Tripping Arrow (Blue #12)

KenpoTech on January 17, 2011

[property_details details=”1″]

Tripping Arrow is the 12th technique required to obtain your Blue Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo.  Tripping Arrow is a defense against a Front Bear Hug with your arms free, placing it in the Hugs & Holds category of the Web of Knowledge and the Bear Hug Family Group in the in the Holds & Hugs category of Grappling division.

Tripping Arrow is designed to teach you the concept of a strikedown counterbalanced with a buckle and how to make use of a forward bow stance to buckle and trip your opponent.  While the initial move of Tripping Arrow appears to leave you open you prevent your opponent’s retaliation by controlling his Height Zones.  Several new basics will be utilized for close range striking and the striking of your opponent’s lower height zones which brings us to Tripping Arrow’s introduction of strikedowns.

Many styles of Martial Arts use takedowns to force their opponent to the ground.  Takedowns utilize the throwing actions to force and opponent to the ground, and it is the impact with the ground that causes the initial injury.  Although considered a takedown, strikedowns are much more effective.  Since you are striking your opponent to the ground, his injury occurs instantly, as well as with the resultant impact with the ground.  Strikedowns are often counterbalanced with buckles.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your attacker is directly in front of you (12:00) and grabs you in a bear hug, leaving your arms free.

Defense

Tripping Arrow —  front bear hug, arms free.

  • Step 1
    • Step toward 9:00 with your left foot to form a horse stance,
    • Your left hand grabs your opponent’s right shoulder and pulls downward,
    • Deliver a right inward horizontal heel palm strike to your opponent’s left jaw hinge (finger in, thumb down).
  • Step 2
    • Circle your right foot clockwise, around and behind your opponent’s right leg (toward 4:30) and buckle it by planted firmly into a horse stance,
    • Simultaneously circle your right hand counter clockwise, delivering a right overhead inward downward elbow strike to your opponent’s chest as you cock your right hand, palm up and out, at your right shoulder.
  • Step 3
    • Pivot counterclockwise toward 9:00 form a left forward bow stance,
    • Deliver a right thrusting heel palm strike to your opponent’s jaw,
    • Maintain a grab on your opponent’s right arm with your left hand as he falls to the ground and reinforce this by grabbing with the right hand as well.
  • Step 4
    • Pull upward on your opponent’s right arm with both of your hands,
    • Deliver a right thrusting heel stomp into your opponent’s right armpit.
  • Step 5
    • Release your opponent’s arm,
    • Sweep your opponent’s right arm with a right front crossover sweep toward 4:30
    • Cover out twice.

Considerations

  • What if…
    • your arms are pinned?
    • your opponent lifts you off the ground?
    • your opponent buries his head into your chest?
    • your opponent grabs onto your right arm as he falls?
    • your opponent is taller than you?

Notes

  • The first move will pin your opponent’s right arm, underneath your left arm as you lower your center of mass and shift your opponent’s weight to his right leg.  It is vital that you pull downward on your opponent’s right shoulder as this will nullify his leverage preventing him from delivering an otherwise possible knee strike to your groin.
  • The circling motion of your right arm in a counter clockwise motion maintains a continuous motion, clears your opponent’s left arm and builds up power for the downward elbow strike to the sternum, culminating with the cocking of the right hand at the right shoulder.
  • It is important that you properly land in a horse stance and then shift into a forward bow.  Many students try to land in directly into the forward bow stance usually in an attempt to make the technique faster.  Proper form and timing are vital to this technique.  Practice timing the shift into the forward bow stance with the heel palm strike to the face.
  • On the heel stomp, depending on your opponent’s position, you may need to strike the chin, ribs or kidney. Placing it in the armpit can help facilitate a shoulder dislocation.
  • Note the similarities and differences between this technique and Snapping Twig.

Variations

  • Some schools teach a variation where you drive your left elbow into the opponent’s forearm on the initial move.  Keep in mind, the initial move as taught is designed to pin your opponent’s right arm under your left arm.

