There are three forms of Pushing Hands drills that we practice in Shaolin Kempo. The first is similar to but not exactly like the Tai Chi version. The second form (or the one we teach first) is called Sticky Hands. Finally, there is Rolling Hands. This family of exercise drills teaches us how to relax and flow with the opponent’s energy and momentum. It forces us to relax and not force our attacks and defenses. In gentleness there is victory. In overbearing strength there is loss.
Push hands drill of Tai Chi
The Pushing Hands drill works on uprooting your partner through fluid motion of push and pull. Doing this drill develops the familiarity with the wave of force generated with pushing and pulling. It also helps you learn how to redirect that force into your opponent or cause your opponent to flow with it thereby uprooting himself.
The Sticky Hands drill works on uprooting your partner by striking and blocking from a set position. The wrists must stick together, hence the name. Sensitivity to the opponent’s center of gravity and their balance is achieved by working this drill with your eyes closed.
The Rolling Hands drill works with applying locks and traps within this flowing dynamic. The goal is to get a wrist or arm lock on your opponent before they do, while avoiding strikes and being uprooted. In this drill the feet can move, usually to help your own lock or to slip out of one being placed upon you.
All of these drills work with maintaining contact to the opponent and sensing the stability of your opponent’s balance. The goal to resolving conflicts is to uproot or unbalance your opponent. This allows you to control their actions and end the fight. This is the third step of conflict resolution — defend, distract, unbalance.
What are other benefits of these types of drills? Elaborate in the comment section.
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Last night in class, we had a case of slippery socks. A student was cold, after all it is raining in San Diego, a cold rain. Slippery socks can be used as a training tool. Use it to adjust to slippery conditions of an unknown combat situation.
She retorted that she would just pick where to fight or defend herself. Alas, that is not an option in self-defense. The situation picks you regardless of the suitability of the terrain.
So when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When training gives you difficulties, make it a learning experience.
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I’ve followed the news on this story regarding the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti. There is massive loss of life to a devastating degree. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Haitians and to all the aid workers who are doing their best in tragic and difficult circumstances.
I ask all my readers to take a this opportunity to send donations to aid organizations. The American Red Cross is one and Doctors without Borders is another good org. You can also use Charity Navigator to find and evaluate other charitable organizations more along the lines of your personal beliefs or affiliations.
If there are any martial artist or dojos in Haiti that need help, this would be a great opportunity to show support to the martial arts community.
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“Gaseous Expansion is the concept of ‘filling the volume’ of the defensive situation at hand.” (Quoted from Advanced American Kenpo Concepts article on Gaseous Expansion)
It is the natural adaptations to the chain of events that occur once a defensive situation begins. By altering small aspects of your technique, you can adapt your reaction to the opponent’s reaction. You flow into the cavities of their reactions and counter-reactions to control them to your end goal. In our case, the end goal is immobilization, submission or destruction.
Your expanded awareness of the environment is just as important as understanding the biomechnical cause and effect of your techniques. In short, the gaseous expansion investigation is exploring many of the “what if”s of a confrontation. Having only read their explanation of the concept, I can not replicate their actual drills or methods for exploration. It would be best to seek out a seminar on American Kenpo Karate theories and application to learn more about this concept.
How does it adapt to our art? When we first learn a technique, it is done slowly, step by step. Then it evolves into a smoother version. Then the strikes and levers begin to make sense, making it run smoother on various body types. Then the uke moves “unconventionally” and we adapt. Then we expand the situation to engage and conquer, where we complete the technique by immobilization, submission or destruction — not just getting away. It is at this point that we investigate and flow further using “gaseous expansion”.
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Over the years, perhaps decades, I’ve notice a trend in marital arts uniforms. Back when I started training there were two choices, black or the white gi (karate uniform). The sleeves usually came down to your wrist and the pant legs stopped at the ankles.
For many arts, the traditional length of pants and sleeves are different from this manufactured standard. In our school we call it Hawaiian style. The pant legs stop just below the calf muscle — high water height. Sleeves stop at the mid-forearm — 3/4 sleeve or softball length. This is the classical look of many Karateka.
Recently, I noticed a lot of schools are allowing students to have their pant lets drag on the floor. The pant legs are so long they reach or pass the heel. Likewise, the sleeves fall to the mid-hand or knuckles. It makes students look as if they’re wearing their parents’ uniform. I’ve also seen uniform jackets without sleeves, exposing the upper arm.
The benefit of having high water pants and short sleeves is ease during training. When you kick, shorter pant length keeps the pants from catching on one’s foot. Shorter sleeves allow you to execute arm- and wrist-locks without catching on the long sleeve. It also helps those watching and learning to see what the instructor is doing to the joint.
At the end of the day, the individual must choose which style they like. It’s really a case of appearance over function. So are you a high water or carpet dragger?
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Last week, the entire school took the two-day belt test and all passed. Congratulations to everyone who are now higher ranks and thank you to those who helped make the test a success.
