Striking Set #1

Striking Set 1 is the first set required to attain your Blue Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Striking Set 1 illustrates the different ways that our arms can move for the purpose of striking.

Striking Set 1

OPENING: Attention Stance, Bow, Drop into a meditating horse stance. Chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up).

• Section 1 – Single Strikes toward 12:00 (16 moves)
  • Set A:  Horizontal Thrust Punch – Rolling Back Knuckle Strike (4)
    1. Deliver a right horizontal thrust punch toward 12:00 at sternum level.
    2. Execute a right rolling back knuckle strike to face level.
    3. Deliver a left horizontal thrust punch toward 12:00 at sternum level as your right hand chambers to your right hip.
    4. Immediately execute a left rolling back knuckle strike to face level
  • Set B:  Horizontal Thrust Punch – Rolling Underhand Hammerfist Strike (4)
    1. Deliver a right horizontal thrust punch toward 12:00 at sternum level as your left hand chambers at your left hip.
    2. Immediately execute a right rolling underhand hammerfist strike to groin level.
    3. Deliver a left horizontal thrust punch toward 12:00 at sternum level as your right hand chambers at your right hip.
    4. Immediately execute a left rolling underhand hammerfist strike to groin level.
  • Set C:  Horizontal Thrust Punch – Inverted Roundhouse Punch (4)
    1. Deliver a right horizontal thrust punch toward 12:00 at sternum level as your left hand chambers at your left hip.
    2. Deliver a right inverted vertical roundhouse punch to temple level.
    3. Deliver a left horizontal thrust punch toward 12:00 at sternum level as your right hand chambers at your right hip.
    4. Deliver a left inverted vertical roundhouse punch to temple level.
  • Set D:  Horizontal Thrust Punch – Inward Chopping Hammerfist (4)
    1. Deliver a right horizontal thrust punch toward 12:00 at sternum level as your left hand chambers at your left hip.
    2. Deliver a right inward chopping hammerfist strike to kidney level.
    3. Deliver a left horizontal thrust punch toward 12:00 at sternum level as your right hand chambers at your right hip.
    4. Deliver a left inward chopping hammerfist strike to kidney level.
• Section 2:  Single strikes toward 3:00 and 9:00 (16 moves)
  • Set A:  Vertical Thrust Punch – Rolling Back Knuckle Strike (4)
    1. Deliver a right vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 at face level as your left hand chambers at your left hip.
    2. Deliver a right rolling back knuckle strike toward 3:00 at face level.
    3. Deliver a left vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 at face level as your right hand chambers at your right hip.
    4. Deliver a left rolling back knuckle strike toward 3:00 at face level.
  • Set B:  Vertical Thrust Punch – Rolling Underhand Hammerfist Strike (4)
    1. Deliver a right vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 at face level as your left hand chambers at your left hip.
    2. Deliver a right rolling underhand hammerfist toward 3:00 at groin level.
    3. Deliver a left vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 at face level as your right hand chambers at your right hip.
    4. Deliver a left rolling underhand hammerfist toward 3:00 at groin level.
  • Set C:  Vertical Thrust Punch – Inverted Vertical Roundhouse Punch (4)
    1. Deliver a right vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 at face level as your left hand chambers at your left hip.
    2. Deliver a right inverted vertical roundhouse punch toward 3:00 at temple level.
    3. Deliver a left vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 at face level as your right hand chambers at your right hip.
    4. Deliver a left inverted vertical roundhouse punch toward 3:00 at temple level.
  • Set D:  Vertical Thrust Punch – Chopping Hammerfist Strike (4)
    1. Deliver a right vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 at face level as your left hand chambers at your left hip.
    2. Deliver a right inward chopping hammerfist toward 3:00 at kidney level.
    3. Deliver a left vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 at face level as your right hand chambers at your right hip.
    4. Deliver a left inward chopping hammerfist toward 3:00 at kidney level.
• Section 3:  Double Strikes toward 12:00 (12 moves)
  • Set A:  Horizontal Thrust Punches – Rolling Back Knuckle Strikes (3)
    • Chamber your left hand at your left hip (fist clenched, palm up).
    • Deliver simultaneous right and left horizontal thrust punches toward 12:00 at sternum level.
    • Deliver simultaneous right and left rolling back knuckle strikes toward 12:00 at face level.
  • Set B :  Horizontal Thrust Punch – Rolling Underhand Hammerfist (3)
    • Chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up).
    • Deliver simultaneous right and left horizontal thrust punches toward 12:00 at sternum level.
    • Deliver simultaneous right and left rolling underhand hammerfists toward 12:00 at groin level.
  • Set C:  Horizontal Thrust Punch – Inverted Vertical Roundhouse Punch (3)
    • Chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up).
    • Deliver simultaneous right and left horizontal thrust punches toward 12:00 at sternum level.
    • Deliver simultaneous right and left inverted vertical roundhouse punches toward 12:00 at temple level.
  • Set D:  Horizontal Thrust Punch – Inward Chopping Hammerfist (3)
    • Chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up).
    • Deliver simultaneous right and left horizontal thrust punches toward 12:00 at sternum level.
    • Deliver simultaneous right and left inward chopping hammerfists toward 12:00 at kidney level.
• Section 4:  Double Strikes toward 3:00 and 9:00 (12 moves)
  • Set A:  Vertical Thrust Punch – Rolling Back Knuckle (4)
    • Chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up).
    • Deliver a simultaneous right vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 and left vertical thrust punch toward 9:00 at face level.
    • Deliver a simultaneous right rolling back knuckle strike toward 3:00 and left rolling back knuckle strike toward 9:00 at face level.
  • Set B:  Vertical Thrust Punch – Rolling Underhand Hammerfist (3)
    • Chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up).
    • Deliver a simultaneous right vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 and left vertical thrust punch toward 9:00 at face level.
    • Deliver a simultaneous right rolling underhand hammerfist toward 3:00 and left rolling underhand hammerfist toward 9:00 at groin level.
  • Set C:  Vertical Thrust Punch – Inverted Vertical Roundhouse Punch (3)
    • Chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up).
    • Deliver a simultaneous right vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 and left vertical thrust punch toward 9:00 at face level.
    • Deliver a simultaneous right inverted vertical roundhouse punch toward 3:00 and left inverted vertical roundhouse punch toward 9:00 at temple level.
  • Set D:  Vertical Thrust Punch – Inward Chopping Hammerfist (2)
    • Chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up).
    • Deliver a simultaneous right vertical thrust punch toward 3:00 and left vertical thrust punch toward 9:00 at face level.
    • Deliver a simultaneous right inward chopping hammerfist toward 3:00 and left inward chopping hammerfist toward 9:00 at kidney level.
• Section 5:  Flowing Double Strikes toward 12:00 (7 moves)
  1. Chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up)
  2. Bring your left foot to your right foot as you deliver simultaneous right and left horizontal thrust punches toward 12:00 at sternum level.
  3. Deliver simultaneous right and left rolling back knuckle strikes toward 12:00 at face level.
  4. Deliver simultaneous right and left rolling underhand hammerfists toward 12:00 at groin level.
  5. Deliver simultaneous right and left inverted vertical roundhouse punches toward 12:00 at temple level.
  6. Deliver simultaneous right and left inward chopping hammerfists toward 12:00 at kidney level.
  7. Cross your right hand over your left hand and chamber both hands at their respective hips (fist clenched, palm up)

