Returning Storm (Blue #14)

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Returning Storm is the 14th technique required technique to obtain your Blue Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Returning Storm is a defense against a right roundhouse club and right outward club combination, placing it in the Weapons category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the One Man Multiple Attacks Family Group in the Multiple Attacks division.

In this technique, you will utilize rapid foot maneuvers to first seek a Zone of Sanctuary allowing your opponent to miss with the first strike but then you immediately reposition yourself to defend against the second strike as you penetrate deeply into your opponent’s obscure zone.  You will then use the momentum supplied by your opponent’s outward swing (borrowed force) in a continuous flow of action to make use of opposing forces which enables the push pull effect on your opponent’s arm as well as the spiraling stair case effect to direct him toward the ground.  Both of these control your opponent’s height width and depth zones of protection.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly in front of you (12:00).  Your opponent steps forward with his right foot and delivers a right inward horizontal roundhouse club strike. Upon missing he immediately follows with a right outward horizontal back hand club strike.

Defense

Returning Storm – defense for an inward/outward club strike combination.

  • Step 1
    • Shuffle back with your left foot toward 7:30 into a right neutral bow facing your opponent.
    • Bring both of your arms close to your chest, fists up top, into a protective guard.
  • Step 2
    • Step forward with your left foot toward 1:30 into a left neutral bow stance,
    • Deliver a left inward block to your opponent’s right elbow,
    • Deliver a right extended outward block to your opponent’s right wrist.
  • Step 3
    • Grab your opponent’s right wrist with your right hand and pull toward your right hip,
    • Push forward against your opponent’s right elbow downward with your left forearm
    • Slide your right foot toward 10:30 into a left neutral bow stance facing 4:30
  • Step 4
    • Deliver a right front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s right rib cage.
  • Step 5
    • Plant your right foot forward into a right neutral bow stance.
    • Check your opponent’s right arm with your left hand by pushing it down past your right hip,
    • Deliver a right upward lifting stiff-arm back knuckle strike to your opponent’s face.
  • Step 6
    • Execute a right front crossover,
    • Cover out twice toward 12:00.

Considerations

  • What if…
    • your opponent does not step through?
    • your opponent is swinging the club with two hands?
    • your opponent delivers a left roundhouse club strike instead?
    • your opponent swings on an inward downward diagonal path?
    • your opponent is using a knife?
    • your opponent is using nunchaku?
    • you cannot step back?

Notes

  • When stepping forward into a left neutral bow stance, your left foot should be places to the inside of your opponent’s right foot. This will serve to buckle your opponent’s right knee to create an angle of disturbance.
  • Keep constant pressure on your opponent’s right elbow. Your rolling action on your opponent’s elbow coupled with the rotational force of your body should spiral your opponent down into your front snapping ball kick.
  • Be sure to use the Spiraling Staircase Effect learned in Sleeper to aid you when manipulating your opponent.
  • OPINION: While the official target of the kick is the right ribcage, this seems to be a very unlikely target due to the proximity and position of your opponent if the technique is done correctly, moves are kept tight and the ideal phase remains in play.  The best you will be able to do to your opponent’s right ribs would be an upward knee strike making your opponent’s face becomes the likely target of the kick.  Even then, the knee strike is more likely to strike your opponent’s chest.  Considering all the variables and potential outcomes, it would make most sense to list the target of the kick as ‘any available target’.

Variations

  • Many schools will substitute the shuffle with a left reverse step through toward 7:30 into a right reverse bow stance in order to move away from the first swing.
  • While it is not in the written description, the technique is more often than not taught with an attempted disarm to occur simultaneously with the kick.  This makes use of the disarm as a preparatory cock of the right hand for the follow up strike. Your left hand will maintain it’s position on your opponent’s right arm.
  • Some schools will teach a one of two variations where you do not plant forward after the right kick to your opponent.
    • In this case you plant your right foot back to point of origin,
    • and you disarm your opponent with your left hand as you execute a left front crossover and cover out.

Additional Information

Name

In American Kenpo the term storm is used to represent a club attack. In this technique your opponent strikes with the club but misses with the inward strike and immediately follows up with outward strike, returning along the path the strike originated from.  Essentially the club (storm) is returning for another strike giving us the name Returning Storm.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Reverse Shuffle (push-drag)
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Left Front Step Through
  • Left Neutral Bow Stance
  • Right Extended Outward Block
  • Left Inward Block
  • Right Reverse Step Through
  • Right Right Snapping Ball Kick
  • Right Upward Stiff-arm Back Knuckle Strike
  • Right Front Crossover
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Right Wrist
  • Right Elbow
  • Right Rib Cage
  • Face

