GM Castro and wife having tea with Bruce Lee

Date and location unknown, but how cool is that? 

Sitting down and having tea with Bruce Lee. 

New Tracy's patch

For all the patch collectors out there, 

http://www.tracyskarateworldwide.com/store

Mr. Parker with GM Ralph Castro

 (From the Ed Parker Sr. Facebook page)

Ralph Castro first met Ed in the early 50’s while they were both serving in the Coast Guard. In those days, Ralph and Ed, both Island boys, used to get together to play ukulele. Ralph said, “Subsequent to my discharge from the device, I went back to Hawaii to train with Professor Chow. On my return to the mainland, I joined Ed’s Kenpo Karate Association and he helped me with my business. In fact, I also received my first black belt from him and I treat him as my senior, since I could not train with professor Chow. I received rank promotions from Ed until the later years when I was recognized by Professor Chow who promoted me to the rank that I am. 

In 1963, Ed and I gave a Kenpo demonstration at a Chicago tournament put on by Robert Trias. During my years with Ed, I participated with him at his Long Beach International Karate Championships. We had a very close relationship, like brothers. When I last talked to him, he told me about the studio burning and about the movie fight scenes he was choreographing for “The Perfect Weapon”.

Zone Blocking, strikes, and feints

 (recently posted on Facebook by Mr. Ron Chapel)

In my experience, I have a training philosophy when teaching defense for punch attacks that is simple. "If he throws one punch, he'll throw two. If he throws two, he'll throw three, if he throws three..." In other words, he's going to keep coming until you do something about it, and to execute a singular punch no matter what the lead, as if that is the end of the attack would be a bad idea in training.

Always respond as if there is another punch coming and address it technically to limit vulnerability. Being on the inside of either hand is dicey and ups one's vulnerability big time, so you better be swift sure, and cancel or at least address that next punch that is going to come "hot and heavy."

Addressing any scenario from the perspective of the Psychology of Confrontation forward puts us in the mind of the attacker, and defines the assault, the intent, and how the attacker plans to carry it out. We always approach from this perspective before addressing any response, as one defines the other and clarifies the scenario response.

At one lower level, we simply address the lone punch but are mindful of the implication of additional punches to follow. At another level up the food chain, the scenario changes to a more skilled attacker who is utilizing a strategy when attacking, throwing one punch to set up the other. Then as the skill level rises that same scenario might shift to, a punch that is really a feint to set up the other, which speeds up the second punching hand significantly.

Therefore, the idea of a "simple" punch or two has many implications predicated on the mindset, and skill level of the attacker, and all three levels use the same one or two punches. Now when you extrapolate a lesson into a three-plus punch scenario, you get the idea. Nobody stops until you stop him or her. This brings us to the blocking versus striking problem, and it is indeed a problem if your application is misplaced.

When I teach these techniques and blocking I come from what appears to be a unique perspective these days. I use it to reinforce the concept of Zone Blocking from the Chinese as I was schooled by Mr. Parker. Too many I've seen when learning to block are fed the idea "all blocks are strikes." This concept is majorly flawed and probably should be best expressed as, "all blocks MAY become strikes - eventually."

When blocks are viewed as strikes, it causes the student to "seek contact" with the offending limb. The problem here is when you strike; the configuration and the muscle groups, and thus the commitment utilized are very much different from a "block" internally and externally.

Because your offensive intent is a factor and requires a significantly different commitment, a person will over-extend when no contact is made thus drawing you out of position and violating what Mr. Parker called the "Outer Rim Concept."

Proprioceptively, when the body anticipates an offensive action and it doesn't appear, the body is shortly structurally "disharmonious." Think of the old Peanuts Lucy trick on Linus by moving the football when he's trying to kick it. If a kicker is anticipating kicking a football held by the placekick holder, his body will anticipate and be proprioceptively prepared for the contact.

However, if the ball is removed from the equation at the last possible moment, the kicker would probably fall down simply because the ball wasn't there, even though he would not should he have kicked the ball. This is no different than when you attempt to punch something or someone and they are not where your senses anticipated they would be, you would probably fall down or at least fall forward losing your balance momentarily because your body is configured to anticipate the contact, follow-through, and the resistance that comes with it.

The worse thing you can do in blocking is to seek offensive contact because that is not the goal of a block. A block is a defensive mechanism inherent in human Startle Reflex Mechanisms, whereas a strike is quite the opposite and requires, to be effective, a different commitment from the body. Why is this a big deal? This becomes important when dealing with "feints." This is implied but rarely addressed in curriculum application techniques.

Because blocks are reactive, Mr. Parker used the Zone Blocking Theory so that feints would not get us in trouble. It essentially says, "Block the zone, not the threat." With this in mind, it doesn't matter when blocking if the threat exists or not. If I train to reflexively block the zone, I do not overcommit myself to a singular action that may or may not be necessary and thus cannot be lured into a bad position or off balance.

