Crushing Hammer (EPAK Purple #5)

KenpoTech on July 25, 2010

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Crushing Hammer is the 5th required technique to obtain your Purple Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo.  Crushing Hammer is a defense against right roundhouse kick to your body, placing it in the Kicks category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Kicks Family Group in the family groups Striking Division.

In Crushing Hammer you learn how to counter grab your opponent to prevent further strikes, you learn how flank movements provide access to rear targets, how the proper contouring of your body provides built in checks against retaliation as well as generating power.

Defense

Crushing Hammer – defense for a rear bear hug, arms pinned.

  • Step 1
    • Pin the opponent’s hands to your body with your left hand.
    • Step toward 9:00 with your left foot to form a horse stance.
    • Deliver a right back hammerfist strike to your opponent’s groin.
  • Step 2
    • Slide your right foot toward your left forming a right close cat stance (transitional), and then back toward 4:30 (behind your opponent’s left leg) to form a right reverse bow stance.
    • Deliver a right back hammering heel palm strike to your opponent’s groin and grab with a right squeezing claw,
    • Left hand continues to pin the opponent’s hands.
  • Step 3
    • Pivot clockwise into a right neutral bow stance facing 4:30.
    • Deliver a right rear vertical elbow strike underneath your opponent’s chin.
  • Step 4
    • Pivot clockwise into a right forward bow stance facing 4:30.
    • Deliver a left thrusting heel palm strike to your opponent’s left floating ribs.
  • Step 5
    • Pivot counter clockwise into a right neutral bow, facing 4:30
    • Crossover and cover out toward 10:30.

Additional Information

Name

The name of the technique comes from the crushing action of the hammerfist to the groin.

Attack

In the ideal phase your attacker is directly behind you (6:00) and applies a bear hug around both arms near your biceps.

It is important to avoid being gripped in a bear hug with your arms in front of you or or your hands in your pocket as it would.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Horse Stance
  • Right Rear Hammerfist Strike
  • Cat Stance (transitional)
  • Right Reverse Bow Stance
  • Right Rear Heel Palm Strike
  • Right Rear Squeezing Grab
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Right Upward Vertical Obscure Elbow Strike
  • Right Forward Bow Stance
  • Right Thrusting Heel Palm Strike

Targets

  • Hands
  • Groin
  • Underneath the Chin
  • Left Floating Ribs

Concepts & Principles

  • Angle of Cancellation
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Body Alignment
  • Borrowed Force
  • Cating Around
  • Contouring
  • Hugging Pin
  • Pinning Check
  • Pivoting
  • Positional Check
  • Stabilize your Base
  • Transitory Moves
  • Zones of Obscurity


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your arms are pinned in front of your body?
    • your opponents arms are near your waist?
    • your opponent’s arms are around your throat?
    • your arms are free?
    • your opponent lifts you off the ground?

Related Techniques

  • Captured Twigs (Y-5)
  • Obscure Wing (O-18)
  • Squeezing the Peach (P-11)
  • Escape From Death (G-6)
  • Reprimanding the Bears (2Br-12)
  • Spreading the Branches

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Crushing Hammer was Purple Belt Technique #6
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal;
    • indicates sliding your left foot back between 4:00 & 5:00
    • has you pivot clockwise toward 4:00 for the obscure elbow
    • has you pivot toward 5:00 for the left thrusting heel palm strike
    • does not indicate an angle of departure.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

CRUSHING HAMMER (rear bear hug — arms pinned)

  1. With feet together, step to your left with your left foot (to 9 o’clock)into a horse. Simultaneously strike to opponent’s groin with your right back hammerfist as your left hand pins opponent’s left arm.
  2. Have our right foot meet your left foot (forming a close cat stance) and then around and behind opponent’s left leg (between 4 and 5 o’clock)into a right reverse bow. Simultaneously strike opponent’s groin with aright heel palm; then grab opponent’s testicles with a right squeezing claw,
  3. Pivot into a right neutral bow (facing 4 o’clock) as your right arm follows the contour of your opponent’s body and your right elbow strikes up to his chin.
  4. Complete your pivot (facing 5 o’clock) into a right forward bow as you deliver a left heel palm strike to left floating ribs of opponent.

Notes

  • Crushing Hammer serves as a good backup to Captured Twigs in the event you are unable to rotate in attempting to execute Captured Twigs.  On the other hand Captured Twigs serves as a back to to Crushing Hammer when you are unable to step to the side.

