Finally starting the "Shaolin" portion of my train

[yamesu]

In Kyokushin we do a lot of the blocks shown in the first and second links.

The third link has some resemblance to what we do, but it looks like it is done with more flow, and generally these techniques (such as kokken, or wrist blocks) are not taught in-depth until students are of a higher rank.

Thanks for this post, I find this quite interesting.

Osu.

[darksoul]

In Kyokushin we do a lot of the blocks shown in the first and second links.

The third link has some resemblance to what we do, but it looks like it is done with more flow, and generally these techniques (such as kokken, or wrist blocks) are not taught in-depth until students are of a higher rank.

Thanks for this post, I find this quite interesting.

Osu.

Well thanks for reading!

The 8 and 10 point blocks are very much taken from Japanese karate. The plum tree is more kung fu. The way I'm being told to re-work Plum tree makes me feel like I'm doing kung fu in a karate gi

Edit: Learned a new technique yesterday - drunken kung fu kempo. Surprisingly effective.

[Ulubis Minor]

chicken wrist sounds really neat, what exactly is it, because karate might have it.

[SamsIAmz]

That is interesting to see such a distinct transition. There are many different views on the development of martial arts throughout a lifetime, but I feel that generally you either start circular and progress to linear, or you start linear and progress to more circular so I definitely see what you mean by it being a natural progression.

Perhaps one of the coolest experiences I've had as a martial artist: One time I met this exchange student at college from China. He had grown up doing tai-chi and was at the point that it was being performed faster and more linear. I grew up doing karate and my karate has always naturally been more fluid/circular. So we got to talking and comparing a large number of techniques. Turns out, we started on opposite ends of the spectrum but we were meeting somewhere in the middle between the stereotypical definition of Chinese martial arts and japanese martial arts.

It really is fascinating the fine balance between hard and soft, circular and linear, expanding and contracting.

Thanks for the post, its really cool to hear about!

[darksoul]

chicken wrist sounds really neat, what exactly is it, because karate might have it.

The chicken wrist is like figure 24 on this website:

http://www.karate-made-easy.com/karate-wrist-attacks.html

The strike is with the (now hardened thanks to the finger position and bent wrist) part of the wrist. If you just put your hand in the position and feel the top of your wrist, you'll notice it is incredibly hard.

That is interesting to see such a distinct transition. There are many different views on the development of martial arts throughout a lifetime, but I feel that generally you either start circular and progress to linear, or you start linear and progress to more circular so I definitely see what you mean by it being a natural progression.

Perhaps one of the coolest experiences I've had as a martial artist: One time I met this exchange student at college from China. He had grown up doing tai-chi and was at the point that it was being performed faster and more linear. I grew up doing karate and my karate has always naturally been more fluid/circular. So we got to talking and comparing a large number of techniques. Turns out, we started on opposite ends of the spectrum but we were meeting somewhere in the middle between the stereotypical definition of Chinese martial arts and japanese martial arts.

It really is fascinating the fine balance between hard and soft, circular and linear, expanding and contracting.

Thanks for the post, its really cool to hear about!

Absolutely! This is why I love Shaolin Kempo so much - it's an incredibly complete style. The way the Kung Fu and Karate merge is quite seamless and the addition of some ground work, holds, joint locks, and all around movement and speed make it devastating with the right martial artist. It's the perfect style for me and I love talking about it.

[vantheman]

I also enjoy the Shaolin and Chinese aspects of kempo. After doing so many techniques and forms leading up to black, to be able to do loose and flowing techniques.

Just a separate question, what are your form and technique requirements for 1st and 2nd DAN?

For me, it is:

1st DAN

1-5 Pinan

1-5 Kata

8 Point Blocking System

10 Point/Pine Tree Blocking System

1-20 combination

And a bunch of strikes and self defense techniques

and 1 higher form or weapon form

2nd DAN

All of the 1st DAN requirements

6 Kata

Statue of the Crane

Han Suki

Two Man fist set (both sides)

Swift Tigers

Iron Fortress

Combinations 21-30

1 Add'l weapon or higher form

[badclams]

Great thread, lotta difference here so far at 3rd brown I have Statue of crane, 1st of two man soft fist, and combinations 1 thru 18 and 26, twentysix kempo's or one steps, Pinyons 1-5, katas 1-4, and knife and club defences. Our school is also introducing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu so we have ground defence as well. So far I have been with our school for allmost seven years, lotta cool folks that have become family, I love Kempo/Kenpo !

[bushido_man96]

Sounds like things are going well for you. Keep it up!

[darksoul]

I also enjoy the Shaolin and Chinese aspects of kempo. After doing so many techniques and forms leading up to black, to be able to do loose and flowing techniques.

Just a separate question, what are your form and technique requirements for 1st and 2nd DAN?

For me, it is:

1st DAN

1-5 Pinan

1-5 Kata

8 Point Blocking System

10 Point/Pine Tree Blocking System

1-20 combination

And a bunch of strikes and self defense techniques

and 1 higher form or weapon form

2nd DAN

All of the 1st DAN requirements

6 Kata

Statue of the Crane

Han Suki

Two Man fist set (both sides)

Swift Tigers

Iron Fortress

Combinations 21-30

1 Add'l weapon or higher form

Sorry it took so long to reply to this, it apparently fell off my "since you last logged in list"

For first Dan, my requirements were:

1-5 Pinan

1-6 Kata

Stature of the Crane

2 Man Fist Set (both North and South)

1-21 and 26 combination

about 30 kempo combinations (punch techniques as we call them)

8 point block

10 point block

Plum tree block

Club/Knife techniques

For 2nd Dan, I need

all of 1st Dan (obviously)

Han Suki

Swift Tigers

Iron Fortress (I think)

22-25,27-30 combinations

10 more Kempo combinations (punch techniques as we call them)

aaaaaand... I think that's it.

Cheers

[bushido_man96]

Don't you just love all the black belt requirements? Makes it great, and hey, if you aren't tired after a testing, then there isn't enough material, right?

There's a guy at my school that always comments on my ability to come back to class, and look like I haven't missed a beat. He doesn't realize how much practice it takes outside of class to retain it all.