Bow of Compulsion (Purple #18)

KenpoTech on September 3, 2010

[property_details details=”1″]

Bow of Compulsion is the 18th required technique to obtain your purple belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Bow of Compulsion is a defense against a front wrist lock against the chest, placing it in the Locks & Chokes category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Locks Family Group in the Chokes & Locks category of the family groups Grappling division.

In Bow of Compulsion you learn the value of reverse motion. Reversing moves already learned for one situation provides a defense for another. Throughout this technique you will couple reverse motion with other principles in order to defend yourself.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly in front of you (12:00), you attempt to push your opponent away with your right hand and he grabs your right hand with both hands and pins it to his chest and proceeds to apply a front wrist lock in order to force you to your knees.

In this situation your palm is against your opponent’s chest and your fingers are pointing upwards. As your opponent bends forward your fingers are bent backwards inflicting pain in your right fingers, wrist and forearm. This forces your body to begin bending forward and drop to your knees rendering you incapable of defending yourself.

Defense

Bow of Compulsion – defense for a front wrist lock pin.

  • Step 1
    • Pin the opponent’s hands with your left hand checking diagonally across them,
    • Step toward 12:00 with your right foot to form a right neutral bow stance,
    • Deliver a right vertical thrusting elbow strike to your opponent’s groin or solar plexus.
  • Step 2
    • Maintain your left hand guarding diagonally,
    • Drop into a right wide kneel stance with your back straight,
    • Rake your opponent’s testicles with a right downward vertical heel palm claw.
  • Step 3
    • Deliver a right underhand reverse handsword strike to your opponent’s groin.
  • Step 4
    • Deliver a right outward downward diagonal back knuckle strike to the inside of your opponent’s left knee.
  • Step 5
    • Pivot counter clockwise into a right reverse close kneel stance,
    • Deliver a right inward downward diagonal hooking punch to the inside of your opponent’s right knee.
  • Step 6
    • Right front crossover and cover out toward 7:30.

Considerations

  • What if…
    • your opponent forces you to your knees?
    • your opponent grabs your wrist with one hand?
    • your opponent attempts to kick you with his right leg while pinning your hand?
    • your opponent attempts to kick you with his left leg while pinning your hand?
    • you have something in your left hand/arm?
    • you are unable to free your right hand?

Notes

  • Make sure that you pin your opponent’s hands with your left in order to prevent action taken against you.
  • Note that you are relieving the pressure of the lock while you simultaneously counter your opponent’s aggression.
  • Ensure that your claw goes as low as your opponent’s knees in order to set up your reverse handsword strike.
  • Steps four and five should be one continuous motion in a figure eight pattern.

Variations

  • Some schools modify the first step by pinning and executing the elbow strike as they step forward and drop into a close kneel stance as the elbow strikes its target.
  • Some schools have chosen to end the technique with the upward handsword strike; note that the base technique does not end here.

Additional Information

Name

The manner in which the wrist lock is applied to your wrist is quite aggressive and compels you to bow forward in compliance. This gives us the name Bow of Compulsion.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Right Front Step Through
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Right Downward Vertical Thrusting Elbow Strike
  • Right Wide Kneel Stance
  • Right Downward Vertical Heel Palm Claw
  • Right Reverse Handsword Strike
  • Right Outward Downward Back Knuckle
  • Right Reverse Close Kneel Stance
  • Right Inward Downward Hooking Punch
  • Right Front Crossover
  • Cover out

Targets

  • Solar Plexus
  • Groin
  • Left Inner Knee
  • Right Inner Knee

Concepts & Principles

  • Angle of Contact
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Backup Mass
  • Bracing Angle
  • Collapsing Strike
  • Continuity of Motion
  • Contouring
  • Depth Penetration
  • Figure Eight Pattern
  • Fitting
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Nip the Tip
  • Obscure Zones
  • Open Ended Triangle
  • Pinning Check
  • Pressing Check
  • Reverse Motion


Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Bow of Compulsion was Purple Belt Technique #13.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal lists the angle of departure as 7:00.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

BOW OF COMPULSION (front wrist lock – against chest)

  1. With opponent pinning your right hand against his chest and with your feet parallel to each other, step forward (to 12 o’clock) with your right foot (right neutral bow) and use a right vertical elbow strike down to opponent’s solar plexus or groin, depending on the height of the opponent, as your left hand checks diagonally across opponent’s hands.
  2. With your left hand still guarding diagonally, drop down into a right wide kneel (keeping your back erect) as you drop your right hand down, raking opponent’s testicles with a right heel palm claw and immediately following up with a right underhand reverse handsword to opponent’s groin
  3. Immediately deliver a right hanging back fist to opponent’s left inner knee followed with a right inner hooking knuckle punch to opponent’s right inner knee.
  4. Cross your right foot in front of your left leg while you’re still kneeling and get up as you cover out to 7 o’clock..

