This article suggests that there are things you can do to personalize your  kenpo, while still keeping Parker’s original framework intact.  These ideas will keep your training from becoming stagnant and remind you that kenpo was created to flow in multiple directions.



Ed Parker always professed that one should customize kenpo to fit his personality and body type. For example, if a technique demands that you strike an opponent’s jaw with a horizontal elbow and you’re too short to do so, you can shift to using a horizontal elbow to the solar plexus. The technique is the same; the weapon has just been lowered a bit.

High Kneel and Reverse Bow
Many kenpo techniques, such as “twisted twig,” have you position yourself into a reverse bow while executing a hammerfist to the groin. Consider replacing the reverse bow with the high kneel when “running” certain  techniques. You might feel faster and lighter on your feet. As you slam into a high kneel from a neutral position, it will channel power into your hammerfist.
The reverse bow can still be utilized with a hammerfist strike, but practicing both on the same technique will increase your effectiveness.

Jointlocks
Jointlocks are sprinkled throughout kenpo and they serve a purpose when woven into the striking aspects of the style. For enhancement, make a descriptive list of just the jointlocks. If you’ve learned other jointlocks, make them a part of your list. Practice the jointlocks on partners. In time you will see how this enhances your techniques and increases your ability to flow even smoother and quicker.

Practice executing a technique that contains a jointlock. As you reach the jointlock, have it fail halfway through. When this happens, initiate striking, focusing on the nearest targets. Your mindset of a joint lock always being completed within a technique will now give you more understanding of uncompleted jointlocks. 

The defender’s experience, strength or knowledge often keeps the jointlock from being completed or effective. When an attacker grabs your wrist with tremendous strength and control, he has the advantage. To eliminate yourself from his position of strength, move into the start of a jointlock—without completing it—and deliver strikes to his vital spots with your other arm and/or knee.

Ground Techniques
Although kenpo contains manipulation skills, it does not focus mainly on grappling. Kenpo is formulated for fast, multiple striking with grappling interwoven within the techniques. The debate between kenpo experts over whether or to include ground techniques is a non-issue. If you have a physical confrontation every week, yes, you should practice ground techniques. But the majority of kenpo experts rarely, if ever, become part of a physical confrontation. Meaning that learning groundfighting is not mandatory.

But, if you are going to create ground techniques with your kenpo knowledge, or select ground techniques from another martial art to fill out your kenpo system, make sure they are moves that will get you back on your feet in a few seconds. Otherwise, you may still be on the ground trying to apply the latest grappling move while the attacker’s buddies are coming onto the scene.

The principle is not to entangle yourself with someone on the ground. You’re a kenpoist, so use kenpo moves. Many of the kenpo moves will work on the ground with some modifications. “Parting Wings,” a technique for a front two-hand shove to your shoulders, can also be a ground technique. Start by lying on your back. Your opponent is sitting on your body and has you in a choke position. Here’s what to do: Shoot your arms between his arms with double outward blocks (1). Deliver a right palm heel strike to his left floating rib (2). Follow with a left palm heel or hammerfist strike to his solar plexus (3). Grab his right arm or clothing with your left hand and pull his face further toward you. At the same time, deliver a right half-fist to the throat or a finger spear jab to his eye (4). Bend your right knee up, turning your body to the left, and pull and push him off you (5). As his side hits the ground, use more kenpo moves—a simultaneous front snap kick to groin with a fingerjab to his eye (6). With practice, the whole move should take no more than three seconds.

Hooking Principle
Kenpoists are familiar with hooking the arm out of the way, but many forget the technique of hooking the ankle. The hooking principle is effective in standing techniques. Whether the attacker initiates a right or left front snap kick makes no difference in your ability to a hook. For example, you are in a left fighting stance and your attacker is also in a left fighting stance. He offers a right front snap kick to your body (1). Counter with a left downward block  (2). Immediately turn your hand clockwise and, while forming a hook with your hand, grab his ankle and pull (3). 
Depending on the strength of your pull, he will either land in a wide stance, unbalanced, or fall. This gives you time to let loose with multiple strikes and kicks, or you can turn and strike his inner ankle with your right foot for a sweep (if he’s still standing). 

Hooking principle, on ground attacking direction of legs:
If you are in a confrontation and you wind up on the ground on your back, the first thing you do as you hit the ground is to draw your legs in towards your body in a defensive position. The attacker, confident, comes in towards you and you lash out with a right side thrust to his shin, and he jerks his body back in pain. But he quickly recovers and now he’s very cautious as he approaches you. This is not good for you with only one strike given and now he regards you as a potential threat.

What if you had squashed his attack with your first line of defense? Repeat. You’re on your back in a defensive position and the attacker, filled with confidence, comes toward you. His right foot steps close enough for a retaliatory action (1).  In one motion, you “hook” behind his ankle with your left instep and give a curved strike to his kneecap with the heel of your right foot (2). Your right leg comes back with a strike to the side and back of his knee as your left instep pulls. Done correctly, he will fall onto his face (3). Other moves include a right downward heel to the back of the knee; a right downward heel to the spine; or right heel thrust to his floating ribs.

Hooking Principle     
You’re on your back and he fires a right front snap kick to the left side of your head. Open with a left outward block to his ankle as you turn onto your left side (1). With your left hand hook behind his ankle and pull as you deliver a right horizontal forearm strike to the inside of his right knee (2). Holding onto his ankle, shift into position and deliver a right wheel kick to his groin (3). The point here is that you do not allow your attacker to back off before you can give effective defensive strikes or moves against him.

Shadowboxing
Kata or forms are great if you like to practice them. They have value, but only if you feel challenged. If you feel you need more variety and some rest from kata, the next logical progression in your martial arts self-defense training might be shadowboxing? Here’s how it works.

Stand in the middle of your training area and close your eyes. See with your mind’s eye that you are fighting various attackers with all sorts of attacks. Open your eyes and continue seeing in your mind that various thugs are attacking you. Now move fast for 30 seconds, fighting your opponents and envisioning not only their attacks, but also their reaction to your defense. Be creative with your defense moves.

What does this form of martial arts shadowboxing do for you?  For one, it’s excellent for practicing alone. You sharpen your edge in swiftness and spontaneous usage of your defense skills; your favorite and most-useful techniques will be honed to a razor’s edge.

I was honored to have grandmaster Parker test me for my brown belt. I learned Ed Parker kenpo techniques up to black belt. Prior to that, I earned up to black belt in Tracy Kenpo, with three of those belts coming under Al Tracy himself.

Over the years I have stayed away from the limelight and enjoyed teaching as an  instructor at local community centers and privately at my home dojo. I have learned much in my study of martial arts and am now retired, although I still teaching privately. I call my adaptation of kenpo “AKJ/Kenpo. The standing techniques are the same with minor modifications. Ground techniques and jointlocks are part of my kenpo curriculum.

I have taken grandmaster Parker’s words to heart. Kenpo is a living, breathing entity that can only be enhance by adding to your repertoire.

Bio
Robert Mc Dowell is a long-time kenpo instructor who has studied under grandmasters Ed Parker and Al Tracy.