Raining Claw (EPAK Orange #23)

KenpoTech on July 11, 2010

[property_details details=”1″]

Raining Claw is the 23rd technique required to obtain your Orange Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. It is a defense against a right uppercut punch placing Raining Claw in the Punches category in the Web of Knowledge as well as the Punches family group in the Striking Division of Family Groups.

In Raining Claw you start with a right smother block to your opponent’s attack as your left arm circles around into a downward claw to your opponent’s face followed by a continuation of your right arms circle into a vertical back knuckle strike.  This shows you the various blocking and striking positions of the circle as well as using one circular strike to conceal another by making use of the tracking and threading concepts.

Defense

Raining Claw – defense for a right uppercut punch.

  • Step 1
    • Step back toward 6:00 with your left foot to form a right neutral bow stance facing 12:00,
    • Deliver a right downward inward block (smother block) to your opponent’s right forearm.
    • Left hand guards high.
  • Step 2
    • Deliver a left overhead claw to your opponent’s face.
  • Step 3
    • Shuffle forward (push-drag),
    • Deliver a right vertical back knuckle thrust to your opponent’s face.
    • Left hand guards low.
  • Step 4
    • Right front crossover
    • Cover out toward 7:30.

Additional Information

Name

The name Raining Claw is based of the type of one of your counter strikes and the direction it comes from. You deliver an overhead claw strike, thus the claw is coming from above as rain would.

Attack

The ideal phase places your opponent directly in front of you (12:00). Your opponent delivers a right uppercut punch (front inverted horizontal roundhouse punch) to your abdomen or face.

An uppercut punch as with other attacks coming from this direction are more difficult to defend against and because if this an uppercut punch is usually used by someone with some fighting experience.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Reverse Step Through
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Right Downward Inward Block
  • Left Inward Overhead Heel Palm Claw
  • Forward Push-Drag Shuffle
  • Right Vertical Thrusting Back Knuckle
  • Right Front Crossover
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Right Forearm
  • Face

Concepts & Principles

  • Angle of Incidence
  • Body Momentum
  • Detaining Check
  • Orbit
  • Sliding Check
  • Smothering
  • Threading
  • Tracking


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent throws a left jab before the right uppercut?
    • your opponent fakes the uppercut and throws a left punch?
    • your opponent throws a left uppercut?
    • your opponent throws a left kick followed by a right uppercut?
    • your opponent grabs your right arm and pulls you into a right uppercut?
    • you are unable to step back?

Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal does not indicate an angle of departure

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

RAINING CLAW (front uppercut right punch)

  1. Standing naturally with feet together, step back to 6 o’clock with your left foot (into a right neutral bow) and deliver a right downward inward block to right forearm of opponent’s uppercut. Your left hand is guarding high to protect your head area.
  2. Immediately shoot a left overhead claw to opponent’s face while your right elbow stays close to your body.
  3. Have your right fist circle clockwise and execute a right vertical back knuckle thrust to opponent’s face while shuffling forward with your left hand checking low.

Notes

  • The description of the initial block varies. Some say inward downward block, others will say downward inward block. In a nutshell it is a smothering block with your forearm ending in a horizontal position in front of your body. Both are technically correct and it is a matter of how you interpret it. I choose the second interpretation.
    • Inward (block traveling in a) Downward (direction) Block
    • Downward (traveling) Inward Block

Variations

Reversing Mace (EPAK Orange #19)

KenpoTech on July 6, 2010

[property_details details=”1″]

Reversing Mace is the 19th technique required to obtain your Orange Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. It is a defense against left step through punch from the front thus part of the Punches category in the Web of Knowledge and the Punches Family Group in the Family Groups Striking Division

In Reversing Mace you will move up the circle and employ the double factor principle in order to move out of your opponent’s line of attack as well as negate his ability to follow up with another strike. In your counter attack you will reverse the motion of your right arm’s defense turning it into an offensive maneuver and finally you will redistribute your weight as you pivot away from your attacker to provide ample support, range and power for your kick.

Defense

Reversing Mace – defense for a left straight punch.

  • Step 1
    • Slide your left foot toward 4:30 to form a right neutral bow stance facing 10:30,
    • Deliver a right inward parry to the back of your opponent’s left elbow,
    • Deliver a left vertical outward parry to the back of your opponent’s left elbow,
    • Execute a right outward back knuckle strike as you settle into your stance.
  • Step 2
    • Deliver a right inward downward looping roundhouse kick to the back of your opponent’s left knee.
  • Step 3
    • Without planting your foot, execute a right front crossover and cover out toward 4:30.

Additional Information

Name

With the Kenpo term ‘mace‘ used to represent the closed fist in conjunction with the use of reverse motion, by reversing your mace that you blocked with to deliver a counterstrike, you get the name Reversing Mace.

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly in front of you (12:00). Your opponent proceeds to step forward with his left foot as he delivers a left punch toward your face.

This attack does not necessarily have to be an active step through punch. Your opponent may be in a left neutral bow stance and throwing a left hand punch from this position.  With a left punch being most commonly used to set up another, more powerful, strike your it is important to negate your attacker’s ability to follow up.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Reverse Step Through
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Right Inward Parry
  • Left Vertical Outward Parry
  • Right Outward Horizontal Back Knuckle Strike
  • Right Inward Downward Looping Roundhouse Kick
  • Right Fright Crossover
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Back of the Left Elbow
  • Left Floating Ribs
  • Back of the Left Knee (Peroneal Nerve)

Concepts & Principles

  • Anchoring
  • Angle of Deflection
  • Angle of Deviation
  • Complementary Angle
  • Continuity
  • Double Factor
  • Opposite Motion
  • Pivoting
  • Positional Check
  • Reverse Motion
  • Upside of the Circle
  • Weight Distribution


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent does not step through?
    • your opponent throws a roundhouse punch instead (hook punch)?
    • your opponent throws a right punch instead?
    • your opponent fakes with his left and follows with a right punch?
    • your opponent throws a left kick before his left punch?
    • your opponent follows his punch with a right outward spinning back knuckle strike?

Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Reversing Mace was the 17th required technique for orange belt.
  • Prior to the 1975 Accumulative Journal a right snapping knife edge kick (side kick) was used to buckle the attacker’s left knee.
  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, instructs you to move your left foot toward 5:00 instead of 4:30
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you defend with blocks
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal indicates the Angle of Departure as 5:00
  • The 1987 IKKA Studio Manuals have you defend with parries

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

REVERSING MACE (front straight left punch)

  1. From a right neutral bow, slide your left foot counter clockwise to 5 o’clock; simultaneously use a right inward and left vertical outward block outside of opponent’s left punch. Without any loss of motion, the right inward block continues and becomes a right horizontal outward back knuckle as it strikes to opponent’s left ribcage.
  2. Immediately shift your weight on to your left leg and delver a right looping downward roundhouse kick to back of opponent’s left knee complimenting the angle of your opponent’s thigh. (As this kick is executed, kick with the instep of your right foot and make sure that your right ankle is locked straight out.)
  3. Right front crossover and cover out to 4 o’clock.

Notes

Variations