Kempo Principle: Breaking Balance

[Drunken Monkey]

"Actually, from what you kenpo guys have talked about, a lot of what we train in at my dojo sounds very similar to things that you all do"

 

that's the thing that really got me interested in kempo.

 

a little while back, delta1 wrote something that sounded to me exactly like wing chun.

 

the more he talked about it, the more similar they seemed

 

and here you are saying the same thing about shotokan.

[delta1]

aefibird, I'm not surprised that your instructor teaches this in Shotokan, especially as he's studied other systems. I've said before that the main differences in systems/styles is the principles they favor useing and concepts they emphasize, and the way they train mentally as well as physically. Sounds like your instructor doesn't limmit himself to the dogma of a particular system, which in my mind is a very good thing!

 

This is why I like a mixed forum, is that we all can get a different perspective from each other on the things we do. Oh, and an occasional argument can be fun too!

[Pacificshore]

Hmm..I just can't seem to keep up

 

In the style of Kempo I practice, our Grandmaster had a background in Aikido, so he has incorporated some of the principles he learned during that time. For example, many of out SD techniques are done to take the opponent off their center/one point. This will either cause their head to fall forward over their hips and legs, or cause their head to go backwards to where they come off center. At the same time, we work on keeping ourselves at one-point so as not to leave us at a tactical disadvantage

[kotegashiNeo]

Sasori te on a beginner level there is a break at a higher lever it is a vital point knock out at the highest level it becomes a part of a much larger sequence and is used for trapping as is almost everything in goju

[aefibird]

aefibird, I'm not surprised that your instructor teaches this in Shotokan, especially as he's studied other systems. I've said before that the main differences in systems/styles is the principles they favor useing and concepts they emphasize, and the way they train mentally as well as physically. Sounds like your instructor doesn't limmit himself to the dogma of a particular system, which in my mind is a very good thing!

 

Yes, it's a very good thing. My karate dojo is really shotokan in name only, as we're more of a hybrid style of martial arts. My instructor works on the principle of "if it works, use it!" - no matter which MA system it comes from.

[Shorin Ryuu]

One aspect of pressure point methods, which many critics do not realize, is to seriously disrupt the opponent's balance. Sometimes the main purpose isn't so much to inflict pain (although that always helps) as it is to unbalance the opponent through manipulation of pressure points, amongst other things. Just thought this would be a good place to bring it up, as Okinawan karate and kenpo really do favor a lot of self and opponent energy and balance manipulation in striking and grappling.

[Drunken Monkey]

....and here's me bringing wing chun back into the discussion.

 

one reason we aim to target/manipulate the 6 strengths/gates i mentioned in the stance thread,

 

is that they have a direct effect on stance/balance.

[jarrettmeyer]

We also do a little of this in Goju Ryu. We've done a little bit of grappling, and that is all about exercising control over your opponent's center of gravity. If you can get the center of the spine away from directly over the feet, then you own your opponent. We've started 2 joint locks that invoke the same idea.

 

It's a real fundamental concept, though, to control your opponent's balance. In Freestyle wrestling, getting your opponent's feet over his head is something like a 5-point move. In a 15-point match, you can see the obvious value in a move like that.

[kotegashiNeo]

the more I train the more I realize that wing chun and goju really have alot in common

[doubletwist]

the more I train the more I realize that wing chun and goju really have alot in common

 

I think what it all boils down to is that there is a limited number of ways that a human being can block/strike/kick etc. The only REAL differences between the various styles of MA's is how they put those basics together.

 

I guess Parker put it fairly succinctly:

 

"When pure knuckles meet pure flesh, that's pure Karate, no matter who executes it or whatever style is involved." -- Ed Parker

 

DT