Shield and Mace (Blue #10)

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Shield And Mace is the 10th required technique to obtain your Blue Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Shield And Mace is a defense against a right step through punch from the front, placing it in the Punches category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Punches Family Group of the Striking Division.

The theme of Shield and Mace begins with a double action from two points of origin, delivering a simultaneous block and strike.  You will block with your rear arm as you place emphasis on striking while moving up the circle to give greater depth of penetration.  Simultaneous offensive and defensive movements are used throughout the technique utilizing spirals and overlapping circles. You will also employ dual methods of body momentum in harmony with your dual movements.  The technique is designed to flow in a single continuous flow of action continually checking the opponent while delivering your strikes.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly in front of you (12:00) in a left fighting stance.  He then steps forward with his right foot as he thrusts a right straight punch toward your head.

Defense

Shield and Mace – defense for a right straight punch.

  • Step 1
    • Step forward with your left foot toward 11:00 into a left neutral bow stance,
    • Pivot clockwise into a horse stance,
    • Deliver a right vertical outward block to the outside of your opponent’s right arm,
    • Deliver a left horizontal thrust punch to your opponent’s right lower rib cage.
  • Step 2
    • Pivot counter clockwise into a left close kneel stance,
    • Deliver a right outward downward diagonal hammerfist strike to your opponent’s right kidney.
    • Your left hand checks your opponent’s right elbow.
  • Step 3
    • Rise up into a modified close kneel stance,
    • Circle your left hand clockwise pinning your opponent’s right arm against his body,
    • Circle your right hand counter clockwise to deliver a right looping inward horizontal heel palm claw to your opponent’s face and eyes.
  • Step 4
    • Drop into your left close kneel stance,
    • Continue to circle your right hand counter clockwise to deliver a right outward handsword strike to the back of your opponent’s right knee.
    • Your left hand circles clockwise to check your opponent’s elbow or shoulder.
  • Step 5
    • Deliver a right snapping knife edge kick to the back of your opponent’s left knee.
  • Step 6
    • Without planting your foot, execute a right front crossover
    • Cover out twice toward 7:30.

Considerations

  • What if…
    • your opponent’s left leg is forward?
    • your opponent snaps his right punch back?
    • your opponent throws a left step through punch?
    • your opponent’s attack is a right roundhouse punch?
    • your opponent delivers a right spinning back knuckle?
    • your opponent precedes his punch with a left roundhouse kick?
    • your opponent precedes his punch with a right kick?
    • you cannot move to the outside of your opponent’s right arm?
    • a second opponent is grabbing your right arm from behind?

Notes

  • Note the use of direct body rotation to enhance your outward block as opposed to the usual counter rotation.
  • The pin in step three should be an open ended triangle.
  • Practice this technique from both a left neutral bow stance and a right neutral bow stance. Each stance will require different footwork to begin the technique.
  • Never send your opponent’s weapons into orbit only to have them re-orbit back to you.  Note how this applies throughout the technique.
  • Study how the synchronized use of various types of body momentum increase the power of your action.

Variations

  • You can pivot into a left forward bow stance instead of a left close kneel stance while delivering the right downward diagonal hammerfist strike to the kidney.  You will then begin to pivot into the close kneels stance as you deliver the right heel palm claw to your opponent’s face and settle into  the left close kneel stance as you deliver the right  outward handsword strike to the back of your opponent’s right knee.

Additional Information

Name

In American Kenpo the term shield is used to represent an outward block while the term mace is used to represent a closed fist.  The dual movement of your initial action; defense with a right outward block (shield) and offense with a left straight punch (mace) gives us the name Shield and Mace.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Front Step Through
  • Left Neutral Bow Stance
  • Horse Stance
  • Right Vertical Outward Block
  • Left Straight Punch
  • Left Close Kneel Stance
  • Right Hammerfist Strike
  • Right Inward Looping Horizontal Heel Palm Claw
  • Right Outward Handsword Strike
  • Right Knife Edge Kick
  • Right Front Crossover
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Outside Right Arm
  • Right Rib Cage
  • Right Kidney
  • Face/Eyes
  • Back of Right Knee
  • Back of Left Knee

