammerfist.
17 • GIFT IN RETURN
(right hand shake or grab)
Yank him down and shoot his grabbing hand between his legs to be regrabbed by your left hand then lift him up to lever him around to facing away from you, behind in the air as you cross-kick out his left leg with your right, and give a left knee kick to his tailbone.
1) natural stance, L step to 10:30 checking to outside attacker’s R leg in L neutral bow
-as R hand yanks his still-gripped hand down and back, pulling forward him off balance
-with L inward handsword (palm down) turning into a check to his R forearm
2) both hands hit forward using attacker’s own hand and forearm to hit to his own groin
3) maintaining grip with R hand, L hand goes around outside his R leg to regrab attacker’s hand through legs
-as R foot offsteps clockwise up circle to 10:30 to L neutral bow
-as you lift up with L hand against testicles
-while pushing down R hand on attacker’s L hip
4) R step through knife edge kick to L knee, plant R foot back next to L foot
5) L knee to coccyx, land L front crossover step through cover
In class, use a double handed grab instead of a handsword or hammer to the forearm, and your dummy will last longer and like you better. When you shuffle in to the left neutral bow, checking against his leg, use your left forearm against his elbow to immobilize him. • As in Gift of Destiny and Gift of Destruction, the bad guy may be about to punch you with his left as he holds you with his right. Begin by canceling his height and depth with your opening yank. As always, you grab a grab, in this case with the same hand that is being grabbed. You simply take control. Use the surprise of the groin hit to reposition your hand, and use the leverage of his own arm on his already injured groin to turn him. The lever, more than the offstep, will get you directly behind him. Combining the right push down with the left pull up will cancel any opportunity for the attacker to kick, as well as putting him in perfect position for your kicks. • The kicks go across your body, right to left, left to right. Actually the knee goes center, but as you cross over, you might as well kick out his right knee. Why not?
18 • BOW OF COMPULSION
(right wrist lock - hand pinned against chest)
Immediately drive into him with an elbow to the solar plexus that will loosen his grip enough to slip out your hand to shoot a ridgearm to the groin followed by a backnuckle the left knee, and reverse punch to the right.
1) natural stance, (with attacker pinning your right hand flat to his chest with both his hands, and attempting to use the leverage to bend you down to the ground) R step forward to R neutral bow
-with L heel palm check to pinning hands
-and R vertical elbow to solar plexus
2) drop to R wide kneel
-as R hands pulls straight down from pin
-L hand still checking
3) R upward ridgearm to attacker’s groin
4) R backnuckle to inner L knee
5) R hook punch to inner R knee
The left heel palm check can go through the pinning hands, to the face, much like Darting Mace. This will open up the solar plexus for an even better angle as the attacker arches his back in reaction to the heel palm strike. You may need to shuffle in with the vertical elbow. If the strike is fully successful and the attacker’s hands fall away, you may continue the vertical elbow up to the chin, and commence the straight down drop of the right hand with a heelpalm claw to the face, as in Thrusting Wedge. That falling claw might also attack the groin on the way down to set up for the ridgearm. •In order to buckle the right leg, you may elect to use a reverse punch straight down to the knee.
19 • OBSTRUCTING THE STORM
(step-through right overhead club)
Left step forward outside the attack as you catch the right wrist in a ‘V’ of your hands, then step inside his leg as you direct the hit down past you with a right inward block that pulls his head into your right knee kick.
1) natural stance, L step forward outside attacker’s advancing R leg to 10:30 to L neutral bow
-as you cross R wrist over L wrist blocking attacker’s R wrist above your head as he steps through with overhead club attack
2) R hand turns clockwise to grab attacker’s R wrist
-as L hand swivels clockwise around to top of forearm
-as you continue the attacker’s swing forward and down
3) L step inside attacker’s R leg to 1:30 to L neutral bow
-with L inward downward block to just above R elbow
-as R hand pull attacker’s R arm to your R hip
4) R snapping knee kick to head, land back in L neutral bow
As the attacker steps through with his swing, you want to continue his swing, not stop it. Your crossed hands, acting as a solid block, could dislodge the club right into your head. So instead you want to intercept his attacking swing at a level above your head and a bit off your right shoulder, and redirect it, continuing the attacking circle, finally ending it in the knee kick to the head. • The left inward downward block on your opponent’s arm bends his arm backward at the elbow and could break it, particularly if your right hand grab has turned his elbow up, and then anchored the arm to your right hip before the kick. The inward downward block also takes control of the attacker’s height and depth and forces his head into the knee kick. • Your first neutral bow will serve the evading block, and the second serves the arm break and knee kick. • Don’t raise your height with the knee kick. • Don’t step in too far with your left as you do the inward block. Just trapping his ankle as your right pulls and your left blocks gives you the opportunity to pull him forward off balance. Stepping in as far as his knee gives him the chance to take you down simply by bending his right knee against yours.
20 • TWIN KIMONO
(two-hand lapel grab)
Step back straightening out his arms for an upward forearm strike to the elbows, then offstep as you circle down from the strike (backnuckling through his ribs) and back in to get rid of his arms with an inward block, bouncing forward from that with a chop to the throat.
