Repeated Devastation (Blue #5)

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Repeated Devastation is the 5th required technique to obtain your Blue belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Repeated Devastation is a defense against a full nelson from the rear, placing it in the Hugs and Holds category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Full Nelson Family Group in the Holds and Hugs category of the family groups Grappling division.

In Repeated Devastation your primary focus is on your opponent’s hold. You step forward to gain balance while disrupting your opponent’s balance to set up your repeated elbow strikes where rotational force is the key ingredient to making it repeated devastation. You will be introduced to the third hand principle, as well as the front-to-back switch in this technique.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly behind you (6:00) and places you in a full nelson hold.  It is assumed that your the hold is completed and your opponent is pushing your head forward making it impossible to maintain the proper balance necessary to execute Scraping Hoof.

Defense

Repeated Devastation – defense for a full nelson.

  • Step 1
    • Step toward 3:00 with your right foot to form a modified horse stance facing 12:00.
    • Deliver simultaneous left & right punches over and behind your head to your opponent’s face.
  • Step 2
    • Drop your weight and lower into a horse stance,
    • Drive both elbows downward into your opponent’s biceps,
    • Thrust both fists towards the ground
    • Slide your feet back together as you straighten and stiffen your entire body
    • Deliver a rear head butt to your opponent’s face.
  • Step 3
    • Step forward with your left foot toward 1:30 into a transitional left neutral bow stance,
    • Pin your opponent’s left arm with your left arm as you grab your opponent’s right hand with your left hand,
    • Pivot clockwise into a right forward bow stance facing your opponent.
    • Deliver a right outward horizontal elbow strike to the right side of your opponent’s jaw.
  • Step 4
    • Slide your left foot back to your right foot and step forward with your right foot toward 10:30 into a transitional right neutral bow stance.
    • Pin your opponent’s right arm to your body with your right arm and grab his left wrist with your right hand,
    • pivot counterclockwise to form a left forward bow stance facing your opponent.
    • Deliver a left outward horizontal elbow strike to the left side of your opponent’s jaw.
  • Step 5
    • Execute a left front crossover
    • Double Cover out toward 10:30.

Considerations

  • What if…
    • your opponent forces your head down, bending you forward at the waist?
    • your opponent pulls you backwards?
    • you are unable to step forward or your opponent pushes you towards a wall?
    • your opponent doesn’t release his hold after your initial strikes?
    • your opponent falls to his knees while maintaining the hold?
    • your opponent is taller than you?
    • your opponent is shorter than you?

Notes

  • Stepping towards 3:00 on the initial move will establish your base. If your base is established then you can time the downward drop of the elbows with planting into a horse stance to gain more power through marriage of gravity.
  • Experiment with different strikes to the face on the first move, determine the strengths and weaknesses of using claws and middle knuckle strikes.
  • Learn to insert and suffix scraping hoof into repeated devastation and see how they exemplify grafting techniques.
  • Take special note of the simultaneous checks with your strikes and define the types of checks that you are employing throughout this technique?
  • For what other attacks can you use a similar reponse to overcome your opponent?
  • Experiment with suffixing wrist locks onto this technique as possible take downs.

Variations

  • A variation that I prefer starts by (1) Shoot two claws to your opponent’s face (2) Step towards 3:00 with your right foot into a horse stance and drive your elbows downward into your opponent’s biceps as your right foot plants (to maximize force) (3) Immediately thrust both fists towards the ground (angled inward just in front of your bladder), locking your arms, while you slide your right foot back to your left (straightening your entire body) and deliver a rear head butt strike to your opponent’s face.
    • It is important to understand the original version is the way it is first. The initial step is to help stabilize your base. So in the event your base isn’t stabilized it is important to follow the original version. Otherwise this will just speed things up.

Additional Information

Name

The name of this technique comes from the repeated use of the elbows which used correctly will have devastating effects. Thus the name Repeated Devastation.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Back Over the Shoulder Punch
  • Right Back Over the Shoulder Punch
  • Modified Horse Stand
  • Left Downward Elbow Strike
  • Right Downward Elbow Strike
  • Modified Attention Stance
  • Rear Head Butt Strike
  • Left Front Step Through
  • Left Transitional Neutral Bow Stance
  • Right Forward Bow Stance
  • Right Outward Horizontal Elbow Strike
  • Front-to-Back Switch
    • Left Reverse Step Through
    • Right Front Step Through
  • Right Transitional Neutral Bow Stance
  • Left Forward Bow Stance
  • Left Outward Horizontal Elbow Strike
  • Left Front Crossover
  • Double Cover Out

Targets

  • Eyes/Face
  • Left Forearm
  • Right Forearm
  • Left Side of Head/Jaw
  • Right Side of Head/Jaw

Concepts & Principles

  • Anchoring
  • Angle of Cancellation
  • Angle of Departure
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Angle of Entry
  • Body Alignment
  • Body Momentum
  • Borrowed Force
  • Bumping
  • Complimentary Angle
  • Contact Manipulation
  • Counter Balance
  • Counter Manipulation
  • Guidelining
  • Hugging Check
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Opposing Forces
  • Pinning Check
  • Point of Origin
  • Positional Check
  • Reverse Body Momentum
  • Sandwiching
  • Stabilize Your Base
  • Switching
  • Third Hand Principle
  • Torque
  • Trapping
  • With