Scraping Hoof (EPAK Orange #11)

KenpoTech on June 26, 2010

[property_details details=”1″]

Scraping Hoof is the 11th technique required to obtain your Orange Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Scraping Hoof is the defense for an attempted Full Nelson placing it in the Hugs & Holds category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Full Nelson Family Group in the Holds category of the Family Groups Grappling division.

Scraping Hoof teaches you how to use your feet for an effective defense when you are unable to use your arms. While it may seem initially that all of your dimensional zones are controlled, you learn that a simple shift in weight can open up an entire dimensional zone for attack, as evidenced when you drop your weight onto one leg allowing for an effective strike with the cocking action of the other.  This also introduces you to making targets of the feet and shin, giving you your first targets in the lowest of the dimensional height zones.

Defense

Scraping Hoof –  defense for an attempted full nelson.

  • Step 1
    • Cheat your left foot slightly towards the right forming a narrow horse stance,
    • Straighten your knees, back and neck into an upright position,
    • Drive both of your arms downward toward the ground, in front of your groin area,
    • Deliver a rear head butt to your opponent’s face.
  • Step 2
    • Continue pinning your opponents arms,
    • Slightly bend your left knee forming a right rear bow stance.
    • Deliver a right rear scooping heel kick to the inside of your opponent’s left knee.
  • Step 3
    • Immediately deliver a right knife edge kick to the inside of your opponent’s right knee,
    • Scrape your foot downward on your opponent’s right inner shin,
    • Plant your right foot down as you deliver a right downward foot stomp on to your opponent’s right instep.
  • Step 4
    • Continue pinning your opponents arms,
    • Slightly bend your right knee forming a left rear bow stance.
    • Deliver a left rear scooping heel kick to the inside of your opponent’s right knee.
  • Step 5
    • Immediately deliver a left knife edge kick to the inside of your opponent’s left knee.
    • Scrape your foot downward on your opponent’s left inner shin,
    • Plant your left foot down as you deliver a left downward foot stomp to your opponent’s left instep (keep your left foot here).
  • Step 6
    • Continue pinning your opponent’s left arm,
    • Step toward 11:00 with your right foot
    • Pivot counter clockwise into a left neutral bow stances facing 6:00
  • Step 7
    • Release your pin
    • Left crossover and cover out toward 12:00

Additional Information

Name

The name Scraping Hoof comes from the scraping action your foot, represented by the term hoof, makes against your opponent’s legs.

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly behind you (6:00) and is attempting to complete a full nelson hold on you.

Scraping Hoof is for a defense against an ‘attempted’ full nelson. This is important to remember, because across all of the various sources some will say full nelson while others will say attempted full nelson.  This technique could work for a full nelson, but it requires that you a few small tweaks which you will learn in another technique (think equation formula).

A full nelson isn’t a lock that you want to stay in. At minimum, it will cause pain and expose you for another attacker.  On a more serious level it can cause loss of consciousness, severe spinal injuries and even death.  The longer you are in a hold like this the higher the risk of a severe injury. You should react to get out of this hold immediately.

Basics & Maneuvers Used

  • Rear Head Butt Strike
  • Right Rear Bow Stance
  • Right Rear Side Scooping Heel Kick
  • Right Thrusting Knife Edge Kick
  • Right Downward Stomp Kick
  • Left Rear Bow Stance
  • Left Rear Side Scooping Heel Kick
  • Left Thrusting Knife Edge Kick
  • Left Downward Stomp Kick

Targets

  • Face
  • Fingers
  • Left Inner Knee
  • Right Inner Knee
  • Right Shin
  • Right Instep
  • Left Shin
  • Left Instep
  • Left Elbow

Concepts & Principles Taught

  • Angle of Alignment
  • Angle of Departure
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Cheat
  • Checking
  • Contouring
  • Detaining Check
  • Distraction
  • Hugging Pin
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Opposing Forces
  • Path of Action
  • Pinning
  • Pinning Check
  • Rebounding Strike
  • Reverse Marriage of Gravity
  • Scraping
  • Torque


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent complete’s the full nelson?
    • your opponent’s grip is not broken?
    • your opponent has bent you over, forcing your head down?
    • your opponent lifts you off your feet?
    • your opponent has you in a half nelson (one arm full nelson)?
    • you are forced against the wall?
    • you are being attacked from the front while in the full nelson?