Additional Information

Name

In American Kenpo, the Forward Bow Stance used to be called the Bow and Arrow Stance. In this technique you use a forward bow and arrow stance as a means of tripping your opponent. Thus the name Tripping Arrow.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Side Step Through
  • Horse Stance
  • Right Inward Hooking Heel Palm Strike
  • Right Overhead Inward Downward Elbow Strike
  • Left Forward Bow Stance
  • Right Thrusting Heel Palm Strike
  • Right Downward Heel Stomp
  • Front Crossover Sweep
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Right Shoulder
  • Jaw (Mandible)
  • Sternum
  • Face
  • Right Armpit
  • Right Arm

Concepts & Principles

  • Anchor
  • Angle of Cancellation
  • Angle of Contact
  • Angle of Departure
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Angle of Entry
  • Angle of Execution
  • Angle of Incidence
  • Backup Mass

Concepts & Principles (Con’t)

  • Body Alignment
  • Body Momentum
  • Bow and Arrow Stance
  • Buckle
  • Center of Mass
  • Double Check
  • Contouring
  • Control Manipulation
  • Counter Balance
  • Counter Manipulation
  • Diversified Angle of Retreat (with foot)
  • Economy of Motion
  • Fitting
  • Gravitational Check
  • Guidelining
  • Mid-Point Balance
  • Obscure Zones
  • Opposing Forces
  • Pinning Check
  • Point of Delivery
  • Point of Origin
  • Purposeful Release
  • Rounding The Corners
  • Sliding Check
  • Solidify Your Base
  • Strikedowns
  • Tripping
  • With


Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Tripping Arrow was Blue Belt Technique #9.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal indicates the following differences for Tripping Arrow;
    • that you should circle your right leg toward 3:00
    • that you should circle your right arm clockwise to cock your right hand at your right shoulder.
    • that you should heel stomp your opponent’s chin.
    • that your angle of departure is 5:00

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

TRIPPING ARROW (front bear hug — arms free)

  1. With feet together and opponent applying front bear hug with your arms free, step to your left with your left foot (to 9 o’clock) into a horse; simultaneously hooking your right heel of palm horizontally and in to strike opponent’s left jaw hinge. Your left hand is checking and anchoring your opponent’s right shoulder or arm by forcing and pulling it down thus nullifying opponent’s leverage and ability to deliver a right or left knee kick.
  2. Immediately circle your right foot clockwise and back and around of opponent’s right leg (to 3 o’clock) and buckle it by planting heavily into a horse stance. Right hand also circles clockwise and cocks at your right shoulder (palm up).
  3. Without hesitation, pivot to your left (toward 9 o’clock) into a left forward bow as you thrust your right heel of palm to jaw of opponent, thus tripping him over your right leg, still maintaining left hand grab on opponent’s right arm.
  4. With opponent on his back and your left hand grab now at opponent’s right wrist, have your right foot heel stomp under opponent’s chin. If your opponent turns from the momentum and slips out of your grasp, stomp kick to opponent’s right kidney or ribs.
  5. From stomp kick, release grasp and sweep opponent’s right arm with your right foot as you execute a right front crossover and cover out to 5 o’clock.

Thrusting Prongs (EPAK Orange #20)

KenpoTech on July 10, 2010

[property_details details=”1″]

Thrusting Prongs is the 20th technique required to obtain your Orange Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. It is a defense against front bear hug with arms pinned. Thrusting Prongs is part of the Hugs & Holds category in the Web of Knowledge and belongs in the Bear Hugs family group which is part of the Hugs & Holds category in the Grappling Division of Attacks.

In Thrusting Prongs, you will learn to use a new hand strike against a front target of your opponent from an obscure zone. From here, you maintain control of your opponent’s width and depth while you throw another obscure strike to open him up and then complete the technique.

Defense

Thrusting Prongs – defense for a front bear hug, arms pinned.

  • Step 1
    • Step back slightly toward 6:00 with your right foot to form a modified left forward bow stance,
    • Deliver right and left thrusting prong strikes into your opponent’s groin/bladder area.
  • Step 2
    • Check your opponent’s right arm with a left crane hook,
    • Execute a right thrusting knee kick to your opponent’s groin,
    • Deliver a right rear elbow block.
  • Step 3
    • Without planting your foot, deliver a right knife edge kick to the inside of your opponent’s left knee.
  • Step 4
    • Scraping your right foot down your opponent’s left shin,
    • Deliver a right downward stomp to your opponent’s left instep.
    • Deliver a right inward elbow strike to your opponent’s face.
  • Step 5
    • Execute a right front crossover
    • Cover out toward 7:30.

Additional Information

Name

Prongs is a symbolic reference to the protrusion of your thumbs from your fists during the initial move. You actually thrust your prongs (thumbs) into your opponents bladder area, an obscure zone, thus providing the name Thrusting Prongs.

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly in front of you (12:00) and stepping forward with his right foot puts you in a bear hug with your arms pinned to your sides. Your attackers arms will be wrapped around your upper arms, approximately at biceps level.