Related Techniques

  • Scraping Hoof (O-11)
  • Obscure Sword (O-22)
  • Wings of Silk (B-19)
  • Menacing Twirl (G-8)
  • Conquering Shield (G-15)
  • Twirling Sacrifice (G-17)
  • Blinding Sacrifice (3Br-21)

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Repeated Devastation was Blue Belt Technique #3.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal indicates 12:00 as the Angle of Departure.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

REPEATED DEVASTATION (full nelson)

  1. With feet together and while in a full Nelson, strike over and back of your head with both of your fists (palms facing forward) to opponent’s face (sandwiching his head) as your right foot steps to 3 o’clock into a narrow horse stance.
  2. Strike both of your elbows down to opponent’s biceps (palms still facing forward) while dropping lower in your horse stance and immediately thrust both fists toward the ground (palms facing you) as you straighten and stiffen your knees.
  3. Step forward (in a straight line) with your left foot toward 12 o’clock  into a left neutral bow and pivot clockwise into a right forward bow (facing 6 o’clock) as you deliver a right outward thrusting elbow strike to opponent’s right jaw.
  4. Plant your left foot back to the point of origin and step forward with your right foot toward 2 o’clock into a right neutral bow and pivot counter clockwise into a left forward bow (facing 6 o’clock) as you deliver a left outward thrusting elbow strike to opponent’s left jaw.
  5. Left front crossover and cover out to 12 o’clock.

Obscure Sword (EPAK Orange #22)

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Obscure Sword is the 22nd 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 rear flank. This places Obscure Sword in the Grabs & Tackles category in the Web of Knowledge as well as the Shoulder Grabs family group in the grabs subcategory of the Grappling Division of Family Groups.

This technique stresses the importance of environmental awareness due to the initial attack and defense coming from blind areas.  In Obscure Sword we will learn to use the opposite of purposeful compliance, purposeful defiance, to elicit a specific response from your opponent before using purposeful compliance to unleash our hidden strike.

Defense

Obscure Sword – defense for a right rear shoulder grab.

  • Step 1
    • Pin your opponent’s left hand with your left hand
    • Step forward to 12:30 with your left foot to form a left forward bow stance facing 12:30,
    • Cock your right hand below your left elbow in a handsword position.
  • Step 2
    • As your opponent tugs, pivot clockwise to form a right forward bow stance facing 4:30.
    • Deliver a right outward horizontal handsword strike to your opponent’s throat.
  • Step 3
    • Pivot counter clockwise into a right neutral bow facing 4:30,
    • Deliver a right extended outward block to clear/check your opponent’s left arm,
    • Left hand covers low,
  • Step 4
    • Deliver a left front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s groin, planting back.
  • Step 5
    • Right Front Crossover
    • Cover out toward 12:00.

Additional Information

Name

As we have come to learn the term Sword in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo is the term used to symbolize a handsword strike. In this technique you will deliver a handsword strike from an angle obscurity or rather from an area that your opponent is unable to view, thus the name Obscure Sword

Attack

In the ideal phase, your opponent is behind you and to the right (4:30) and grabs your right shoulder with his left hand.

While the shoulder grab itself isn’t extremely dangerous the fact that your opponent is grabbing you from a blind spot make it that much so. You have no idea what is coming next and have to rely on instinct and feel to know how to react.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Forward Step Through
  • Right Reverse Bow Stance
  • Right Forward Bow Stance
  • Right Outward Horizontal Handsword Strike
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Right Extended Outward Block
  • Left Front Snapping Ball Kick
  • Right Inward Raking Hammerfist Strike
  • Right Front Crossover
  • Coverout

Targets

  • Left Hand/Wrist
  • Throat (Trachea)
  • Left Inner Forearm
  • Groin/Bladder
  • Face

Concepts & Principles

  • Angle of Deflection
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Body Rotation
  • Borrowed Force
  • Counter Manipulation
  • Opposing Forces
  • Pinning Check
  • Pivot
  • Point of Origin
  • Purposeful Compliance
  • Purposeful Defiance
  • Solidify your Base
  • Obscure Zones
  • Object Obscurity
  • Torque


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent pushes you forward?
    • your opponent follows the grab with a right punch?
    • your opponent follows the grab with a right kick?
    • your opponent grabs your right arm with his right hand at the same time?
    • you are unable to step forward?

Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal this was orange belt technique #21.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you pivot into a forward bow facing 5:00.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal does not indicate an angle of departure.
  • Prior to 1975 a version was taught having you plant back from your kick at a further distance as the beginning of a shuffle away from your opponent.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

OBSCURE SWORD (flank left hand shoulder grab)

  1. With feet together, step directly forward (to 12 o’clock) with your left foot into a left neutral bow facing straight ahead with your right handsword cocked to your heart (palm up) simultaneously pin opponent’s right hand with your left hand to your right shoulder.
  2. Immediately pivot to 5 o’clock into a right forward bow while delivering a right outward handsword to opponent’s throat.
  3. Deliver a left kick to opponent’s groin and plant your left foot back to your former position with your hands in fighting position.

Notes

Variations

Having just kicked your opponent in the groin, forcing them to bend over it is quite common to toss in an additional move before executing a crossover or as you execute the crossover. The common variations are:

  • Right Inward Raking Hammerfist Strike to your opponent’s face.
  • Right Roundhouse Punch (hook punch) to the left side of your opponent’s face.
  • Right Inward Striking Claw to the left side of your opponent’s face.
  • Right Inward Collapsing Heel Palm Strike to the left side of your opponent’s face.

Scraping Hoof (EPAK Orange #11)

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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.