Related Techniques

  • Captured Twigs
  • Parting Wings
  • Bow of Compulsion
  • Repeated Devastation
  • Twirling Sacrifice
  • Entwined Lance

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Scraping Hook was Orange Belt Technique #9
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal ends with the left heel stomp and does not indicate an angle of departure.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

SCRAPING HOOF (full Nelson)

  1. While in a full Nelson, thrust both of your fists toward the ground as you straighten your knees, back, and neck.
  2. Immediately bend your left knee (marriage of gravity) as you deliver a right back side scooping heel kick to opponent’s left inside knee. Then with the knife-edge of your right foot, kick to opponent’s right shin and scrape the shin on the way down and stomp opponent’s right instep with the heel of your right foot.
  3. Repeat the same process on the left side remembering to utilize the principle of gravitational marriage while executing both of your stomps.

Unfinished Ed Parker Orange Belt Manual

SCRAPING HOOF (Full Nelson)

  1. While in a Full Nelson, thrust both of your fists toward the ground (to help free you from your opponent’s grasp, and to pin his arms to your body). Simultaneously with this action cheat your left foot toward your right foot, as you straighten your knees, back, and neck into a full upright position. (Here, the intent is to have your opponent focus his attention on your arms and the pressure applied to your neck.)
  2. Immediately have your left knee bend (REVERSE MARRIAGE OF GRAVITY) as you deliver a right back side scooping heel kick to your opponent’s left inner knee. Then, execute a right knife-edge kick to your opponent’s right shin and follow through with a scraping stomp to his right shin, and instep. (This sequence of action should buckle your opponent’s legs as well as move his legs outward.)
  3. Repeat movement number two to the left side.
  4. Step with your right foot to 11:00 and left front crossover, covering out toward 10:30.

Notes

Variations

  • Foot maneuvers are done right side only
    • Many schools teach the foot maneuvers on the right side only.  Doing so is incorrect and is not the official version of this technique.   The reason for this is often because instructors mix up the Orange Belt version of this technique with the 1st Brown Belt version.  In the 1st Brown version, the foot maneuvers are done on the right side only as you are going to immediately follow through with the extension.
  • The torquing of your opponent’s elbow at the end is skipped
    • Sometimes this is just outright skipped and other times it is skipped along with the left side maneuvers.
    • The impact of this is that despite the pain your attacker should be in at this point, you are failing to control all of your opponent’s dimensional zones before departing.
      • As you pivot counterclockwise torquing your opponent’s elbow he will pivot in a clockwise direction. This counter rotation of your opponent, along with your left foot still on your opponent’s foot will control all zones of protection (height, width, depth) and neutralize both his arms and his legs.

Locking Horns (EPAK Orange #6)

KenpoTech on June 19, 2010

[property_details details=”1″]

Locking Horns is the 6th technique required to obtain your orange belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Locking Horns is a defense against a front right arm headlock putting it in the Locks & Chokes category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Headlocks Family Group in the Locks category of the Family Groups Grappling Division.

Locking Horns teaches you how to use checks at leverage points to prevent an action while utilizing multiple methods of increasing power. It also introduces you to a new method of increasing the effectiveness of your strikes.

Defense

Locking Horns – defense for a front head lock.

  • Step 1
    • Pull down on your opponent’s choking arm,
    • Tuck your chin in toward your chest and toward your opponent’s elbow.
  • Step 2
    • Step forward with your right foot toward 11:00 forming a right wide kneel stance between your opponent’s legs,
    • Check your opponent’s right knee with a left push-down block above your opponent’s right kneecap,
    • Deliver a right underhand reverse handsword strike to your opponent’s groin.
  • Step 3
    • Clear your opponent’s right arm from around your neck with your left hand, pinning their arm against their body,
    • Quickly stand up into a right neutral bow,
    • Deliver a right vertical obscure elbow strike underneath your opponent’s chin.
  • Step 4
    • Shuffle forward,
    • Deliver a right inward downward diagonal elbow strike to your opponent’s left jaw.
    • Deliver a left inward upward hooking heel palm strike to your opponent’s right jaw.
  • Step 4
    • Cross over and cover out toward 7:30.

