Let’s Talk Kenpo Structure

(by Ron Chapel Ph. D. msuacf.com 10-19-16)

Excerpts from the Diary of a “Mad” Martial Scientist

Understanding Human Structure

 Over your lifetime beginning when you first began to have control of your body, you have performed various tasks, and in that process created synaptic pathways to the brain that support these many physical activities. Most of them are unconsciously engrained into your muscle memory and autonomic nervous system. You body can work efficiently when your body “senses” the need to use or overcome resistance, or inefficiently if you make a conscious decision to do something that contradicts sound body mechanics.

Most are “trained” into using poor body mechanics and in many cases have over-ridden and created “bad” synaptic pathways for inefficient and body damaging physical movement.

The human body is a great machine if you listen to it. Unfortunately for many, they have stop listening and retrained it so poorly; they can no longer “hear” what it is saying. You have forced yourself into “Disassociated Anatomical Movement.”

In Martial Science, much like other sciences, there is a direct cause and effect to all activity. Martial Science draws on many different scientific disciplines, but all are in some way related to one another through the conduit of human anatomy. There exists a significant cause and effect interaction between all the many parts of human anatomy whether static or in motion. In any examination of the many martial postures and their transitions, the efficacy of its many positions are predicated upon, among many factors, weight distribution and an exacting posture relative to the physical activity at hand.

The relative position of the feet to each other, and their movement, also significantly determines whether structural integrity is created or maintained. Let’s discuss for a moment structural integrity in posture, movement, and weight distribution. Any variations in these categories beyond proper anatomical posture can diminish or enhance effectiveness on multiple levels offensively or defensively.

How you move your body in its entirety, and arms, feet, and even the head in particular, in martial science affects the stability of the complete body for a variety of reasons. For most this probably is not news. However what is probably “new” information to most is that some of the basic things taught in most “martial arts” fall quite comfortably into the negative and inefficient category. Surprisingly their effectiveness can be demonstrated to be much less than perceived. That is, when these things are tested in the light of reality, they fall well short of their well-intended goals. Lets us define efficiency relative to human physical activity in general, and martial science in particular.

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http://msuacf.com/lets-talk-kenpo-structure/

Elvis, Mr. Parker, and John Conway

(photo from Skip Hancock's Facebook page, date and location unknown)

What's With All the Attempts?

(by Ron Chapel Ph. D. msuacf.com 10-19-16)

It seems that most teach, “Every attack is an attempt,” and the answer is always to “Move first.” This point of view is prevalent in a lot of kenpo interpretations to mask the lack of knowledge of teachers who do not have the answers to completed assaults, or by those who have never considered the reality of the Psychology of Confrontation over just following what some teach as “the” kenpo curriculum.

When I have broached this perspective with “motion” people, they have said that “I don’t believe in defending before, or during an attack,” which is ludicrous, and it astounds me that someone might entertain that notion.

Certainly given the opportunity, one should neutralize any threat as soon as possible, even taking the offensive when it is appropriate. Multiple decades as a street cop have made me acutely aware of reality over, “techniques done on the mat at the school.”

Kenpo-Karate based on motion has degenerated to that level because of the dearth of competent instructors ever since the first generation of black belts Mr. Parker recruited to teach his commercial curriculum. They knew what worked in reality and ignored or changed what did not, all with Mr. Parker’s approval.

(for the rest of the article please follow the link)

http://msuacf.com/attempted-attacks/

Mr. Speakman

(photo from the Kenpo Hall of Fame Facebook page)

Nice photo of Mr. Speakman.

The Four Stages Of Anatomical Indexing

(by Ron Chapel Ph. D. msuacf.com 10-19-16)

Or; Anatomical Indexing versus “motion master keys”

I. Stage One – Alphabetic
This is the preliminary physical stage of learning in any physical activity, where the alphabet “letters” or basics are learned and “pronounced” singularly and properly in preparation for the next stage of learning.

II. Stage Two – Phonetic
This is the secondary stage of learning in any physical activity. It stresses the basics of proper [url=http://sublevelkenpo.org/moodle/mod/book/view.php?id=3″]execution[/url] and constant physical correction, anatomical alignment and structural integrity, as its primary function. Its primary goal is to begin the process of training the body, and creating muscle memory and synaptic pathways associated with the activity in preparation for the next stage of development. Here the term “Phonetic Basics” is appropriate to distinguish what is learned from more expeditious and intuitive action to come later in one’s development.

III. Stage Three – Script/Cursive
Here the movements began to take on a more fluid look as the mind and body becomes comfortable with the activity. The “corners are rounded” although the movements are still significantly large and pronounced as we execute with a flowing, smooth, and unhesitating action. It can be compared to drawing a square as opposed to drawing a “circle.” A circle may be drawn rather quickly but a square takes more time. The square is phonetic, while the circle is scripted movement.

(for the rest of the article please follow the link)

http://msuacf.com/the-four-stages-of-anatomical-indexing/

Early photos of Mr. Parker

(photos from Ed Parker Jr.'s Facebook page, date and location unknown)

A couple of rarely seen photos of Mr. Parker in the early days.

Where’s Kenpo’s Waldo?

(by Ron Chapel Ph. D. msuacf.com 10-19-16)

Where’s Control Manipulation?

Let’s talk about the four distances of combat as defined by Ed Parker in his Encyclopedia, and how they relate to each other and exactly where “Control Manipulation” actually resides, because clearly it is not included in the definition used by Ed Parker’s Kenpo Karate.

I was taught there are subcategories to all four of the well known ranges of Kenpo-Karate, with each range as you progressively get closer to your attacker, encompassing additional concepts and principles, and still including all of the previous ones. Thus, the fourth range contains all of the other range principles of combat, as well as those exclusive to the fourth range itself.

This somewhat counters the “different stages of action” perspective some have adopted because of a lack of information regarding the full scope of Ed Parker’s Range definitions. Although it is true varying “ranges” can dictate the availability of various fighting tools at ones disposal, they do not dictate or restrict beyond simple physical limitations normally associated with human physical interaction.

Ed Parker Sr. defined the four ranges as 1; out of reach/range, 2; within reach/range, 3; Contact Penetration, and 4; Contact Manipulation. Each of these ranges in my teaching have extensive subcategory information that must be learned en route to a full, and advanced level understanding of the science.

From a motion-based Kenpo-Karate perspective, “Control” could be seen as a subcategory of “Contact Manipulation.” Because most of this information is not included in Ed Parker’s Kenpo-Karate, the subcategories become significantly important to the higher levels of the science of execution.

(for the rest of the article please follow the link)

http://msuacf.com/wheres-kenpos-waldo/