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In traditional Karazenpo go Shinjutsu (KGS), you bring your new belt and new uniform to the ocean. Soak them in the ocean water. Let the water saturate the belt and uniform. This blesses them with the spirit of the ocean and provides you with the strength of the seas. This is called the Hawaiian Blessing. It’s a wonderful custom that was forgotten by many schools and instructors.
Black belt takes time
Another custom of KGS is twisting the belt. Twisting of the newly awarded belt takes some of the newness out of it. Usually, they come out of the wrapper and into the hands of the recently advanced student. The belts are stiff and nearly untieable. The twisting or breaking-in of the belt signifies the efforts you put into training. It also represents the fact that you are not new even though you have a new rank.
During Black Belt ceremonies, there is a custom of breathing into belts. Breathing into the belt transmits the spirit of the Testing Board into the new belt. The master or grandmaster put a bit of their knowledge into your belt. The belt (also known as obi) represents your knowledge of the art and loyalty to the school. This custom links you spiritually to the lineage of your ancestral teachers.
Black Belts also have another custom issued by the master. Getting hit by the belt signifies the combat element of the art. It demonstrates you can take punishment and hardship. The ceremonial hit also symbolically tempers the spirit, forging your perseverance and reminding you of humility.
Finally, newly ranked Black Belts drink a shot of saki when the Testing Board presents it. This ceremonial drink represents camaraderie–sharing a drink with your fellow students. You are now a member of the Yudansha, the Black Belts of the school. You have earned the right to represent the school because of your diligence in training and skill in techniques.
These are some of the more interesting customs found in Karazenpo go Shinjutsu. There are undoubtedly more. Does your school have a custom? Tell us about it in the comments.
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Mayan Families is a non-profit run by Unitarian Universalists working with indigenous Mayans in Guatemala. Sponsor a child to go to school, feed a family, provide water filters and fuel-efficient stoves, repair classrooms, and ensure animal welfare. To learn about sponsorships, service trips, and volunteer opportunities visit www.mayanfamilies.org or email info at mayanfamilies dot org.
This organization helps people directly. It children, mothers and the local community with their basic needs. Making a difference starts with just a small donation. $150 gets a child a year of school, supplies and shoes. Take time this season to give a little of what you’ve been blessed with.
I’ll return next week with a new article. This week has been log jammed with testing and other sundry tasks. Thank you for your patience.
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Now that review classes are over, it’s time to start testing. Kata and weapon defenses need the most consistent work so keep up on those. For the best impression, come to the test in a full gi with the school patch sewn on.
Sorry about not posting the last few days. Illnesses at home and a full travel schedule has precluded me from regular posting.
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Kajukenbo was found in 1947 combining western boxing, judo, jujutsu, kenpo karate, Tang Soo Do and kung fu. Brief histories of this art can be found here and here. Grandmaster Sonny Gascon trained in Kajukenbo and developed Karazenpo go Shinjutsu. Read about it here. This would eventually transform into Shaolin Kempo Karate.
Some would argue that the arts are so divergent that they are not just different arts but unrelated arts. I think the problem stems from a typical Shaolin Kempo Karate (SKK) practice, allowing lightly training Black Belts to run schools. Often times, these ambitious and enthusiastic students jump at the opportunity to run a school. The problem is they aren’t proficient enough in the art or do they know enough about the history. To be fair, I too didn’t know about our actual roots. I did however take the time to learn what I could.
My knowledge of Kajuenbo is not thorough but I feel I know enough to make comparisons. Like SKK, Kajukenbo’s curriculum is set up with katas, combinations (called punch counters), weapon defenses and escapes (called grab arts). Kajukenbo’s 21 punch counters (PCs) are the parent techniques of most Combinations and Kempos in SKK. Here’s a quick reference for you all.
- PC1-4 and 17 are Combo 6 variants
- PC6 is a Combo 4 variant
- PC8 and 10 are Kempos I got at Black Belt
- PC19 is Combo 7 done opposite (kick with left)
- PC20 is Combo 8 without blocks
- PC21 is Combo 30, the beginning only
The other PCs (5, 7, 9, and 11 through 18) are club and knife techniques or Kempo variants. Some rarer Kempos and higher-level Combinations are similar to or copy of Kenpo Karate. I don’t have a comparative list now but that would be a great benefit for the records. I assume this developed during the early 60s when Prof. Cerio met with GM Chow and other Kenpo practitioners. Or it could be a parallel development based on core concepts.
Kajukenbo also has 14 kata* called Pinans or Monkey Dances, depending on when you learned them. GM Gascon added six to eight new katas to this list during a formative stage at his school. The first five eventually evolved into Kata 1 to 5 in the Shaolin Kempo Karate system. I believe the rest were forgotten or lost to antiquity. This is the main reason many Kajuenbo artists don’t recognize the SKK kata — because they were late additions to Karazenpo Go Shinjustu.
Have opinions or other examples? Let me know in the comments below.
* There are some traditional schools of Kajukenbo that have 26 kata.
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