American Kenpo - Is it really any good for self-defense?

[Sami Ibrahim]

Interesting. If nothing else, I think that Kenpo principles could be applied to any style to good effect.

BTW, what exactly are "checks"? I've heard that term but I don't totally understand it.

What a Check does on a basic level is that it interferes with the opponent's ability to move in one or more of the dimensions of Height, Width and Depth but this tends to be only a momentary delay. So their are many kinds of checks, pinning checks, positional checks, rolling checks, frictional checks, slap checks, you can even check off zones by pulling, pushing and with various strike impacts. I will give you some examples.

Pulling diagonally down on a high lead arm, to put weight on the front leg and temporarily keep the opponent from using his rear side arm and leg to attack will limit his actions to a degree, this is usually done simultaneously with an attack. Stepping on the foot to momentarily keep it from kicking would be an example of a pinning check, Rolling your body on the opponent's arm and shoulder as you fire a spinning elbow would be an example of a rolling check, there are many more some really need to be felt to understand their value but they generally all do the same thing which is limit the possibilities the opponent can use to attack you while your in the process of destroying them.

 

[Clinchster]

As a younger man I was completely convinced Kempo was nearly unbeatable after watching "The Perfect Weapon." I was just thinking about the other thread not long ago and laughing about how gullible I was lapping up everything I read in Black Belt magazine so many years ago. It never occurred to me that there were styles of Karate which were questionable in origin or design, as I have gotten older, I have definitely become more rigid in my opinions.

I think we could all develop our own styles of martial arts and make them somewhat applicable with enough repetition to an extent, some would obviously have more success than others depending on direction of style and time in grade. Its ultimately the man, not the style, but I believe some styles may be better than others.

I like this. One, the intro to perfect weapon where he's beating the shit outta the air to SNAP'S "I've got the power." is fuckin fantastic Iconic 90's kungfu lol. Two, I also agree that everyone has somewhat their own style. In martial arts, we use our body to get things done and sense everyone has a different body with it's own limitations (some more so, some less so than others) you're gonna see different ways of doing things. I think martial arts, more so than almost anything, should live by the creed of "There is no wrong or right way of doing things, just what works and what doesn't."

 

[Clinchster]

I like how you didn't just double post you triple posted. Anyway if you spent that much time on training it is no longer for self defense whether something that dictates your entire life. Anyone truly serious about their own self defense will carry pepper spray,taser,firearm etc and learn to use it.

While this is true, often times people become lax in their perception and threat assessment when they carry a gun.....after all, a gun wins a fist fight anytime right? No need to worry about those two thugs walking towards you, you have a gun, you're safe right? See where i'm goin with this? (and i'm not saying YOU do this, just that SOME people do.) A gun is only effective if it is actually deployed, and we have to remember deploying one escalates things exponentially and we can't forget there is a lawyer attached to each bullet you fire! With all this said, we don't know what the threat will look like, when it will happen, what all it's going to entail....etc etc. So good ol fashion fisticuffs training is pretty important because one can never be sure you'll be able to deploy your weapon and with no defense skills to fall back on without a gun, your goose is cooked.

 

[DoctorTaco]

While this is true, often times people become lax in their perception and threat assessment when they carry a gun.....after all, a gun wins a fist fight anytime right? No need to worry about those two thugs walking towards you, you have a gun, you're safe right? See where i'm goin with this? (and i'm not saying YOU do this, just that SOME people do.) A gun is only effective if it is actually deployed, and we have to remember deploying one escalates things exponentially and we can't forget there is a lawyer attached to each bullet you fire! With all this said, we don't know what the threat will look like, when it will happen, what all it's going to entail....etc etc. So good ol fashion fisticuffs training is pretty important because one can never be sure you'll be able to deploy your weapon and with no defense skills to fall back on without a gun, your goose is cooked.

so in this scenario you beat up two muggers at once?

 

[Clinchster]

so in this scenario you beat up two muggers at once?

No, it was more to illustrate how people can get lazy in their threat assessment carrying a gun. Guns are good, great tools, the ultimate equalizers. That said (and remember this is my opinion.) I'm not sure you want to forsake martial arts training for just gun training. You can't carry a gun everywhere you go, Also, using a gun in self defense presents its own set of unique problems; Within the law (it's weird, but true), and within proximity. (civilians and collateral damage.) I share your same idea in the sense that "A gun is the best form of self defense." but my caveat to that is "It's the best form of self defense in some situations."
For instance, 80 yr old gammy num nums down the street goes to the bank, she is approached by 3 strangers who demand her money and she doesn't plan on giving them her purse...one of them draws a knife and ol' gammy draws her gun and scares them off.....in this instance, a gun is likely the ONLY thing that would've worked in such fashion.....she's certainly not breaking bad with her wing chung and dispatching 3 youngsters......I could give more examples of the pros and cons of guns, but I think you get what i'm saying. (even if you don't agree.)