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American Kenpo
Karate,
as are all martial arts, is based on a set of basics that
can be compared to letters of the alphabet. The knowledge
and combination of this alphabet is what helps students progress in the art.
All of these
basics are further built up into the Concepts, Self
Defense Techniques, and Forms (Katas) and Sets that make
up the American Kenpo Curriculum. For more info on this,
refer to the previous
Adult
or
Junior
Requirements sections, or take a look at one of the
following two manuals:
Concepts, Basics, Techniques, Forms & Sets
(Adults)
Concepts, Basics, Techniques, Forms & Sets (Juniors)
Basic
are divided into five main areas:
Stances
|
Attention Stance |
Used
for receiving instructions and to begin and end formal exercises or
class, and is done with Heels together, hands at sides. |
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|
Horse Stance |
Used
to isolate the upper body to practice blocks, hand strikes, and other
upper body movements. Your feet
line up just outside shoulder width, knees bent, hands at side bent,
fists in at waist, knees out and over ankles. |
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|
Neutral Bow
(Fighting Stance) |
A
50/50 weight-balanced stance, and is the main stance used in forms,
techniques, basics, and sparring.
Feet are at 45 degrees, and front toe is in line with rear heel.
|
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|
Forward Bow
(Front Stance) |
A
60/40 weight-balanced stance (weight forward) used to extend reach,
give greater power, and brace against an attack. Turn rear foot to
face front, rear foot flat, rear leg straight, front knee bent.
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Reverse Bow |
A Forward Bow with
your head looking backwards. A 40/60
weight-balanced stance (weight on rear leg) used to create distance by
pivoting away, increase power by rotating into the stance, or help
buckle or sweep an opponent. |
 
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Cat Stance |
A
10/90 weight-balanced stance (weight on rear leg, front foot on your
toe) used as a transition for a kick off the
front leg, or to minimize the opponent's ability to sweep or attack
your front leg - Used to create distance. |
 
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Twist Stance |
Used
to implement the power principle of torque (twisting) without using
distance, or as a retreating step. There are 3 ways to enter into a
Twist stance, stepping up into, stepping back into, or pivoting up
into |
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|
Wide Kneel |
Transitions from a neutral Bow
by bending the rear knee and staying up on ball of rear foot.
Dropping height gives power through “marriage of gravity" |
 |
|
Close Kneel |
Same execution and
benefit as a wide kneel except the transition is from a forward bow. |
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|
Crane |
A
defensive stance which moves the front leg up and in, out of harm's
way, and helps protect your center line. |
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Foot Movements
|
Name |
Description |
Use |
|
Step - Drag |
From a left or
right neutral bow, step forward with front foot, and then drag rear
foot up to neutral bow. |
To close the
distance |
|
Drag - Step |
From a left or
right neutral bow, slide/drag rear foot forward almost to front foot
then step forward with front foot. |
To close the
distance |
|
Push - Drag |
Push forward with
rear foot. Front foot comes slightly off the ground to move forward
and rear foot slides on the ground forward. |
To more quickly
close the distance |
|
Step Thru |
Move rear foot
forward to front of front foot, ending in opposite neutral bow (i.e.
Right Neutral Bow stepping through to a Left Neutral Bow). |
To close the
distance and change from a left to right, or right to left facing
stance |
|
Cover Step |
From a Neutral
Bow, move your front foot in front of and across the other foot and
turn body so we end up in the opposite neutral bow facing the new
direction. |
To change
direction
|
|
Front
Cross in front |
From a Neutral
Bow, front foot steps in front of and past rear foot (going in
reverse) then your rear foot moves out along the same path as the
front foot settling into a Neutral Bow |
To create distance |
|
Front
Cross Behind |
From a Neutral
Bow, front foot steps behind and past rear foot into a transitional
Rear Twist stance, then your other foot either: 1. stays in place as
you pivot/turn into a neutral bow, or 2. moves back along the same
path as the front foot, settling into a Neutral Bow |
To create distance |
|
Jump Switch |
Jump of ground
(just barely leaving the ground!), and rotate 180 degrees |
To Quickly change
stance
from left to right, or right to left |
|
Front to Back Switch |
Front leg comes
back to rear leg, and then rear leg moves to the front as you rotate
180 degrees. |
To change stance
from left to right, or right to left |
|
Back to
Front Switch |
Rear leg comes up
to front leg, and then front leg moves to back as you rotate 180
degrees. |
To change stance
from left to right, or right to left |
Blocks and Parries
Blocks are executed with a closed hand, while parries us
an open hand. Blocks meets force with force to stop or redirect an attack.
Parries deflect force of an attack to redirect it, and require
significantly less power on the part of the defender.
|
Upward Block |
Push upward (like
an uppercut punch) and rotate hand so palm is away from face raising
arm above head, keeping elbow at 45 degrees. |
 |
|
Inward Block |
Arm between 45
and 90 degrees moving at a 45 degree angle across and away from body |
 |
|
Outward Vertical Block |
Arm at 90 degrees
(bent at elbow), pushed from inside body to outside stopping at
shoulder, palm towards your face. (This is a weaker block than the
following Outward Extended!) |
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|
Outward Extended Block |
Starts as outward
vertical then arm bends to 45 degrees (bent at elbow) pushing from
inside body to outside body stopping just outside shoulder palm
towards your opponent |
 |
|
Downward
Block |
Arm circles
downward (inside to outside) to almost full extension, swinging out
just past leg, keeping elbow slightly bent. |
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|
Inward Downward (Palm down) |
Arm swings in
front and across of you body (outside to inside with palm facing
down/in) stopping at other side of body. |
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Pushdown |
Arm pressed
downward to almost full extension, hand flat, palm down. |
 |
|
Universal
Block |
From a neutral
bow, front arm does an inward block while the rear arm moves straight
down covering your centerline. |
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|
Inward Parry |
Hand open, palm
in, starts from same side as parry hand, moves across and away from
body at a 45 degree angle then straight back to opposite side ear.
