Saturday, January 23, 2010

Three Categories and Kisae Kempo

Like most forms of Kempo/Kenpo, Kisae Kempo has three main categories.
These three categories are Basics, Prearranged Drills and Freesparring.

Basics are about developing confidence to strike, kicks, block and step.
They come in various forms such as individual techniques, sets of techniques, and forms.

Prearranged Drills may also be called ‘Self-Defense’ techniques. In Kisae they are trained to develop a willingness to defend oneself with full speed and power.

Freesparring is used to develop the ability to effectively adapt to the unpredictable and ever changing environment of unrehearsed personal conflict.

In some ways, freesparring may be thought of as a twisted game of tag that uses Basics done at half power and less than full speed. Full power and speed are reserved for Prearranged Drills.

Without prejudice

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Superior Blocking

When I was a beginner in the martial arts; I blocking was both painful and ineffective. I just couldn't get the hang of it. The idea of having an airtight defence was pretty cool. The idea of being totally in control just escaped me.

After years of instruction and more years of practice, I realize something. I was trying way too hard.

Here is a video of two guys practising something called 'sticky hands'. This video shows an excellent example of the guy on the right having total control and confidence. It works for me.




Without prejudice


Sunday, January 10, 2010

Training and Exercise

January 10 2010

Training and Exercise


I first trained in the martial arts for self defense. At that time my teachers believed that beginners shouldn’t be hit. Once a beginner had developed a certain skill, something called ‘light contact’ would be introduced. After a student had progressed passed a certain level, they would be hitting and allow themselves to be hit harder and harder.

The thinking was that hitting and being hit, being fit and being aggressive would develop a confident and competent fighter.


That was the theory…


What actually transpired was different.


When I started, there was almost no contact. My first exposure to Kempo was really cool. I can still see Mr. Leishman drill Ms. Berizan in the reverse roundhouse kick. The free sparring was exciting and the sessions very intense. I’d often leave the studio exhausted.

At that time, training and exercise were indistinguishable.

As time passed, I was sure I could defend myself and there was no question as to my fitness level. The level of contact progressed and I was willing to hit and even be hit.


It came as quite a shock when I got mugged. Suddenly, all my training was gone and I escaped from the situation more by luck than skill.

That shook me to my core that did. So I went back to the school and trained even harder.


After I had progressed even further, life happened and I changed provinces and thus, schools. The new school was very different. There, training in the skill of martial arts was different than being physically fit.

The teacher who ran things then was a big man. Not heavy but tall and filled out. He was friendly yet demanding. I tried hard to learn everything he had to offer. He had a profound influence on me. The concept that sparring and fighting were nearly indistinguishable came mostly from him.


I found I was dividing my time between fitness activities like running, resistance training and stretching and the Martial Arts.


My teachers changed as my training progressed and one day I found myself free sparring with this tiny little pot bellied fellow. I was at the top of my game. He was just coming off a four year hiatus.

He kicked my ass…No way to color that as anything other than an ass whupping.

So I started training with him. When he started back, he could not have cared less about the fitness level of his students. I was lucky enough to learn from him at that time.


As the years have passed, I found I had to go my own way. I realized that fighting and sparring are two different concepts. Fighting is a much more complex activity and can have a longer lasting negative impact. Fighting is also a much shorter activity. A fight can be over very quickly. Even the reasons a fight takes place are different from free sparring. Basically, the demands of fighting and the demands of free sparring are two different (yet similar) sets of demands.

Something else I learned. For me, the twin concepts of training and fitness do complement each other. They are, however, both different from each other too.


Without prejudice

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Welcome

January 08 2009
Hello and Welcome to my blog.

My Nic

‘MrE2Me2’ literally means – Mystery to Me Too- as in, it’s a mystery to me too that I didn’t end up dead or incarcerated. My nic comes from the fact that I took terrible risks when I was younger and I was lucky enough to have survived them.

In real Time

I have trained in the Martial Arts since I was a child. I have trained in Kempo (in one form or another) since I was a young man.

My Art

Kisae means: ‘Keep It Simple and Effective’
Kempo means: Way or Law of the Fist


K.I.S.A.E. Kempo is a hybrid art. It is primarily a striking art. There are three primary categories that Kisae is comprised of. These would be basics, free sparring and prearranged two man drills.

Basics include punching, kicking, stepping and blocking; the building blocks of my art.

Free sparring includes several types of very light unrehearsed combative activity. There is the usual practice combat between two participants. I have also included Wing Chun sticky hand drills here as they are also unrehearsed.

Prearranged two man drills are just that. Both practitioners know what is going. They know when it is coming and where. This is also where resistance and full power may be applied in a safer and saner manner.

Each category has both technical and tactical knowledge.

It should be noted

I have nothing against grappling. In fact, if I have any say in the matter, I will not be touched, grabbed, throw or in any way grappled with. I believe that to be grabbed can be every bit as dangerous as hitting.

On the Net

This isn’t my first foray on the net. I used to have a ‘yahoo’ website’ until they shut down that part of their service. I do have a site a ‘YouTube’ and I’m an administrator at a forum called Moh Kempo Martial Arts, it’s mainly dedicated to practitioners and former practitioners of a form of Kempo called Moh.

MrE2Me2 at YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrE2Me2

MrE2Me2 at the forum called ‘Moh Kempo Martial Arts’
http://templekungforum.14.forumer.com/

Without prejudice