Variations

Obscure Wing (EPAK Orange #18)

KenpoTech on July 5, 2010

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Obscure Wing is the 18th technique required to obtain your Orange Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. It is a defense against a left hand shoulder grab from the right flank and part of the Grabs & Tackles category in the Web of Knowledge.  It also belongs to the shoulder/lapel grab group of the Grabs category in the grappling division.

In Obscure Wing we will use a pin to control your opponent’s left hand, then we will make use of contouring and tracking to find our targets from point of origin in obscure zones. You will find that this technique is for the same type of attack as Sword and Hammer.  In Sword and Hammer you go after your opponent’s upper zone first, in Obscure Wing you can assume that the upper zone is protected thus you need to attack the mid or lower zone first instead, making this an effective backup technique for Sword and Hammer.

Defense

Obscure Wing – defense for a right flank shoulder grab.

  • Step 1
    • Pin your opponent’s left hand with your left hand,
    • Step toward 3:00 with your right foot to form a right fighting horse stance,
    • Deliver a right rear elbow strike to your opponent’s solar plexus.
  • Step 2
    • Continue pinning your opponent’s left hand,
    • Deliver right downward back hammerfist strike to your opponent’s groin,
    • Grab your opponent’s groin.
  • Step 3
    • Rip your opponent’s groin upward,
    • Deliver a right upward snapping obscure elbow strike underneath your opponent’s chin.
  • Step 4
    • Right front crossover and cover out toward 10:30.

Additional Information

Name

As mentioned in the last technique, wing is the Kenpo term for an elbow. In this technique you will use an elbow (wing) strike that will travel through a space your opponent can’t see, a blind spot, called an obscure zone.  Put this together and and you are essentially delivering an obscure wing to your opponent, thus the name.

Attack

In the ideal phase your attacker will be directly to your right at the 3:00 position. Your opponent will then grab your right shoulder with his left hand. It is assumed that your opponent is protecting his upper zone.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Right Side Step Through
  • Right Fighting Horse Stance
  • Right Rear Thrusting Elbow
  • Right Downward Back Hammerfist
  • Right Gripping Claw
  • Right Ripping Claw
  • Right Rear Upward Snapping Obscure Elbow
  • Right Front Cross Over
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Left hand/wrist
  • Solar Plexus/Abdomen
  • Groin
  • Underneath the Chin

Concepts & Principles

  • Angle of Cancellation
  • Back Up Mass
  • Borrowed Force
  • Continuity of Motion
  • Contouring
  • Getting the Upper Hand
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Obscure Zones
  • Pinning Check
  • Stabilize your Base
  • Settling
  • Torque


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent grabs your shoulder with his right hand instead?
    • your opponent grabs your shoulder with both hands?
    • your opponent throws a right punch while grabbing your shoulder?
    • your opponent grabs your right bicep with his right hand while grabbing your shoulder?
    • your opponent grabs your right wrist with his right hand while grabbing your shoulder?
    • your opponent pulls your toward him?

Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Obscure Wing was Orange Belt Technique #16
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal does not indicate an angle of departure

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

OBSCURE WING (flank left hand shoulder grab)

  1. With feet together and opponent’s left hand grabbing your right shoulder, step to your right(to 3 o’clock)with your right foot as you drop into a horse. Simultaneously deliver a right back elbow to opponent’s solar plexus as your left hand pins and checks opponent’s left hand to your right shoulder.
  2. Deliver a right back hammerfist down to opponent’s groin and follow-up with a right hand grab to opponent’s testicles.
  3. Immediately follow-up with a right snapping obscure elbow strike to opponent’s chin; making sure that your right arm follows the contour of your opponent’s body.

Notes

Variations

Scraping Hoof (EPAK Orange #11)

KenpoTech on June 26, 2010

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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.

Captured Twigs (EPAK Yellow #5)

KenpoTech on April 12, 2010

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Captured Twigs is the 5th technique required to attain your Yellow Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Captured Twigs is a defense against a rear bear hug, arms pinned placing it in the Hugs & Holds category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Bear Hug Family Group in the Hugs & Holds category of the Family Groups Grappling Division.

This will be the first technique that doesn’t retreat from the attack while defending as you are unable to. Instead you will step sideways, while dropping your weight as you learn to adapt to an otherwise overbearing attack and to recognize the availability of targets and weapons.