Forms right triangle with chest. |
|
|
Outward
Parry |
Hand open, palm
in, starts from opposite of parry hand, moves across body at 45 degree
angle then straight back to ear on the same side as parry hand. Forms
right triangle with chest. |
|
|
Outward Hooking Parry |
Hand open, palm
in, starts from opposite of parry hand, moves across body at 45 degree
angle then straight back to ear on the same side as parry hand with
your palm up (like a waiter carrying a tray). |
|
|
Inward
Downward Parry |
Hand open, palm
up, starts from same side as parry hand and moves up and inward from
body at a 45 degree angle then down and back to opposite side ear.
Forms a tilted right triangle with chest. |
|
|
Outward
Downward Parry |
Hand open, palm
in, starts from opposite of body from parry hand, up high and swings
down at an angle to the outside of the leg on the same side as the
parry hand. |
|
|
Leg or Knee Block |
Used against
roundhouse kick to the legs, or a straight or scoop kick toward the
groin. It is executed by lifting the front foot off the ground
(bending the knee) and moving the leg as it is being lifted
perpendicularly, in the direction of the incoming kick. |
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Hand & Elbow Strikes
|
Horizontal Punch |
Punch straight out
with fist, knuckles up |
|
|
Vertical
Punch |
Punch straight out
with fist, knuckles to outside of body. |
|
|
Uppercut |
Beginning with
hand at your side, punch upward and away from you, stopping at the
height of your lower chest. |
|
|
Hammer Fist |
This strike is
done in numerous directions and at numerous angles. In general, you
are striking with the bottom of your fist (outside the little finger). |
|
|
Hand
Sword
(Chop) |
This strike is
done in numerous directions and at numerous angles. In general, you
are striking with the bottom / meaty part of your hand(outside the
little finger). |
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|
Palm Heal |
Push arm/hand out
striking the opponent. This strike can be executed in multiple
directions and to multiple angles, but we always strike with the lower
part of our open hand (the palm) with the fingers tightly together,
and preferably bent downward |
|
|
Claw |
Essentially the
same as a Palm Heal, but finger are bent (like a claw) and rake across
the target. This strike is mainly used on the face. |
|
|
Finger Poke |
Using first 2 or 3
fingers slightly bent. Fingers must line up or they get broken. |
|
|
Ridge Hand |
Hold hand flat and
palm down, striking with thumb and forefinger. Can be executed by
either Swinging the arm from outside body to inside body, or
thrusting outward |
|
|
Middle Knuckle |
Vertical or
horizontal punch, but extend middle knuckle slightly so it's the
contact point. |
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|
Half Fist |
Horizontal fist
position, unroll fist one knuckle's length. |
|
|
Back Fist |
This strike is
done in many directions and to many angles. Strike with the knuckles
using the back of the hand in a snapping motion |
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|
Inward Elbow |
Pull fist into my
chest, pushing elbow into attacker. Can be performed with either the
front or rear elbow, |
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|
Upward Elbow |
Pull fist to my
ear, pushing elbow upward to the attacker |
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|
Overhead
Elbow |
Raise arm around
the back, over head and straight up, then drive elbow down onto
attacker. |
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|
Obscure Upward Elbow |
Start with arm
fully extended downward (i.e. arm hanging at side) then drive
vertically upward with elbow. This is almost always used to strike an
attacker under the chin. |
|
|
Rear Elbow |
Move arm straight
out in front of body then back behind body. Bend arm at elbow as it
moves back behind body. |
|
|
Side Elbow |
Move arm across
body and strike back to original side. Bend arm at elbow as it moves
across. Upper arm should be lined up with back. |
|
Leg Strikes
|
Front Kick |
Kick is performed
with the ball or heel of the foot by lifting the knee of the kicking
leg, pointing the knee at the target, and thrusting or snapping
forward. Kick can be done with either the front or rear leg (Rear leg
has more power) |
 |
|
Side Kick |
Kick is performed
with the heel or blade of foot thrusting out sideways, and can be
executed as a Slide-Up side kick, Step-Thru side kick,
Rear Crossover side kick, or Jump/Hopping side kick |
|
|
Roundhouse Kick |
Kick is performed
with either the instep or the ball of the kicking foot, and is
executed by bring the kicking leg up while pivoting on other foot so
we are sideways to attacker, and snapping the foot into the opponent.
Kick can be done with either the front or rear leg (Rear leg has more
power) |
|
|
Rear Kick |
Kick is performed
with the heel of the foot, and is executed by raising the kicking leg
up, glancing backwards, and thrusting the foot backwards. |
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|
Crescent Kick |
An inward crescent
kick is performed by making an outside to inside arc with your leg and
striking your opponent with the bottom or inside of your foot.
An outward
crescent kick is done by making an inside to outside arc with your leg
and striking your opponent with the outside of your foot. |
|
|
Hook Kick |
Kick is performed
by performing an “off target” Sidekick, followed by hooking the leg
back to the thigh and striking with the heel of the foot |
 |
|
Axe Kick |
Is performed
similar to an crescent kick, except that when the foot reaches the 12
o’clock high position, instead on continuing the arc, the heel of the
foot is brought straight down, The target is usually the shoulder.
|
 |
|
Scoop
Kick |
Front kick is
executed as a front instep groin kick, followed by pulling the foot
upward and back towards you (the scoop)
Rear kick is
executed by striking backwards and upwards with the heel into the
attackers groin, followed pulling the heel up and back towards
yourself. |
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