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The Snake Fist Form

matt — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:22:55 +0000

Special thanks to Mark Golden for submitting this video, created by the folks at Collings Martial Arts. This is the Snake Fist form, given at 4th degree black belt at that school. I think they did a good job with the multi-camera angle to get a good feel for the form.

Does anybody want any martial arts magazines?

matt — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:57:37 +0000

I’m moving, so as I pack, I’m parting with a lot of stuff. I’ve accumulated a bunch of old (but not classic) martial arts magazines, and I’m ready to get rid of them. Does anybody want a pile of older Inside Kung Fu, Black Belt, Kung-fu/Qigong magazines? I’d like to pass them along instead of taking them to the dump. Preference goes to folks that will take the whole bunch, and folks close enough to do a pickup / deliver. I am willing to ship them, but it might cost a few bucks as it’s probably 30-40 magazines. Of course I’ve already sorted out the ones with Kenpo / Kempo articles, since I’m keeping them. Send in info through the ‘contact Matt’ form if you are interested.

Limb Destruction

Marlon — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:57:12 +0000

I have certainly been neglecting teaching and to a certain extent training myself in limb destruction. To be sure we work breaks and locks all the time..it is our kempo. However,our system has this built into it as seen in some of the combinations, i.e. 5, 16, 21, 24, 26, 27,30, 32,35… but to really train it as a reflex and part of primary and secondary target selection…I am a bit remiss. Unlike 27 and 23 and other techniques that trap and do something to the limb, there is an aspect of fighting that involves targeting nerve centers in the arms and legs as well as muscle groups that I recognize as limb destruction (yes Master Dwire I realize that the goshin jitsu way of blocking in combination 6 constitutes limb destruction as well… :) ) It is a valuable tool that I realize I do not train enough..Time to correct that, n’est pas. Does anyone here specifically train the swift direct attack to a limb as I described above or do we all concentrate mainly on joints and elbows as secondary targets? It will be sore for all of us but i am asking the higher ranking students to regularly work on this to make it a more natural target. This as opposed to the more common and perfectly legitimate downward strike to the incoming limb.
I like to take lessons from the forms and the combinations and techniques that are specific. A good combo or technique on its own should be an effective fighting response. Yet, there are specific skill sets being taught, as well, that are valuable to work on outside the context of a set technique. This is a good way to integrate the indexed knowledge into my fighting ability…and flow. it helps me make my kempo more ‘alive’ including the forms, btw.

Professor Kimo moves to Connecticut

matt — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 02:19:42 +0000

My friend and mentor from Hawaii, Professor Kimo Ferreira has moved to Connecticut for the time being. He’s working out of the Valley Shore martial arts dojo, and will be more active on the East Coast. For details, contact Valley Shore Martial Arts. His Hawaii school still exists, and is in the hands of his local senior belts. For more info, feel free to contact Keith Tubman at Valley Shore Martial Arts. I’ll be visiting Connecticut more frequently in the upcoming months.

Nick Cerio’s Kenpo Canada(?)

matt — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:27:23 +0000

Clermont Poulin is no longer on the NCK board, but has apparently created a video of NCK for youtube. Here it is:

Finally: Video for 5 kata

matt — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:27:23 +0000

In an oversight, I forgot to do 5 kata on that day in 2003 that I ran through all the forms (at least the videos with me in them) that made it up on this site. Well, a couple years later, my friend Russ moved down south, so in 2005 I made a quick film to help him practice. I did remember 5 kata this time. The hard drive with that video died, but luckily, I found a copy of the DVD I made for him and was able to get the video back off. So, we now have (about ten years late) a video for 5 kata.

Seminar with Professor Kimo Moved

matt — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:44:52 +0000

Due to excellent response, Cape Cod Martial Arts Academy has moved the seminar with Professor Kimo and Jesse Dwire. It’s a few minutes up the road at the Sheraton Eastham. I’m looking forward to seeing folks there.

kiai

Marlon — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:40:43 +0000

So my genius put itself on display recently…About 20 years ago I was told that good core muscles would help my back pain. Naturally, i went to work with sit ups and what not to work my abs. However, it was not until recently that I learned (not even figured out) that I need to engage those muscles as I move in order to protect my back! Pure genius.
Well what does this have to do with a kiai? I never had problems with my back while training. I think the reason is that through the kiai we engage our core muscles and therefore protect our back. Almost as good as the magic of qi!!

knees

Marlon — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:20:03 +0000

The use of the knees in kicking holds a particular importance to my thinking and practice. In order to generate power in most kicks the movement of the knee is key. Without the knee exploding from a chambered postition towards the plexus most kicks will lack the force they could deliver. By using the center of your body you use your whole body, neglect this and you exponentially dimininsh what you want to do for almost every kick in the system. The non kicking leg maintains your root (especially with impact) and cannot be locked. the knee must bend and even sink with the kick and not striaghten out or lock. The return to the crane afterwards re indexes the spine and brings you back to center alignment and equilibrium…bring the knee back to your center. the further you move from these prinicples of the knee the less effective your kempo becomes.

Saratoga Martial Arts Festival

matt — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:24:46 +0000

Since Mr. Dwire mentioned it, I thought it deserved its own plug. Every year he comes back raving about the Saratoga Martial Arts Festival, and I can see why. It’s a two day extravaganza of training, and done from a cool perspective. This year, they are trying to emphasize their concept of ‘100 styles flow into one’ by having teachers from disparate styles share seminar time on various topics.