Concepts & Principles

  • Anchoring
  • Angle of Alignment
  • Angle of Cancellation
  • Angle of Contact
  • Angle of Deflection
  • Angle of Departure
  • Angle of Deviation
  • Angle of Disturbance

Concepts & Principles (Con’t)

  • Angle of Entry
  • Angle of Execution
  • Angle of Incidence
  • Angle of No Return
  • Back Up Mass
  • Body Alignment
  • Body Momentum
  • Borrowed Force
  • Bracing Angle
  • Buckle
  • Checking
  • Complementary Angle
  • Continuity of Motion
  • Contouring
  • Control Distance
  • Counter Balance
  • Counter Rotation
  • Depth of Penetration
  • Direct Rotation
  • Follow Through
  • Minimize Your Targets
  • Obscure Zones
  • Outer Rim
  • Pivot
  • Point of Delivery
  • Point of Origin
  • Rounding the Corners
  • Slipping
  • Spiraling
  • With


Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal lists Shield and Mace as Blue Belt Technique #8.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal indicates 8:00 as the angle of departure.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

SHIELD AND MACE (front straight step through right punch)

  1. With feet together, move forward and to your left with your left foot (to 11 o’clock) into a left neutral bow as you immediately pivot to your right into a horse and deliver a right vertical outward block outside of opponent’s right arm while simultaneously delivering a left straight punch to opponent’s right ribcage.
  2. Pivot to your left and drop down into a left close kneel as you strike down with a right hammerfist (with your left hand guarding) to upper part of opponent’s right kidney driving the force down to the pelvic area.
  3. Circle your left hand clockwise, pinning opponent’s right arm down as your right hand circles counter clockwise striking opponent’s face and eyes with a right looping inward heel of palm claw.
  4. Circle your right hand counter clockwise and down even further, and strike back of opponent’s right knee with your right heel of palm to buckle his leg. (Have your left hand execute an overlapping check to same spot.)
  5. Follow-up with a right knife-edge kick to back of opponent’s left knee.
  6. While your right foot is still in the air right front crossover and cover out to 8 o’clock.

Leaping Crane (Purple #3)

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Leaping Crane is the 3rd required technique to obtain your purple belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Leaping Crane is a defense against a right step through punch from the front, placing it in the Punches category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Punches Family Group in the family groups striking division.

Leaping Crane introduces you to two new basics, a leap as a raking middle knuckle strike. In the first move you will couple a foot maneuver (leap) with a cross check (inward parry) to evade the attack. With the nature of the leap, it is vital to properly gauge your distance if you wish to properly control your opponent.  It also shows you how to maneuver directly into a transitional stance that properly lines up your next move by putting your right foot at the proper angle of delivery.  From that point onward it s a matter of controlling your opponent with each strike to set him up for the next.

Defense

LEAPING CRANE – defense for a right straight punch.

  • Step 1
    • Leap to to your left toward 9:00-10:00 forming a left one-leg stance,
    • Deliver a left inward parry to the outside of your opponent’s right arm, above the elbow.
    • Deliver a right inward horizontal raking middle knuckle fist strike to your opponent’s right lower ribs.
  • Step 2
    • Maintain a positional check on your opponent’s right arm with your left hand,
    • Maintain a positional cock with the right hand,
    • Deliver a right snapping knife edge kick to the outside of your opponent’s right knee.
  • Step 3
    • Plant your right foot toward 1:30, inside your opponent’s right leg, to form a right neutral bow stance,
    • Deliver a right outward downward diagonal back knuckle strike to your opponent’s left kidney.
  • Step 4
    • Deliver a right inward horizontal elbow strike to the right side of your opponent’s head (mastoid, face or jaw).
    • Simultaneously, deliver a left inward hooking heel palm strike to the left side of your opponent’s head (mastoid, face or jaw).
  • Step 5
    • Right front crossover and cover out toward 7:30.