Additional Information

Name

The name Locking Horns comes from the manner in which horned animals, such as a the ram, would lock their horns in combat. With you being bent over and your head/neck locked it resembles this action.

Attack

The ideal phase has the attacker directly in front of you, his right leg is forward.  You will be in a bent over postion with your right shoulder, neck, head pressed against the right side of your attacker’s body as his right arm locks around your neck, down the left side and under the chin.  He may or may not grab his right wrist with his left hand to further secure the lock.

This is a very dangerous situation to be in and this type of attack can break your neck, cut off blood flow to the brain, or close off the throat keeping you from breathing resulting in unconsciousness, injury, brain damage and even death.

Basics & Maneuvers Used

  • Right Wide Kneel Stance
  • Left Push Down Block
  • Underhand Reverse Handsword Strike
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Left Downward Heel Palm Strike
  • Right Vertical Obscure Elbow Strike
  • Push-Drag Foot Maneuver
  • Right Inward Downward Diagonal Elbow Strike
  • Left Inward Hooking Heel Palm Strike

Targets

  • Groin
  • Kneecap
  • Under the Chin
  • Right side of face/jaw
  • Left side of face/jaw

Concepts & Principles Taught

  • Balance Compensation
  • Contouring
  • Leverage Points
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Pinning Checks
  • Pressing Checks
  • Reverse Marriage of Gravity
  • Sandwiching
  • Solidify your Base
  • Stabilize your Base
  • Torque
  • Zones of Obscurity


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent’s left leg is forward?
    • your opponent’s legs are spread wide apart?
    • your opponent pulls his legs back out of reach, bearing his weight down on your neck?
    • your opponent grabs you with his left arm instead?
    • your opponent pushes you back while you are in the front headlock?

Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • Pre-1975 a close kneel stance was called for in the initial move, this is still often used today as a means to generating power (torque).
  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Locking Horns was Orange Belt Technique #5

Historical Variations

1975 Accumulative Journal

LOCKING HORNS (font headlock)

  1. With feet in line with each other and body bent forward, step forward with your right foot toward 11 o’clock and deliver a right upward vertical reverse handsword to opponent’s groin while simultaneously having your left hand check opponent’s right thigh just above the knee and your chin turned in such a position so as to keep your breathing constant.   (Turn your chin to the right and tuck it against your chest.)
  2. Immediately follow-up with a right vertical obscure elbow strike to opponent’s jaw while keeping in a low right neutral bow.
  3. After snapping the elbow to opponent’s jaw loop your right elbow and strike again (shuffling forward if needed) having it drive from 1 o’clock down to 7 o’clock to the left side of opponent’s jaw as your left heel of palm hooks in and strikes opponent’s right jaw thus causing a sandwiching effect.

Unfinished Orange Belt Manual by Ed Parker

LOCKING HORNS (Front headlock)

  1. With your feet in line with each other and your body bent forward (caused by your opponent applying a front headlock using his left arm to lock you with) simultaneously (1) step forward with your right foot toward 11 o’clock into a right wide kneel stance between your opponent’s legs, (2) deliver a right underhand reverse handsword to your opponent’s groin, (3) have your left hand check just above your opponent’s right knee while (4) turning your chin to the left, and tucking it against your chest to prevent your opponent from cutting off your air supply. (Your opponent should loosen his grip and bend forward at the waist. Depending on the effectiveness of your strike, your opponent’s legs can conceivably move back and away from you.)
  2. Immediately follow-up with a right vertical obscure elbow strike to the underside of your opponent’s jaw, “with” your left hand still checking the knee, and while keeping low in a right neutral bow. (This elbow strike should force your opponent’s head up in preparation for the next strike.)
  3. After snapping your opponent’s jaw upward with your right obscure elbow, simultaneously (1) shuffle forward, (2) deliver a right inward horizontal elbow strike to the left side of your opponent’s jaw, along with (3) a left heel palm strike that hooks in and to the right side of your opponent’s jaw. (The force of this sandwiching effect may cause your opponent to pass out and fall to the ground.)
  4. Right front crossover, and cover out toward 7:30.

Notes

Variations