parkerlineage

Somebody want to tell me the deal with Tracy Kenpo? He trained with Grand Master Parker, did he not? Why did he break away? Is it supposedly better than Master Parker's? I honestly don't know much about Tracy Kenpo...it's kind a dirty word in our studio, honestly...our instructor doesn't much talk about it...and nobody else has been around in Kenpo long enough to have seen what happened, or feel the effects of it. Peace; (Seriously...peace...this could be a fiery topic, I know. Let's keep it nice...) Parkerlineage

Okay, really, this isn't a vs anything, but I figured I'd get more people to look at it if I put that. Ha. Okay, well, in a way, it is. I've been dying to know this forever: In AK, we have 180+ written techniques, sequences of strikes, with names that we drill. For example: Five Swords (For a right hook punch to the head) 1.) Step forward with right foot and right inward block, left outward parry. 2.) Right outward chop to throat. 3.) Turn to forward bow, palm with left while chamber right. 4.) Turn back to neutral bow, right swordhand (changed to a punch, most places), while cover high with left. 5.) Adjust left foot to bottom right 45 while outward parry across neck to pull down and expose back of neck, circle right hand and right downward chop. Do any other styles have things like this? Or just your kata? Peace; Parkerlineage

I train with weapons, which aren't a main element of our system, for 2 reasons. 1.) It's fun. 2.) It teaches principles applicable to open hand fighting, and expands principles of open-hand to weapons. Will I have my sai if I'm ever in a fight? Not unless the guy lets me know he's going to attack me and I have time to go back to my car and get them out. Will I be able to adapt something else to use as a weapon - I would hope so. In reality, though, I'd rather go bare-handed or with a staff(like object). However, I would be willling to bet my belts that there is an incredibly small number of people that could take anyone with a club, less with a knife, and virtually nobody who could fight someone with a gun. Reality check; Parkerlineage PS. Rad.

I'm currently an assistant instructor, and will be a head instructor in a year when I go off to college. I instruct now because my instructor asked me to, and because I feel that I have an obligation to pass on my knowledge and experience to the kids, just like three other teen black belts did for me five years ago. I will become a head instructor primarily because there isn't an AK school anywhere near the college I'm going to. I don't see myself as good enough to be a head instructor, but my instructor apparently does, and he told me I should start my own dojo. I will also do that because I feel that I have something to offer that could be really fun, and useful, for the college students to do. Plus, it's always been a little dream of mine, and money is nice for college students, eh? Peace; Parkerlineage

DKizzle and JoeDeezy, what rank are you guys, and how long have you been training? Just wonderin'... Peace; Parkerlineage

If that's the truth, then yes, it would be... (1 minute later): Yep, you speak the truth. Kenponet.com's family tree has Jim Clapp directly under Ed Parker. That's pretty cool, man. Peace; Parkerlineage

In my dojo, everyone starts with a white gi, then, when you get your purple belt (6th kyu), you can wear a black gi. We are also allowed to wear red only at tournaments or demos - our Sensei also wears red, on occasion. There is no limit to patches, but I have the Parker Crest, Universal symbol, and Parker/Planas Lineage patch on all my gis. As for flag-gis and non-official patches - no can do. Peace; Parkerlineage

Thanks, again. It was a tie, but they conferenced for a minute and decided who they ultimately liked better. I was still happy, either way. Peace; Parkerlineage

Wasn't my first tournament...it was more of my...seventh...I think...but it was my first in the adult black belt division...everybody else was at least ten years older than me. Thanks, all; Parkerlineage

Cool. Just haven't heard of four stripes before. Sounds rad, though...more stripes looks cooler. Peace; Parkerlineage

Wow. Where the heck do you train? I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, it's just that I've never heard of it done that way.

My instructor does our class with us - he gets right in there with the technique line, does all the katas hard and fast with us, spars with us...he teaches at the same time, but at this point in my training, sometimes I learn more from watching him than what he explains, much of which I've heard already. Peace; Parkerlineage

Well, I tried, but I was still all panicked and so forth. In any event, here are the results of my first tournament against the 'big boys'. Kata: Took fourth, but should have had third - the guy who placed second did a kata that was FOUR LEVELS below mine. Oh, well. Weapons: Took second, lost to a sixth degree black belt national champion. My scores: 9.98, 9.99, 9.98. His: 9.97, 9.98, 10.0 Not bad, eh? Sparring: Took second, lost the fight for first (to a third degree black belt) by one point in over time. Darn. Got my nose broken in the fight for second. Still won. So ha. So, I as nervous as heck, but didn't do half bad. Thanks for your advice, anyway. Peace; Parkerlineage

