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Practicing Self-Defense to Complete a Full-Body Workout

Mixing hobbies and fitness is beneficial for achieving multiple goals with the least amout of energy. Self-defense classes can be fun and raise your skill level but in and of themselves don’t necessarily increase your fitness. Mixing kickboxing with cardio, stretch and strength training can help in getting in shape while moving through martial art belts quickly. Practicing kicks, blocks, and combinations works well for raising a heart rate. Combining this with squats, jumping jacks, burpees and other fat blasting efforts will get anyone huffing and puffing quickly. All that effort will raise the heart rate and improve fitness levels while having fun.  There is a growing body of evidence that interval training has a higher impact on weight loss and health than a consistent heart rate found in activities like jogging (1). Short bursts of energy with interval periods of rests has a high success rate. The cycle is repeated throughout the entire fitness session of 40, 50 or 60 minutes.

Kenpo: Opponents at Sides Variations

Opponents at Sides are important tactics that helps to understand how to leverage speed and precision movements to handle two people at one time. Because two skilled opponents have way more hands, weight, and confusing actions the overall goal is to be quick and decisive by not allowing them to use their numbers. Failure to hit vital areas may not have sufficient impact and will allow the opponents to counter attack.  This need to hit vital areas quickly is one reason why I would suggest either the neck, bridge of the nose, or the groin. Hitting the neck causes a gag reflex, the bridge of the nose is a major pressure point, and the groin will force them down on the floor leaving just a few moments to escape.  Kenpo may have aggressive tactics but they are designed as a method of removing yourself from difficult situations. Kenpo is a peaceful self-defense system that hopes to teach students self-restraint even when one is being manhandled. Only that force which is necessar

Kenpo: Countering Bear Hug Attacks

In the rare circumstance where an opponent uses a rear bear hug to squeeze you there are two strong moves that have significant counter-attack advantages. The Bear Hug-Back Free - A helps to return face to your opponent when your arms are free while the Crashing Hammer-Bear Hug Back Pinned allows you to take your opponent to the ground when your arms are pinned.  It is important to understand that an opponent that tries to use a bear hug likely sees you as a smaller and weaker opponent. He/She feels their strength is sufficient to keep you in control and likely has tried this successfully at other times in their life.  Such opponent’s don’t consider the protection of their vital areas as your arms are tied and the front of your body is facing away. There is a feeling that safety comes from behind. A well skilled kenpo fighter knows that their rear, ability to leverage their body, and overconfidence of their opponent is often the biggest advantages.  Even though there

Kenpo: Introducing Crashing Eagle

At times an opponent will attempt to grab your coat from behind in a fit of rage. This is especially poplar if you have taken the higher road and are attempting to walk away from a potential conflict. As you move in the opposite direction the opponent may desire to grab your coat to yank you off balance, pull you to the floor or shove you forward into a more solid object. It is often a first reaction for people who want to show their strength and power handing conflicts in social situations.  In kenpo the conflict should be handled by walking away when possible. Only when attacked or under the potential for great bodily harm does a person have the right to defend themselves. Yet when their coat is grabbed and they face being knocked to the ground in someone’s fit of rage then it is necessary to use something like the Crash of Eagle to release the grip and stun the attacker. The move is simple and that is part of its charm. It is easy to learn and beginning students can pic

Kenpo: Strking Asp and Striking Snake Modifications

Striking Asp is a Kenpo move designed to pin the opponent’s arms while using your right arm to strike. It is quick and reversed momentum of the opponent while knocking them into a level of confusion making further attacks difficult. The defensive move doesn’t require a lot of skill and this is one of the reasons why it can be so effective during difficult situations.  Keeping all actions within the right arm helps beginners to remember the sequence and maintain action throughout the process. As one gains skills they can use that arm in different ways when the opponent does unexpected movements or successfully blocks thereby breaking the sequence. This is an inherent benefit of learning both the traditional and modified moves. At times the modified methods can be used with greater effectiveness. The names to do not always match up but they do resemble similarities in movements. We will call the two different, but similar moves, Striking Asp and Striking Snake.  Striking