parkerlineage

Which means you're probably in good shape, and should be able to do all sorts of fun things - provided you've learned them. I like the idea of the three move combos. That's a good idea.

Shodan Requirements: - 226 self defense techniques (We don't do them all at the test, though. That'd take forever.) - Short Forms 1-3, Long Forms 1-4 - Several hand, foot, or both sets, none of which we did at my test - A 'thesis' of ten personally developed self defense techniques, with detailed explaination of each, and performed together in a kata as well - Gearless freestyle sparring - Ring of Fire (Students form a semi-circle, and rotate through with one individual in the center. Students in the circle are chosen at random by the master, and they step in and (are supposed to) do one attack (people harrassed me at my test because I was so young). The student in the center must execute one of the self defense techniques or a variation thereof) I hear these stories of ten hour black belt tests, and I wonder either how intense their tests are, or marvel at the shape they must be in...after two and a half hours of my own, most of the people were close to passing out.

I heard somewhere that he was a Kenpoist. Is this true? The one fight of his that I saw, I saw nothing that reminded me of what I do.

Good point. Really it should be - "a black belt is just the beginning of perfecting techniques that you spent years and years and years learning and refining to begin with." Age limit for AK black belt is 16, but it's not common, at least around where I live.

I did one of his seminars as a brown belt some seven years ago, and it was awesome! I attribute most of my high-kick skills to him.

Boy, you started trouble now...

I know of Chuck Sullivan. I read an article by him in The Journey. I know nothing of his work, but I haven't heard anything bad about him, so - I would say go for it. Of course, I would also have to put in my two cents for my own lineage, so, here they are. ($+$)/100

I did my senior project on the development of American Kenpo. It's ten pages long, though...not good post material. Tomorrow, I will perhaps edit it and post the important parts on here.

YES! ANOTHER AK PERSON!! Definetly stick with it. You're at one of the most difficult stages right now - the transition from yellow to orange is very hard, because you've moved from basic basics to advanced basics and tons of new principles. You're going to find that Kenpo is very adaptable to your own desires, but also very scientific and complex. If you ever have any questions about anything, I either know the answer, or know who to ask to find the answer. Who's your instructor, by the way? Good to see another American Kenpoist here. PS. Nice quote on your signature

haha, yeah...there was a guy who I trained with that left and went to another school because my instructor wouldn't put him up for his black belt. He got his a few months after mine, and, whaddya know...I saw him at that seminar a few weeks ago and you'd think he had his belt for decades. That fits him, though...

And buses have been blown up by explosives. And explosives have been dismantled by bomb squads. And members of the bomb squad have (possibly) been beat in training by other police members. And police officers have (possibly) been trained by a martial arts practicioner. Who has probably been beaten by a black belt. And... Ah...the Circle of Life . NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANGTS INGONYA'MA......... hehe...

If I were to open a dojo like the old school, where I didn't charge anything to instruct, but if someone was't trying hard enough, did something counterproductive to your training, etc. I could turn them away, would I get sued? It seems like everybody wants "equal opportunity", even if their kid clearly does not have any respect for the dojo, you, or anything else. Just a thought - I don't plan on doing that (at least any time soon).

My instructor is very personal with the students he has trained for a long time. For example, he's almost like another father to me, after twelve years - we've had discussions on things like drugs and the birds and bees, etc., and I find it very comforting and helpful. There's a couple of other guys that he goes out to get drinks with after class sometimes, or on occasion a bunch of them get together on the weekends or whatnot. I think this makes for more intimate training. On the other hand, you know nothing about him until you're at least a second brown or so. Until then, you're just a customer.

Someone always has to say that, huh? I prefer to carry a rocket-propelled-grenade-lanucher. Granted, it can be kind of uncomfortable to sit down with, but it sure beats the stinger launcher that I used to carry. Those things chaffe something awful. In all honesty, I'd say that carrying any sort of weapon is asking for trouble with authorities - learn to improvise by training regularly with traditional weapons, and then figure out what matches those weaopns in the real world. In my opionion, of course.

Do you mean American Kenpo? If so... The general "video as suppliments only" rule should definetly apply. That is true no matter what the style, I'm sure. Kenpo has a lot of evolution and personal modification of techniques that must be monitored by an instructor, if you want to really learn them. If you have no instructor of Kenpo around you, and you insist on getting videos (and you're talking about American Kenpo), then I reccomend this for the kata http://www.parkerplanaslineage.com/Merchandise.html (my instructor's instructor) and this for the techniques http://kenpokaratedvds.com/orderinfo.html (my instructor). Additional reading material could be perhaps found here http://arnis.org/index.htm. Of course, that's if you're talking American Kenpo.

The people I trust the least in technique lines/sparring are intermediate to recently advanced students (green-brown). They know enough to hurt me if I let them, or hurt other students, but not enough to know how not to hurt someone. It's a fine line, and something that comes with years and years of training and practice.

I'm with jaymac, here. We all could probably still improve on our lower belt techniques/kata - how much more so those who just obtained those ranks! Does your style contain a lot of in-depth science or principle behind the motions involved? If so, teach the student the why of what you do - rather than the surface of more advanced techniques.

I honestly think there are like...zero...Parker American Kenpo people here. I've only been able to use my acutal knowledge once, and it was to somebody who was in a different style that learned our forms from video tape. So, tell me about Shaolin Kempo. You and I can at least discuss the similarities and differences of our arts, eh?

Lol, knarfster!! My mother's brown belt is starting to fray, because she's been one for almost five years. That is a rad idea.

That's from Century?!?! My instructor says that all the time! I'm heartbroken...I thought he made that up! My favorite quote on what a black belt means is from Master Planas - A black belt is just a white belt that never quit.

What's the big deal about fraying belts? I was at a black belt seminar a few weeks ago, and I saw so many people with horribly shredded belts - some of them looked ridiculous, if you ask me. I mean, I'm sure that many of them have acquired that from time spent, but people that have these belts that shred like, immediately...I dunno. Random rant, I suppose. Is it really true that some people will key or razor their belts to make them more white?

Not enough consistent response, eh?

As my current income is that of an assistaint instructor, I cannot afford the fancy silk stuff - but tigerclaw had really nice embroidered belt for something like $30, if I recall correctly. It's not shiny, but I've had it for a year, and I wear it 5 days a week, at least 20 hours, and it's fraying only on the place where I tie the not, and a little on the back where the stress is most.

On the last one, is that guy's left hand paralyzed?

American Kenpo is totally science. The end. I use physics and anatomy all the time.