Example: An attacker might throw a straight left followed by a right cross. This is a common tactical "boxing" strategy set up whether a right lead or left lead. Throw one to set up the other. However, one must consider the possibility the follow-up is not the goal, but actually a third punch with the first two setting up the third. This could be accomplished with a well-executed feint of the second punch, in which case you might be seeking contact with something that is not there, and in that process overreach and become immediately vulnerable to the now much quicker third punch.

In Zone Blocking Theory it doesn't matter whether it is a feint or an actual punch. You treat feints and actual street punches the same. The practice in contested matches is different because the goals are different in prolonged strategic contests, and is why competitors are more likely to "cover" to protect rather than block.

Moreover, in self-defense street applications, you'll find there is a unique benefit that helps you to understand the definition of a block. A block by Ed Parker’s Definition "checks or hinders an attack." That is when you block properly your goal is not to hurt the attacker. You place an obstruction between you and him, and he hurts himself when he makes contact with your defensive postured limb. It hurts him and you barely feel it because your body is configured in a defensive posture based on your actions, and he is configured offensively. The body configures itself differently offensively versus defensively and those differences are significant and accomplished by adjusting the mechanics of the action, but more importantly addressing it by changing your mindset of what you are attempting to accomplish in applications.

Have you ever noticed, that when you throw a punch and it hurts you, it never seems to bother the blocker, who technically is absorbing as much contact as you are? There’s a reason for that, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Functions of human anatomy are why and have to be considered in any effective teaching process.

What if the attacker fights back?

(recently posted on Facebook by Mr. Ron Chapel)

What if the attacker fights back? People that punch usually keep punching. People that attack with a kick usually follow up with another kick, punch, or grapple. 

You have a plan called a "technique." The attacker has one as well, and I'm pretty sure the attacker's plan isn't to throw one punch or kick, and then stand there so you can "do your thing." I'm mindful of the Mike Tyson quote; "Everybody has a plan until they get hit." You have to change your mindset in training.

We used the term "Time and Space Predictability" along with "Paired Rhythm." In Hop-logical interaction, The speed of one's action is not yours alone, if a successful application is a goal. Mr. Parker and I used the "Pool Table Analogy" to explain why these things are so important. "Everybody looks good playing Air Guitar, but things change when you have to perform with a real guitar and play music with others."

Hand position

 (recently posted on Facebook by Mr. Tatum)

In terms of where your hands should be in an attack is Subjective to where your hands are at the time which is determined by your environment and body position.

If for instance your hands are down to your sides and your attacker pushes towards your chest, then you can use Parting Wings from your hand's point of origin.

If your hands are already up to your first height zone and the attacker reaches towards your waist your hands, then can drop to Hooking Wings from their point of origin.

If you try to move your hands from the sides to do Hooking Wings you are then moving from your point of origin to another point of origin to drop onto the arms of your attacker. In terms of your circles, you are also moving on the Upside of the circle to then make contact on the downside. This takes more time.

Moving from one point of origin allows one to move on the Downside from bottom to top and top to bottom.

Top to bottom would be Hooking Wings.

Two things to consider, most of the Kenpo techniques consider the downside. If they don't then react to the idea phase of an attack with your hands positioned FOR the downside.

In Five Swords your hands are at your sides then you are likely to use a Thrusting inward block because it moves to meet the strike on the downside of the circle.

If your hands are already up, then you are more likely to use a dropping Hammering Inward Block because it moves on the downside from top to bottom.

In Evading the storm, you move the circle to blend with the strike by stepping offline with your left leg. Your angel of defection meets the strike on the downside of the circle. Your block should not travel to your left side and then back over to meet on the downside, that is wasted time.

So, the Downside is the key to how you respond. Keeping this mind, you can now go back to the techniques that start from the hands-down position and reinsert this Principle.

Chinese and Japanese characters on original crest - translation

Just to confuse things, and I suppose I would need someone with a knowledge of how things work with both Chinese and Japanese characters, but I guess a lot of Chinese and Japanese characters are the same? Or they are all the same? I don't know.

But this is what comes up as the translations for the characters on the original KKAA and IKKA crests when I put them in Google translator as Chinese and then as Japanese.

Chinese - 

龍 虎 精 神 - (Lónghǔ jīngshén) - dragon and tiger spirit

拳 法 唐 手 - (Quánfǎ táng shǒu) - boxing tang hand (as in the Tang dynasty)

Japanese -

龍 虎 精 神 - (Ryūko seishin) - dragon tiger spirit

拳 法 唐 手 - (kenpo karate) - kenpo karate (also fist method karate)

A story about "secret knowledge"

(recently told on Facebook by Mr. Chapel)

Having a conversation with Mr. Parker over dinner can yield insights not found on the mat. A young student came up, (a Kahuna size no-no when he's eating), and wanted to ask a question. He said, "Mr. Parker where did you get all the secret knowledge you teach." Mr. Parker replied quietly, "Son, there are no secrets." The young man thanked Mr. Parker and walked away, and then He leaned toward me and said, "There are no secrets, but there is a whole lot of stuff they don't know." He smiled and continued, "To call something a secret is to imply that information is being withheld from you that otherwise would be readily available. It's always easier to excuse what you don't know as somebody else's fault for not giving it to you when education is a product of your own efforts."