1) natural stance, L foot step back to R neutral bow
-as L arm pins attacker’s hands to your chest
-with R upward forearm strike to attacker’s elbows
2) off step L foot counterclockwise up circle to 4 o’clock to R neutral bow
-with R backnuckle strike through the ribs
3) clear both arms with R inward block
4) R outward handsword to throat
The attacker is probably about to head-butt you, and as with most grab attacks, grab the grab. In this case with your left arm circles down to pin both his arms. You take control, then cancel his depth and pull him off balance as you left step back and straighten his arms for the upward forearm strike. The left offstep both adds power to the clearing inward block as well as gets you out of line of attack for the presumable head-butt. As with Lone Kimono, you take control by pinning him and stepping back. Twin Kimono works best commencing before the attacker starts to pull you toward him, perhaps during his wind-up. We always want to turn the attacker’s attack against him. If the pull in has already begun, Blue technique Raking Mace (or even Destructive Twins or Cross of Death [both Green, intended for slightly different attacks]) would be the more appropriate choice. • If the right backnuckle is to the solar plexus, you may increase the effect of bending the attacker into you, which sets him up for your next attack, the right inward block. If the right inward block knocks away both arms diagonally down to the left, you will pull the attacker into your sequential outward chop. This whole technique can be seen as a series of whipping the attacker back and forth - back and straight with the step and strike to the elbows, forward and down with the backnuckle offstep, furthered by the inward block; and stopping his motion with the right outward handsword.
back to technique list
21 • SLEEPER
(step through straight right punch)
Step forward outside the punch with a left inward parry and chop to the throat with a right inward ridgearm; then grabbing your right hand with your left, switch your stance, pulling him in to a choke ‘till he falls passes out; then drop him to the ground, punching to his face if he tries to arise.
1) natural stance, L foot step forward to 10:30 to L neutral bow
-with L inward parry to his R arm above the elbow
-as R arm cocks to the side, hanging down to the thigh
2) pivot to L forward bow
-with R inward ridgearm to L side of attacker’s neck
-as L hand checks at attacker’s upper arm
3) step-through cat R foot up behind attacker’s R leg to horse stance
-as you grab your R hand with your L, choking the attacker and collapsing his carotid artery
4) step back L foot to 4:30 to horse stance
-as the attacker passes out
5) drop attacker to ground, dropping R knee on ribs in L close kneel
6) straight vertical R punch to face
-as L hand checks to attacker’s shoulder
This technique shares a family with Dance of Death and Thundering Hammers. The attack in all is a straight right punch to the face and you commence your response with a forward left offstep and a left inward parry. In Sleeper the step-through makes the groin an unattractive target and whatever other reason makes the throat a preference over the belly. • The choke hold supports the whole weight of his body, since you have pulled him off his feet. The hold can be successfully applied in different ways. One variation is to grab your wrist to the right side of his neck. I prefer the technique as written because it closes off the opening, and relies less on muscle. • The base of the thumb, at the junction of the thumb and the wrist, forms a perfect fit to the carotid, which pumps oxygenated blood to the brain. Closing the carotid should cause unconsciousness in one to two minutes, grogginess in considerably less. The punch to the head and the close kneel on his ribs should ensure that unconsciousness. The ending, learned at 2nd degree black belt, continues the notion that he’s trying to arise after the carotid hold. • Using two successive horse stances is more stable and potentially safer for a technique that can put a great deal of weight on your knees. However you may substitute a left forward bow for the second horse stance, with the left foot step back. It flows well into the close kneel. You may also find it useful, after the second horse step, to stutter step backwards, in your horse, toward 4:30, actually dragging your attacker, then bracing his back with your right knee and leaning on his upper back, forcing him to collapse on your choking hold. Particularly with a heavier opponent, this may prove easier, more plausible, than supporting his weight in the air with the Sleeper hold. With a distinctly lighter opponent it is possible to actually fling him airborne with your second offstep. • Since you end with a left close kneel on your attacker’s body, it is impossible to start your exit with a front crossover. Rise to a left neutral bow, do a step through to the rear, then follow up with the usual front crossover step out step through. If all has gone in ideal fashion, your attacker will end with his head and you pointing towards 4:30, and you will cross out towards 1:30.
22 (10) SPIRALING TWIG
(high rear bear hug - arms free)
Stepping right, break his hold and grab on to his right hand, thumbs on the back of his hand as you step forward left and step through right, spiraling his hand around his wrist as you turn to face him, the wrist lock forcing his head down into a right front kick followed by an upward stiff arm backnuckle, again to his head.