A front bear hug is usually attempted only by someone who confident that he is physically larger and stronger than you. While completed bear hugs can be defended against, the ability to do so is often hindered by the attacker’s planned follow up. Upon completing a bear hug, your attacker may pick you up off the ground, throw you to the ground, run you into an object, head butt you, crush your ribs and more. Therefore, as with any attack it is in your best interest to react and neutralize your opponent before the bear hug is completed.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Right Reverse Step Through
  • Left Forward Bow Stance
  • Twin Thumb Thrusts (front underhand thrusting thumb strikes)
  • Right Upward Thrusting Knee Kick
  • Right Rear Elbow Strike
  • Right Thrusting Knife Edge Kick
  • Right Downward Stomp Kick
  • Right Inward Horizontal Elbow Strike
  • Right Front Crossover
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Groin or Bladder
  • Right Arm
  • Groin, Bladder or pubic bone
  • Left Inside of the Knee
  • Left Inside of the Shin
  • Left Instep
  • Left side of the face or ribs

Concepts & Principles

  • Anchoring
  • Back Up Mass
  • Contouring
  • Hugging Pin
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Obscure Zones
  • Point of Origin
  • Preparatory Cock
  • Torque


Considerations

  • What if …
    • you are unable to step back?
    • your opponent lifts you off of the ground?
    • your opponent attempts to throw you to the ground?
    • your arms are pinned in front of you?
    • your opponent steps forward with his left foot?

Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal this was Orange Belt Technique #19
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal and the 1987 IKKA Studio Manuals incorrectly state that you deliver your elbow strike to the right side of your opponent’s face or rib cage. It should read left side.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal does not indicate an Angle of Departure

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

THRUSTING PRONGS (font bear hug — arms pinned)

  1. Step back with your right foot (to 6 o’clock) into a left modified for ward bow, having only your right foot move back and not the upper body. Simultaneously thrust both of your thumbs (keeping thumbs together) up and to opponent’s groin.
  2. Strike opponent’s groin with your right knee as your left hand circles over and on top of opponent’s right arm (forming the shape of the crane) and pins (with the assistance of your anchored left elbow) your opponent’s right arm to you, while cocking your right hand to your right hip.
  3. With knee in groin immediately deliver a right knife-edge kick (to 2 o’clock) to the inside of opponent’s left shin.
  4. Scrape opponent’s shin with your right foot and convert the scrape into a right stomp to opponent’s right instep while simultaneously delivering a right inward horizontal elbow strike to right side of opponent’s face or ribs (depending on the size of your opponent).

Notes

Variations

Striking Serpent’s Head (EPAK Orange #16)

KenpoTech on July 3, 2010

[property_details details=”1″]

Striking Serpent’s Head is the 16th technique required to obtain your Orange Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. It is the defense for  a front bear hug with arms free placing it in the Hugs & Holds category in the Web of Knowledge and in the Bear Hugs family group in the Hugs and Holds category in the family groups grappling division.

In Striking Serpent’s Head we initiate our defense with a less on reverse motion with a reverse hammerfist, reverse body momentum and reverse back up mass. In addition to all the reverses, despite being in front of our opponent, almost all of our defense comes from your opponent’s rear. These movements are in an obscure zone teaching you that you can strike in areas your opponent cannot see while being right in front of their face.  The ending of these technique focuses on anchoring, control, and contouring.

Defense

Striking Serpent’s Head – defense for a front bear hug, arms free.

  • Step 1
    • Step back toward 6:00 with your right foot to form a left neutral bow stance facing 12:00,
    • Deliver a left inward reverse hammerfist strike to the base of your opponent’s skull,
    • Right hand cocks in a palm up half fist position near your chest.
  • Step 2
    • Grab the opponent’s hair with your left hand and pull his head back and down,
    • Pivot counter clockwise into a left forward bow stance buckling your opponent’s right knee,
    • Deliver a right snapping half fist strike (palm down) to your opponent’s throat.
    • Pivot clockwise into a left neutral bow stance, facing 12:00
  • Step 3
    • Left front crossover and cover out toward 4:30.

Additional Information

Name

The final move of the base technique, the half-fist strike to the throat, resembles the head of a serpent making a strike thus the name Striking Serpent’s Head.  It is believed that this type of strike (half-fist) was traditionally called a serpent’s head strike along with being called a leopard’s fist/claw/paw.