CLOSE: Bring your right foot to your left foot and out into a meditating horse stance, facing 12:00. Come to an attention stance. Bow.

Striking Set 1 Contains

• Strikes
  • Punches
    • Horizontal Thrust Punch (Straight Thrust Punch)
    • Vertical Thrust Punch
    • Inverted Vertical Roundhouse Punch
  • Hammerfists
    • Rolling Underhand Hammerfist
    • Inward Chopping Hammerfist
  • Back Knuckles
    • Rolling Back Knuckle Strike
  • Simultaneous Strikes
• Stances
  • Attention Stance
  • Horse Stance

Striking Set 1 Teaches

• How to readily switch targets.
• How to strike with various parts of the clenched fist.
• How to readily convert from a strike with the front portion of the fist to strikes with other potions of the fist.
• How to attack height, width and depth zones.
• “where linear moves end, circular moves begin”.
• How to strike with the same weapon to the side as well as to the front.
• How to strike simultaneously with both hands.

Notes

• When practicing, be sure to maintain the proper dimensions of your horse stance.
• Practice this set with weights.
• Be sure to pronounce your moves when first learning this set.
• Remember that “slow moves eliminate bad habits”.
• Study various breathing patterns during this set.
• Convert your fists into other useful weapons.
• Practice this set with various rhythmic timings.
• Partner Work:
  • Have a partner stand in front of you as a target.
  • Have a partner block all of your strikes.
  • Have a partner place the palm of his hands on your fists and provide varying degrees of resistance to your strikes.
  • Have your partner place the palm of his hands on your fists and follow the paths of your strikes maintaining the same amount of pressure throughout your motions, both forward and reverse.
  • Have your partner defend against your set of movements utilizing the Star Block.
  • Practice the set with a partner, in a fighting stances.
  • Practice the set with a partner, both in fighting stances, as a freestyle session.