DBK

Good job, you picked the best art there is -- Now stick with it.

Looks like I'm about two years late, but my lineage is Parker/Sullivan/Nowicki/Me. Have any of you guys aside from Mr. Mike ever been to any of the West Coast Kenpo Confederations? They're pretty awesome.

You don't need to worry about teaching them how to fight. People who are just intent on being tough invaraibly tend to lose patience and pick up a bat or a gun instead. A few people at a studio where my band practices used to taunt me when they'd see me wearing an IKCA shirt. I'd smile at them. They decided to jump me while they were all intoxicated one day and summarily had their * handed to them. They do not taunt me anymore. I know my situation is different than yours, but just giving a nice self assured smile to wanna be hardasses works wonders, and if you're confident enough in yourself inviting them to dojo also couldn't hurt.

Anyone ever find out the results of this?

I know it's not Goju or Shorin Ryu, but in both the Kenpo and JKD stuff I've done the fists tend to be kept around the ribs. If the book "Bruce Lee's Fighting Method Vol. 2" is any indication, which it my not be since for all I know it's a worthless money grab attempt, keeping the fists at the ribs would indeed be a break from the traditional hip placement.

IKCA Kenpo uses a vertical fist with the thumb on top for the most part, and that's always seemed natural and effective to me.

It's also worth noting that there are a lot more weapons available at close range than just the punch. A heel palm needs hardly any space to be extremely effective.

Yo. I'm not really keen on introductory threads but felt obliged to post something in here before I started rambling on in the other forums. I'm pretty sure all the basic information anyone would care to know about me can be found under my user name over there. <---- Anyway, this looks like a nice little forum.