Defense

  • Step 1:
    • Step toward 9:00 with your left foot to form a horse stance,
    • Left hand pins the opponent’s hands,
    • Deliver a right back hammerfist strike to the groin.
  • Step 2:
    • Slide your right foot back as you face 3:00 to form a right 90° cat stance facing 3:00
    • With your left pinning hand, execute a left push down block to clear your opponent’s arms down and away from you
    • Deliver a right upwards snapping obscure elbow strike.
  • Step 3:
    • Immediately deliver a right heelstomping kick to the instep of the arch.
  • Step 4:
    • Cover toward 12:00.

Additional Information

Name

Twigs is a symbolic term for arms. In this technique your arms are pinned against your body thus captured.  Hence the name Captured Twigs.

Attack

In the ideal phase, the attacker is directly behind you with his arms wrapped around you, pinning your arms against your body, near your biceps.

A bearhug is commonly used in the streets to give the attacker an advantage.  This advantage enables the attacker to pick you up and throw you, hold you down for others to attack you, squeeze you causing pain, discomfort and injury or simply to intimidate you.

Basics & Maneuvers Used

  • Horse Stance
  • Downward Back Hammerfist Strike
  • 90° Cat Stance
  • Push Down Block
  • Side Stomping Kick
  • Upward Snapping Vertical Obscure Elbow Strike

Targets

  • Groin
  • Chin
  • Inner Ankle/Top of Foot Arch

Concepts & Principles Taught

  • Borrowed Force
  • Contouring
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Obscure Zone
  • Torque


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your arms are free instead of pinned?
    • your left arm is pinned but your right arm is free?
    • your right arm is pinned but your left arm is free?
    • your opponent’s arms are at your shoulder level?
    • your opponent’s arms are at your waist level?
    • your opponent’s arms are around your throat?
    • your opponent picks you up off the ground before you plant down?
    • your hands are in your pocket when grabbed?
    • your hands are crossed in front of your chest as you are grabbed?
    • your feet are further apart than expected?

Related Techniques

  • Obscure Wing
  • Crushing Hammer
  • Squeezing the Peach
  • Spiraling Twig
  • Squatting Sacrifice

Historical Notes

  • Both the 1975 Accumulative Journal and the 1987 IKKA Studio Manuals have you deliver a right downward heel stomp to the attacker’s instep before the obscure elbow.
  • The 1987 IKKA Studio Manuals have you reset into a horse stance after the heel stomp, before executing the Obscure Elbow
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal and the 1987 IKKA Studio Manuals do not indicate an Angle of Departure

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

CAPTURED TWIGS  (rear bear hug around waist arms pinned)

  1. With feet together and opponent’s arms around you, step off left toward 9 o’clock with your left foot into a horse stance, as you simultaneously pin your opponent’s hands with your left  hand.
  2. Just as your weight settles into your horse stance execute a  right back hammer fist strike to the groin of your opponent.
  3. Immediately release your pinning hand and as you bring your right foot into a cat stance (90○ facing 3 o’clock) swing your  right hand around in front of your groin as a cover and a  clearing motion to spread your opponent’s arms, and at the same time lift your left hand up in front of your face to act as a position check if needed.
  4. Immediately execute a right stomp to arch of opponent’s left foot followed immediately by a right upward obscure elbow to the point of his chin. (this is a snapping motion as your arm should drop right back down to act as a cover for your groin).
  5. No cover out is required.

Unfinished Yellow Belt Manual by Ed Parker

CAPTURED TWIGS (rear – bear hug with arms pinned)

  1. Standing naturally, with your opponent’s arms around your arms, step to 9 o’clock with your left foot into a horse stance (while looking over your right shoulder), and simultaneously pin your opponent’s hands to your body with your left hand. Just as your weight settles into your horse stance, execute a right back hammerfist strike to your opponent’s groin. (This action should cause your opponent to bend forward at the waist, and possibly release his grasp.)
  2. Immediately slide your right foot into a right cat stance (turning 90 degrees while facing 3 o’clock) as your left hand releases the pin, clears your opponent’s right arm, and covers in front of your face as a positional check. Simultaneously with the action of your left arm have your right hand cover your groin, and proceed to clear your opponent’s left arm.
  3. Execute a right heel stomp kick to your opponent’s left instep, causing your opponent to bend forward even further.
  4. Slide your right foot back toward 3:00 into a horse stance. Immediately have your right forearm CONTOUR (track) up the middle of your opponent’s body as you execute a right vertical obscure elbow strike to the underside of your opponent’s chin. Have your right arm snap back after the strike, and cover your groin. (Your opponent’s head should have been popped up and back, and his body may also spin away from you if done properly.)

Notes

Variations