Additional Information

Name

The initial defensive move of this technique has you leap away from the attack. Upon landing you land on one foot only into a one-legged stance which in many systems is called a crane stance as it resembles a very common pose of the crane. Therefore, the leaping action into the crane stance is what gives us the name Leaping Crane.

Attack

In the ideal phase your attacker is directly in front of you (12:00). Your opponent steps forward with his right foot as he delivers a right straight punch to your head or body.

A step through punch provides your opponent with more power behind their punch due to body momentum and backup mass from the actual forward motion.  While this can be advantageous it can also be detrimental.  If enough force is thrown into the strike while moving forward, there is a point of no return that once reached commits the attacker to the strike.  If you are no longer in the Line of Attack, your opponent can be easily controlled, redirected or taken off balance.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Right Leap
  • Left One Leg Stance
  • Left Inward Parry
  • Right Inward Horizontal Raking Middle Knuckle Strike
  • Right Snapping Knife Edge Kick
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Right Outward Back Knuckle Strike
  • Right Inward Horizontal Elbow Strike
  • Left Inward Horizontal Heel Palm Strike

Targets

  • Outside the right arm
  • Right lower ribs
  • Outside of the right knee
  • Left Kidney
  • Right side of the head (mastoid, face or jaw)
  • Left side of the head (mastoid, face or jaw)

Concepts & Principles

  • Aiming
  • Angle of Deflection
  • Angle of Deviation
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Angle of Incidence
  • Back up Mass
  • Body Momentum
  • Borrowed Force
  • Contouring
  • Gauging
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Minor-Major Concept
  • Opposing Forces
  • Positional Check
  • Reverse Motion
  • Sandwiching
  • Solidify Your Base
  • With


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent does not step through with the punch?
    • your opponent steps with the left leg instead?
    • your opponent throws a right kick before the punch?
    • your opponent throws a left jab before the punch?
    • you are unable to move to your left?

Related Techniques

  • Gift of Destruction
  • Hugging Pendulum
  • Shield and Mace
  • Gathering Clouds
  • Circling the Horizon
  • Destructive Fans
  • Prance of the Tiger

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal this was purple belt technique #5
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you hop toward 9:00 incorrectly “into a right one leg (crane) stance with your right foot cocked…”. It should be a left one-leg stance as the stance is determined by the supporting leg.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you plant forward toward 1:00

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

LEAPING CRANE (front step through right punch)

  1. With feet together, hop to your left (to 9 o’clock) into a right one leg (crane) stance with your right foot cocked to the inside portion of your left knee as your left hand parries inward and your right middle knuckle fist rakes horizontally (toward yourself) , striking your opponent’s right ribs in the process, if possible. End the move of your right hand by having it cock horizontally across your waist with your right fist clenched, palm up, and to the side of your left hip.
  2. Deliver a right snapping knife-edge kick to outside of opponent’s right knee to buckle him (in and toward himself).
  3. As you plant your right foot (toward 1 o’clock) between opponent’s legs, deliver a right back knuckle to opponent’s left kidney, utilizing marriage of gravity.
  4. Immediately deliver a right inward elbow strike to opponent’s head as your left heel of palm strikes to opposite side of opponent’s head thus causing a sandwiching effect.

Notes

  • Although the kick is a right snapping knife edge kick, you do not want to snap the kick back as you are planting forward and you want to make sure you buckle your opponent’s knee which would technically make the kick a right thrusting knife edge kick.

Variations

  • This technique is often taught with an additional step after the sandwiching heel palm and elbow strikes which is as follows:
    • Grab your opponent’s head, hair, shirt, collar or shoulder,
    • Deliver a right inward downward diagonal handsword strike to your opponent’s throat or the right side of your opponent’s neck.