1) natural stance, R foot step to 3 o’clock to horse stance
-double middle knuckle (dragon knuckle) strikes to backs of hands (R to R, L to L)
-downward strikes with both triceps (elbows toward hips)
-both hands grab R hand, thumbs on top lined up with his fingers
2) L foot step to 2 o’clock
-as R elbow tucks against attacker’s elbow, and you twist the attacker’s wrist counterclockwise
-then R foot step to 1:30 to L neutral bow facing 7:30
-as arms straighten in front, thumbs up, controlling attacker through wrist lock
3) R snapping ball kick to ribs
-as you toss attacker’s arm down past right hip
4) land forward R neutral bow
-check down of attacker’s upper arm
-with R underhand stiff arm backnuckle to attacker’s head
As nearly always, grab the grab. In this case the grab is two high on your chest to allow Crashing Wings. Instead of using the Crashing Wings elbow strikes to break his grip, we use the combined knuckles strike, which is most effective when they hit between the bones of the backs of the hands, right in around the third metacarpus. The pain will release the grip, allowing the downward shove of your upper arms to spread his hands, allowing you to grab his right hand for the wrist lock manipulation. Although you couldn’t use Crashing Wings in this situation, you could certainly use this with a lower grab. • The first part of this technique is the step to the horse stance, which can effectively control his height. You begin controlling the situation with your first move. • Some folks use the backward head butt of Scraping Hoof with the downward arm strike that breaks the grip. Instead of rising up by bringing your feet together as in Scraping Hoof, you pull him down, which works as well to bring his head in range. • Maintain control of his wrist with your step out and step through. With your arms straight, thumbs up on the back of his hand, you can force his head to any position you want. It may be that both the kick and the backnuckle go the head, depending on what’s available.• A hooking right punch also works for the final strike.
23 • CROSS OF DESTRUCTION
(rear two-hand choke)
Grab his wrists as you step out left with your left foot and then rear crossover with your right, unwinding to a left neutral bow that crosses his left arm over his right; right front step through kick to his right kneecap as you break his left elbow across his right bent arm.
1) natural stance, tuck in your chin and grab both his wrists, L foot step to 9 o’clock to horse stance
-pull straight forward and down on his wrists, turning his arms outward so that his elbows become a fulcrum just in front your shoulders, lifting him onto his toes.
2) R rear crossover unwind to L neutral bow
-as you pull with R arm, bending it, and push down towards 12 o’clock with the L arm, keeping it straight
3) step through R snapping front kick to R knee
-land forward to 2 o’clock in a R neutral bow as you pull in with your left arm and push out with your right arm, causing the L elbow to break.
As with all chokes, your first response is to tuck in your chin to protect your throat. This is your basic insurance. Use it. • Grab the grab, just at the wrists, and pull straight down, possibly breaking his thumbs against your neck. By positioning his elbows just below the shoulders your shoulders become a fulcrum to get him up on his toes, preventing him attacking you with any kick, canceling his height. • It’s a good idea, if you are dummying for this technique, to attack with your thumbs pressed flat to your hands. A common mistake made when we dummy is to place the presumably choking hands too far back to reach the throat, as though you are about to massage the person. This makes it difficult to grab the wrists, as well as making the technique unnecessary. • The right hand push that helps break the attacker’s arm is very similar to a right uppercut punch. You have the opportunity for two arm breaks, both when you land in the left neutral bow, and in the right.
24 • FLIGHT TO FREEDOM
(right hammerlock, blocked)
Step forward left as you pull him into a right back kick, spin back towards him as drop your weight on his right elbow via a left heel palm continuing your spin with a left snapping side kick to his left knee.
1) natural stance, L step back to horse
-with L rear horizontal elbow, which is blocked by attacker
-as you grab his R wrist with your R hand
2) L foot step forward to R reverse cat
-R thrusting back kick to ribs
-as you pull him into the kick with your R hand
3) land into him to 7:30 in R reverse cat
-pivot clockwise to R front twist stance
-with L heel palm to attacker’s R elbow
4) L snapping side kick to inside of L knee
-land with L front crossover to begin your cross-out
-with another L heel palm to elbow, then finally release his R wrist
Grab the grab. • While several of the techniques you’ve learned have been for similar situations and attacks, this is the first specifically designed to deal with what if the technique we planned on doing can’t be done. We try to do Locked Wing and the defense is blocked (this is [1] of the detailed explanation, as you left step back into him with the left rear elbow). Every such obstacle creates another opportunity, and this is a good example. The principle offered for learning is that you can keep on going. It is a seamless flow, and now you must begin to consider your techniques as starting points, as possibilities, as exercises. • Pulling him into your right back kick illustrates the principle of opposing forces. • Again, as with Cross of Destruction, you have the opportunity for two breaks on the same arm within the same move. If your timing allows, and they can both be effective, use them. But if you find you are making each into less, and ending up with two ineffective hits, use only one strong one. You will only break the arm once, anyhow. • This technique is just as effective used on its own, without the first step of attempting Locked Wing. Simply start with the left step forward. It’s possible, for reasons of environment, injury, or simple preference, that you would attempt Flight to Freedom in any case where a step forward is possible.• You can use a slicing knife-edge kick as your final attack to his left knee, instead of a snapping side kick. The knife edge will make a more flowing use of the circle to the cross-out, and the side kick more directly attacks the knee joint. It’s a choice. Experiment, have fun.