Attack

The ideal phase places your opponent directly in front of you (12:00) who applies a bear hug around your torso with your arms free.

When you are grabbed in a bear hug and your arms are still free, you are left with significant advantages and a wide array of options thus in a technique like this you have plenty of leverage still.  As discussed earlier in yellow belt a bear hug 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.

Expanding on this, the person most likely to attempt putting you into a bear hug is someone who believes they are stronger than you and most likely they are physically larger than you as well.  It is important to practice often to develop a quick response to attacks in order to minimize the chances of your attacker ever completing the hold.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Right Reverse Step Through
  • Left Neutral Bow Stance
  • Left Inward Inverted Hammerfist Strike
  • Left Hair Grab
  • Left Forward Bow Stance
  • Right Snapping Half Fist Strike
  • Left Front Crossover
  • Cover out

Targets

  • Base of the Skull (Mastoid Bone)
  • Hair
  • Throat (Trachea)

Concepts & Principles

  • Anchoring
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Contouring
  • Fulcruming
  • Leveraging
  • Point of Origin
  • Preparatory Cock
  • Stabilize your Base


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent is driving you back?
    • your opponent continues to push forward after you strike him with the reverse hammerfist?
    • your opponent is pulling you forward?
    • your opponent lifts you off of the ground?
    • you miss the reverse hammerfist?
    • your opponent tries to hit you with his right hand after the reverse hammerfist?
    • your opponent tries to hit you with his left hand after your reverse hammerfist?
    • your opponent is taller than you?
    • your opponent is shorter than you?
    • your opponent applies unbearable pressure?
    • you cannot step backwards?

Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal this was Orange Belt Technique #14

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

STRIKING SERPENTS HEAD (front bear hug — arms free)

  1. Drop back with your right foot (to 6 o’clock) into a left neutral bow. Simultaneously hook your left hand around and back of opponent’s head so that your left knuckle or left inner wrist bone strikes to opponent’s left temple or mastoid while your right hand cocks into a half fist at chest level.
  2. Immediately have your left hand grab and pull opponent’s hair back (above the forehead)as you shift into a left forward bow (toward 12 o’clock) and execute a thrusting half fist to opponent’s throat, immediately returning to your left neutral bow after the half fist strike.

Notes

Variations

Dance of Death (EPAK Orange #3)

KenpoTech on June 14, 2010

[property_details details=”1″]

Dance of Death is the 3rd technique required for Orange Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo.  Dance of Death is for straight right 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 Group Striking Division.

In Dance of Death we are introduced into take downs, the figure eight pattern (a use of the continuity of motion learned in the last technique) as well as Family related moves.  Aside from the introduction of new ideas, Dance of Death, details the value of initiating your moves from their point of origin.

Defense

Dance of Death – defense for a right straight punch.

  • Step 1
    • Step toward 11:00 with your left foot to form a left neutral bow stance.
    • Deliver a left left thrusting inward block to your opponent’s right arm.
    • Your right arm rests and hangs naturally at your side.
  • Step 2
    • Maintain a left hand check on your opponent’s right arm.
    • Pivot counterclockwise to form a left forward bow stance.
    • Deliver a right underhand reverse handsword strike to the groin.
  • Step 3
    • Slide your left hand down behind your opponent’s right knee and pull upward,
    • Step forward with your right foot to form a right neutral bow stance,
    • Deliver a right inward horizontal elbow strike to your opponent’s right rib cage.
  • Step 4
    • Deliver a right outward downward back knuckle strike to the inside of your opponent’s left knee
    • Left hand holds the opponent’s right leg.
  • Step 5
    • Drop into a right wide kneel stance
    • Deliver a right inward downward finger slice to the groin.
  • Step 6
    • Clear the opponent’s leg to the right with your right hand.
    • Execute a right front crossover and a double cover out toward 7:30

Additional Information

Name

The name Dance of Death isn’t really evident until you learn the extended version of this technique in 1st Brown.  The series of moves in the extension, which involve several stomps, appear dance like when performed in the air. This sequence can have a very devastating result that can lead to death, thus the term Dance of Death.

Attack

In the ideal phase your attacker is directly in front of you.  They throw a right straight punch with their left leg forward.

This technique is often taught incorrectly as a right step through punch with the attacker stepping forward with his right leg while throwing the punch.  While the technique can work for a right step through punch, as evidenced by the B version of Tracy’s Dance of Death (Tracy’s 3rd Brown),  it is important to realize that this technique is designed for a right straight punch with the left leg forward because if the right leg is forward you run the risk of having their right leg tracking up your right leg and into your groin during the take down.