Twirling Wings (EPAK Purple #1)

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Twirling Wings is the 1st required technique to obtain your purple belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Twirling Wings is a defense against a rear two-hand stiff-armed shoulder grab placing it in the Grabs & Tackles category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Shoulder and Lapel Grabs Family Group in the Grabs category of the Family Groups Grappling division.

In Twirling Wings we are introduced into twirling checks as we continuously use rotating motions to keep our opponent in check.  From the get go we have a rotating outward block followed by the rotating inward elbow, then we rotate our right arm into a checking position as we rotate with another inward elbow.

Defense

Twirling Wings – defense for a rear double shoulder grab.

  • Step 1
    • Tuck your chin down into your chest,
    • Slide your left foot back toward 5:00 to form a left rear twist stance,
    • Chamber your hands at your right hip in the cup & saucer position (right palm up, left palm down).
  • Step 2
    • Pivot counterclockwise to form a left forward bow stance facing 6:00,
    • Deliver a left vertical outward block to the outside of your opponent’s left arm,
    • Execute a right inward horizontal elbow strike to your opponent’s left lower ribcage.
  • Step 3
    • Pivot clockwise into a left fighting horse stance facing 6:00,
    • Deliver a left inward horizontal elbow strike to your opponent’s left lower rib cage,
    • Right hand checks your opponent’s left outer elbow.
  • Step 4
    • Left front crossover,
    • Cover out toward 12:00.

Additional Information

Name

The Kenpo term wings represents the elbows. In this technique the twirling action of your wings (elbows) gives us the name Twirling Wings.

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly behind you (6:00). Your opponent grabs you from behind on each shoulder, at the base of the neck, with his arms fully extended.

This type of attack is typically used to control you and either hold you for another attacker from the front, to push you forward, to pull you back or to pull you back into a knee to the spine.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Reverse Step Through
  • Left Rear Twist Stance
  • Left Neutral Bow Stance
  • Left Vertical Outward Block
  • Left Forward Bow Stance
  • Right Inward Horizontal Elbow Strike
  • Fighting Horse Stance
  • Left Inward Horizontal Elbow Strike
  • Left Front Crossover
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Outside Left Elbow
  • Outside Left Rib Cage
  • Inside Left Rib Cage

Concepts & Principles

  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Angle of Incidence
  • Body Momentum
  • Bracing Angle
  • Chamber
  • Compact Unit
  • Continuity of Motion
  • Contouring
  • Fitting
  • Pinning Check
  • Pivoting
  • Solidify Your Base
  • Torque
  • Zone of Obscurity


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent is pushing you forward?
    • your opponent is pulling you backward?
    • your opponent’s left foot is forward?
    • your opponent’s right foot is forward?
    • your opponent steps away as you deliver your right elbow?
    • your opponent grabs your hair from behind?
    • you cannot reach your opponent’s rib cage with your elbow strike?

Related Techniques

  • Crossing Talon
  • Captured Leaves
  • Circling Wing
  • Cross of Destruction
  • Entangled Wing
  • Shield and Mace
  • Crossed Twigs
  • Menacing Twirl
  • Circling Storm

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Twirling Wings was Purple Belt technique #3
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal
    • has you step back to approximately 4:30.
    • indicates your left fighting horse should be facing 9:00 (yes your body should, but your opponent is still at 6:00 and you should be looking at him).
    • indicates that your right arm should simply guard high.
    • does not indicate an angle of departure.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

TWIRLING WINGS (rear stiff two-hand choke)

  1. Have your left foot step back and to your right on a slight 45°angle (between 4 and 5 o’clock) into a left rear twist stance.
  2. Pivot to your left (into a left forward bow) while simultaneously delivering a left outward block to outside of opponent’s left arm and a right inward horizontal elbow strike to outside portion of opponent’s left ribcage
  3. Pivot to your right (into a horse facing 9 o’clock) and deliver a left inward horizontal elbow strike to Inside portion of opponent’s left ribcage or solar plexus as your right hand guards to the left of your face, always making sure that your right hand keeps a safe distance from your head In order to cushion any blow that might be directed to your head.

Notes

Variations