Concepts & Principles

  • Anchor
  • Angle of Cancellation
  • Angle of Deflection
  • Angle of Deviation
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Angle of Efficiency

Concepts & Principles (Con’t)

  • Angle of Entry
  • Angle of No Return
  • Back Up Mass
  • Body Momentum
  • Borrowed Force
  • Complimentary Angle
  • Contact Manipulation
  • Control Distance
  • Control Manipulation
  • Contouring
  • Counter Balance
  • Have A Back Up
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Minimize Your Targets
  • Obscure Zones
  • Opposing Forces
  • Path of Action
  • Point of Contact
  • Point of Origin
  • Push-Pull Effect
  • Reverse Motion
  • Spiraling Staircase Effect
  • Stabilize Your Base
  • Transitional Moves
  • Twirling
  • Zone of Sanctuary


Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Returning Storm was Blue Belt Technique #11
  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal version you;
    • drop back to 8:00.
    • step forward toward 2:00.
    • slide your right foot toward 10:00.
    • deliver the right kick and plant forward to 4:00.
    • depart toward 11:00.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

RETURNING STORM (roundhouse and backhand club attack)

  1. With feet together, drop back (by shuffling back) with your left foot to 8 o’clock (into a right neutral bow) and place both of your arms close (positioning them vertically with your fists at the top) to your chest, as your opponent takes a wild step through roundhouse horizontal club strike which misses.
  2. As opponent attempts to strike with a returning backhand club strike, step forward with your left foot to 2 o’clock (into a left neutral bow) and have both of your arms strike vertically so that your left forearm strikes at opponent’s right elbow joint and your right outer wrist at opponent’s right wrist.
  3. Immediately grab opponent’s right wrist with your right hand and push vertically and out with your left forearm as you slide your right foot clockwise to 10 o’clock, keeping constant pressure on your opponent’s right elbow.
  4. Follow-up with a front snapping ball kick to opponent’s right ribcage (kick is delivered toward 4 o’clock).
  5. As you plant your right foot forward (into a right neutral bow), check your opponent’s right arm with your left hand by pushing it down and past your right hip and deliver a vertical upward stiff-arm back knuckle strike to opponent’s face.
  6. Right front crossover and cover out to 11 o’clock.

Crossing Talon (EPAK Orange #13)

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Crossing Talon is the 13th technique required to obtain your Orange Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Crossing Talon is the defense for a right cross wrist grab placing it in the Grabs & Tackles category of the Web of Knowledge and the Wrist Grabs family group in the Grabs category of the Grappling division.

Crossing the Talon is defense against a right hand cross wrist grab (to your right wrist).  This technique uses a wide variety of checks most of which are parts of an offensive move. For example the action of placing your opponent in the arb bar serves as a cross check, pulling check, pushing check and detaining check all at once.  In Crossing Talon you will use use the force of your entire body when striking and you will learn  how to use a series of checks or strikes in one continuous flow

Defense

Crossing Talon – defense for a right hand cross grab.

  • Step 1
    • Raising your forearm as if you were doing a right vertical outward block, counter grab your opponent’s right wrist in a clockwise direction with your right hand,
    • Step toward 1:30 with your left foot to form a left neutral bow stance in front of your opponent’s right leg,
    • Deliver a left thrusting forearm strike behind your opponent’s right elbow.
  • Step 2
    • Settle deeper into your left neutral bow stance
    • Pull your opponent’s right wrist across your body, in toward and past your right hip,
    • Keeping your left elbow anchored push forward and down against your opponent’s right elbow with your left forearm
  • Step 3
    • Align your left elbow by bringing your left hand toward your chest and sliding your forearm on top of your opponents right elbow,
    • Deliver a left outward elbow strike to your opponent’s right temple or jaw.
  • Step 4
    • Continue your outward motion
    • Deliver a left heel palm strike to your opponent’s face,
    • Execute a five-finger rip to your opponent’s face.
  • Step 5
    • Deliver a left inward overhead downward elbow strike to your opponent’s spine.
    • Drop your weight into a left wide kneel stance.
  • Step 6
    • Execute left downward heel palm strike to the base of your opponent’s skull.
    • Deliver a right upward knee kick to your opponent’s face, planting back toward 4:30
  • Step 7
    • Left front crossover and cover out toward 6:00.

Additional Information

Name

In American Kenpo the term ‘Talon” is synonymous with a wrist grab.  In Crossing Talon, your opponent is crossing his body, to grab your opposite wrist, thus executing a Crossing Wrist Grab.  Hence the name Crossing Talon.

Attack

The ideal phase of attack puts your opponent directly in front of you. He reaches diagonally across his body and grabs the inside portion of your right wrist — his palm against your inner wrist – the backs of both of your hands facing outward.