If there is to be a step through at all with the right punch, it would be a left step through, thus making this a right lunge punch with a left step through.

Basics & Maneuvers Used

  • Left Forward Step Through
  • Left Neutral Bow Stance
  • Left Thrusting Inward Block
  • Left Forward Bow Stance
  • Right Underhand Reverse Handsword Strike
  • Right Forward Step Through
  • Right Inward Horizontal Elbow Strike
  • Right Outward Downward Diagonal Back Knuckle Strike
  • Right Inward Downward Diagonal Finger Slice
  • Right Wide Kneel Stance

Targets

  • Right Elbow
  • Groin
  • Back of the Right Knee
  • Right Rib Cage/Solar Plexus

Concepts & Principles Taught

  • Angle of Cancellation
  • Angle of Deflection
  • Angle of Departure
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Body Momentum
  • Bracing Angle
  • Clearing
  • Continuity of Motion
  • Contouring
  • Figure Eight
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Obscure Zones
  • Pivoting
  • Point of Origin
  • Slipping
  • Takedown


Considerations

  • What if …
    • your opponent steps through with his right leg?
    • your opponent attacks with full body momentum?
    • your opponent precedes his punch with a right straight kick?
    • your opponent jabs with his left hand before throwing the right punch?
    • your opponent grabs your right arm as he falls?
    • your opponent’s right leg slips from your left grab after he falls?

Related Techniques

Historical Notes

  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you step toward 11:00 during the initial step
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you step toward 10:00 to buckle the right knee.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal ends with the take down.
  • The 1987 Studio Manuals have you step toward 10:30 on the initial step.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

DANCE OF DEATH (font straight right punch)

  1. Standing naturally, step forward and to your left to 11 o’clock (into a left neutral bow) with your left foot (to get out of the line of attack). simultaneously strike to the outside of opponent’s right punch with your Lift Inward block as your right arm rests and hangs naturally to the right side of your body.
  2. With your left hand still guarding (with a left bracing angle), strike to opponent’s groin with A right upward vertical reverse handsword while pivoting into a left bow.
  3. Immediately step through and to your left to 10 o’clock into a right neutral bow with your right foot (to buckle opponent’s right knee) as your right elbow strikes horizontally and into opponent’s right ribcage while your left hand grabs back of opponent’s right knee and pulls toward you so that your left hand grab concludes the grab (after sliding along the leg) at your opponent’s right ankle.

Unfinished Orange Belt Manual by Ed Parker

DANCE OF DEATH (Front straight right punch, with left leg forward)

  1. Standing naturally, step forward toward 10:30 with your left foot into a left neutral bow (facing 12:00) as you get out of the Line of Attack. Simultaneously deliver a left inward block to the outside of your opponent’s right punch (ending at or above the elbow) as your right arm hangs naturally to the right side of your body. (Your inward block will nullify the width of your opponent’s body.)
  2. Immediately pivot into a left forward bow (facing 12:00). While still maintaining a left BRACING ANGLE CHECK to your opponent’s right arm with your left hand, strike to your opponent’s groin with a right underhand reverse handsword. (This strike should cause your opponent to bend forward at the waist, and possibly move back.)
  3. Immediately step through with your right foot into a right neutral bow (facing 12:00) “with” a right inward horizontal elbow strike to your opponent’s right lower ribcage. During this action, your left hand (1) CONTOURS down the right side of your opponent’s body, (2) slides along his right leg (which is not the lead leg), (3) grabs the back of your opponent’s right knee, and then (4) pulls toward you, so that your left hand grab concludes at your opponent’s right ankle. Be sure to have his right foot pass to the left and outside of your left thigh, and pin his left foot to your left hip with your left hand. The pull and strike must counteract each other to be effective. (Please refer to the NOTES to study the WHAT IF factors that can alter your plans.)
  4. Use of precise synchronization of BODY MOMENTUM should help you to drop your opponent onto his back. In anticipation or your opponent’s left leg popping up (Unintentional Move), execute a right outward back knuckle strike to the inside of your opponent’s left knee. Immediately (1) have your right hand continue in a “figure 8 pattern”, (2) drop into a right wide kneel stance, and (3) while taking advantage of marriage of gravity execute a right inward downward handsword to your opponent’s groin. (Be conscious of the possibility of your opponent’s legs drawing together.)
  5. Right front crossover, and cover out toward 7:30.

Notes

Variations