Peoples generally have their tournaments on Sundays, but my teacher is nice, and since I'm a Seventh Day Adventist, he has a few on Sunday once in a while. Peace; Parkerlineage

Darn, ninjanurse stole my answer. Every block is a strike, every strike is a block. I'll just restate it. Peace; Parkerlineage

Yep yep yep. I got my black belt under Master Planas...whoo...is he scary! He seems like an okay guy, but out on the mat, with him sitting there just watching you...the guy just emenates power and knowledge! As for the video series, I plan to buy it, still...but I had what was supposed to be a half hour private lesson with him that ended up as a two hour lesson on Long Form 4...he knows tons! Peace; Parkerlineage

Only our kids recieve stripes, and they wear them wherever they can - for some, it's ipmressive if they can tie their own belt, anyway. Parkerlineage

Not to disregard Monkise Monkido, in which the artists copy their opponent's moves so precisely, it causes them to slowly go insane until they strip naked and run in circles, screaming, "WEASELWEASELWEASEL," which - coincidentaly - happens to be the primary kiai of Monkise Monkido.

Breathe...and don't think about your impending doom, or killing the other person with your strike. Just whip it out...if you can (and don't do this if you can't without getting the timing right - you'll break your hand), just keep your hand open until the last second. Speed, then power, that's my motto. Parkerlineage

I'm asuming we're all talking about the species of kata here, so I'm going to throw in a random new one, here. If you had to chose a single AK kata to learn, it would be Long Form 4. That said, I say that the most important kata is: all of them. He who cannot do Short Form 2 should not touch Long Form 6 (for those of you who don't know, I'm comparing 7th Kyu to 2nd Dan). If you can't do your basics, you can't do your advanced material, end of story. I hate it when high ranks say: "It's been so long since I've done the basics, I don't even know if I can remember them." If you can't even remember them, you need to stop what you're doing and re-remember them. Period. Peace; Parkerlineage

I believe our organization is the IKKA. I train under Professor Scott Halsey, who trains under Master Huk Planas, who trained under Master Ed Parker. I compete, but not on Saturdays, because of my religion...so I probably won't ever see you anywhere. Peace; Parkerlineage

Thank you for your words of wisdom, Gunyo Kogusoku. I have no idea how that pertains to this. But it is a good statment. Moving on... Yeah, I know the Staff Set. Actually, it's the best bo kata I know...covers all the basics, has cool kicks...etc... Iaido...I shall look into that... Peace; Parkerlineage

Most TKD guys seem to fight right leg forward, too. Many people in my AK dojo also fight 'left-handed'...it makes it harder for either person to kick each other if you're on opposing sides. My instructor fights on both sides...and kills me either way... I can't vouch for either one with solid proof of more or less effectiveness. I personally have a better left foot, and like kicking more than punching, so I fight 'right-handed'. What style are these Europeans you speak of? Parkerlineage

For Christians, the chi shold not, in my opinion, exist. We believe not in the Tao, but in God. Find me a place in the Bible where somebody used their internal energy to fight somebody, and then maybe I'll believe you. But you can't, so don't bother. The Chi/Ki comes from Taoism, which states that there is an invisible thread that ties us together with every living thing on this earth. Ever tried to draw energy from a monkey? I have no idea what relevance that has, but it's certainly an amusing mental picture. Does your body have internal energy? Yes - you're alive, aren't you? Is this energy supernatural? Not unless you've been hanging out in Chernobyl too much. So, what about all of you who claim to have experienced it? In my opinion, this is like the no-touch knock out - it's simply a matter of you believing that this person has some sort of power beyond their normal state. If I told a bunch of people who had utmost respect for me that I was capable of making them hot or cold with my mind, after a while, they would believe me. Of course, let me finish with this - if the Chi gives you peace, and makes your life better - who am I to stop you? Peace; Parkerlineage

Thank all three of you greatly for your input and thoughts. I have already decided to not ever perform, teach, or exhibit my work with the blade. I will look into it, wait until I move to a bigger city when I go to college, and then perhaps try again, there. Offense? Hardly. Our weapons lineage: Nothing. Parker. Maybe. I don't even think Parker made up our weapons forms. We have a single bo kata that is "traditional". I have my doubts. If you see any other Kenpoist doing a weapons form they claim to be an official part of their system, they're full of it. My Sensei made weapons kata based off our empty hands kata and weapons basics. "Long Form" 7-Whatever are others' "weapons" forms, and they are not Parker. Wow. Excellent point. I would think, "Yeah, right. Maybe I should help that guy..." and I probably would. But yeah, if you said it was part of your system...I would be tempted to...find out where you learned the name of our techinques. I'm impressed. But, anyway, good point.