As with any other type of grab the most common uses are to intimidate, control, manipulate or set up for a followup attack.  Grabs are often the result of an argument but can and do come as a surprise attack.  Wrist grabs, in particular, are a very common type of grab in that they serve to control one of your natural weapons, often adding a notion of confidence to the aggressor.

Basics & Maneuvers Used

  • Right Counter Grap
  • Left Front Step Through
  • Left Hammering Inward Block
  • Left Neutral Bow Stance
  • Left Outward Horizontal Elbow
  • Left Outward Heel Palm Strike
  • Left Five Finger Claw
  • Left Five Finger Ripping Claw
  • Left Inward Overhead Elbow
  • Left Wide Kneel Stance
  • Left Downward Heel Palm Strike
  • Left One Legged Stance
  • Right Upward Knee Kick
  • Left Front Crossover
  • Cover out

Targets

  • Right Wrist
  • Right Elbow
  • Right Temple
  • Face
  • Spine
  • Right Mastoid Bone

Concepts & Principles Taught

  • Anchoring
  • Angle of Alignment
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Axis of Rotation
  • Backup Mass
  • Contouring
  • Counter Grabbing
  • Cross Checking
  • Detaining Check
  • Fulcrum
  • Leverage
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Pin-Point Effect
  • Point of Origin
  • Positional Block
  • Residual Torque
  • Reverse Marriage of Gravity
  • Rounding the Corners
  • Sandwiching
  • Solidify your Base
  • Sliding Check
  • Striking Check
  • Zones of Protection


Considerations

  • What if …
    • Your opponent grabs you from the top (palm down)?
    • Your opponent grabs you from underneath (palm up)?
    • your opponent pulls you forward (or into a punch)?
    • your opponent grabs your wrist with two hands?
    • you do not have the strength to life your right arm in the first move?
    • Your opponent grabs your shirt (or right lapel)?
    • Your opponent grabs your belt (or lower shirt)?

Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Crossing Talon was Orange Belt Technique Requirement #11
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you step toward 1:00 on the initial step.
  • The 1987 Studio Manuals indicate 4:30 as the Angle of Departure

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

CROSSING TALON (front right cross wrist grab)

  1. With opponent’s right hand grabbing your right wrist, counter grab his wrist as your left foot steps forward and to your right to 1 o’clock) into a left neutral bow simultaneously striking opponent’s right elbow with your left forearm in a forward thrusting motion while your right hand pulls in toward and past your right hip.
  2. Continue to push and pull opponent’s arm to your right forcing opponent’s head down with the possibility of your opponent’s head striking your left knee.
  3. Immediately deliver a left side elbow strike (palm up or down depending on circumstance) to opponents right jaw hinge followed by a left heel palm strike and five-finger rip to opponents face.
  4. Circle your left arm clockwise and strike down with your left elbow striking to upper spine of opponent.
  5. Follow-up with a left downward heel palm strike to back of opponent’s left mastoid. As your left hand continues to push down simultaneously deliver a right knee kick to opponent’s face, causing a sandwiching effect.
  6. Replant your right foot to original position.

Unfinished Orange Belt Manual by Ed Parker

CROSSING TALON (Front right cross wrist grab)

  1. With your opponent’s right hand grabbing your right wrist, (1) countergrab his right wrist with your right hand as (2) your left foot steps toward 1:30 (traveling in front of your opponent) into a left neutral bow, as (3) you strike your opponent’s right elbow with a left inward vertical forearm, while (4) your right hand pulls in, toward, and past your right hip. (The effect of this action is to sprain or break your opponent’s right elbow, and force him to bend over, which automatically checks his Height Zones.)
  2. Continue to pull your opponent’s arm to your right while using your left forearm to force your opponent’s head down and possibly striking your left knee.
  3. Immediately deliver a left outward elbow strike (palm up or down depending on circumstance) to your opponent’s right jaw hinge or temple. (This action may cause your opponent to pass out and drop toward the ground.)
  4. Immediately follow-up with a left heel palm strike and five-finger rip to your opponent’s face while using your opponent’s shoulder and back as a fulcrum to leverage, contour, check, and enhance your action. Continue your left arm clockwise circle and execute a left inward overhead downward elbow strike to your opponent’s upper spine. (This action should cause your opponent’s body to bow toward the ground.)
  5. Follow up with a left downward heel palm strike to the back of your opponent’s left mastoid. As your left hand continues to push your opponent’s head down, simultaneously deliver a right knee strike to your opponent’s face, thus causing a sandwiching effect. (Your opponent should fall to the ground.)
  6. Replant your right foot to its POINT OF ORIGIN. Left front crossover, covering out toward 4:30.

Notes

Variations

There are several variations to this technique in the Tracy Kenpo Systems, under the same name