Crossed Twigs (Blue #15)

KenpoTech on January 30, 2011

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Crossed Twigs is the 15th required technique to obtain your Blue Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo.  Crossed Twigs is a defense against a two hand wrist grab from the rear, placing it in the grabs & tackles category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Wrist Grabs Family Group in the Grabs category of the family groups Grappling division.

This technique was designed in order for you to appraise the merits of using a matching counter to control your opponent’s zones of protection and prevent his retaliation.  Torque and Marriage of Gravity are the sources of power for your actions and you are acquainted with the  principle of compounding by the logical insertion of an elbow strike to your opponent’s jaw. Finally a focus is placed on the flow of action and economization of motion.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly behind you (6:00). Your opponent grabs both of your wrists in order to restrain you; his right hand grabbing your right wrist and his left hand grabbing your left wrist.

An opponent grabbing you in such a position has several options available to him other than simply restraining you. You could be restrained as another attacker strikes you, he can pull you backward putting pressure on your shoulder joints, he could pull you backwards as he drives a knee into your lower back or it could be used as a transitional stage to put you into a more serious type of grappling maneuver (hug, hold, choke, lock).

Defense

Crossed Twigs –  defense for a rear double wrist grab.

  • Step 1
    • Counter grab both of your opponent’s wrists with your hands,
    • Step toward 1:30 with your left foot to form a right reverse bow stance,
    • Pull your opponent downward and forward with both of your hands.
  • Step 2
    • Pivot clockwise to form a right neutral bow stance facing 7:30,
    • Deliver a right outward upward elbow strike through your opponent’s right jaw as you cross your opponent’s arms (right over left).
  • Step 3
    • Pivot clockwise into a right forward bow stance facing 7:30
    • Continue the flow of action of your right arm, crossing your opponent’s arms, by pulling his right arm down and behind you.
  • Step 4
    • Release your grasp with your right hand,
    • Deliver a right inward overhead elbow strike to your opponent’s upper spine,
  • Step 5
    • Release your grip with your left hand,
    • Deliver simultaneous right and left downward heel palm strike’s to your opponent’s left kidney and left rib cage, grabbing and pinching them,
    • Execute a left upward knee kick to your opponent’s right ribs.
  • Step 6
    • Plant your left foot back to point and origin
    • Execute a right front crossover
    • Cover out twice toward 1:30.

Considerations

  • What if…
    • your opponent pulls you back?
    • your opponent forces you forward?
    • your opponent cross grabs your wrists from behind?
    • your opponent grabs your elbows instead of your wrists?
    • your opponent breaks your grip before the elbow strike?
    • your opponent breaks your grip as you are crossing his arms?
    • you are unable to step forward?

Notes

  • As you pivot clockwise, keep your opponent’s left arm below the level of your buttocks. Alternatively, you can use your buttocks to anchor your opponent’s left arm in place.
  • It is important to keep in mind that steps 2 through 4 are meant to be one continuous flow of action.
  • Be sure that when you are crossing your opponent’s arms, you do not pull the right arm horizontally.  You open yourself up to an elbow in the face. This could even occur without your opponent’s intent should you lose your grip on his wrist.
  • To maximize the effect of the right inward overhead elbow strike employ marriage of gravity by dropping into a right wide kneel stance as the elbow makes contact with your opponent.
  • Consider working on tightening your circular paths of action. See how it improves your timing and places your moves in sync; increasing the speed and force of your strikes.
  • Practice counter grabbing a partner’s wrists and get the proper feel for its application. Doing so will induce proper and successful manipulation of your opponent.
  • Compare to other techniques and determine how creating an Angle of Disturbance works in your favor.
  • Note the various types of body momentum used in this technique and how often it occurs.
  • Work on timing when applying the sandwiching effect in order to maximize its potential.

Additional Information

Name

In American Kenpo the term twig is used to represent the arms. In this technique your opponent’s arms (twigs) are crossed as part of your defense giving us the name Crossed Twigs.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Front Step Through
  • Right Reverse Bow Stance
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Right Outward Upward Diagonal Elbow Strike
  • Right Forward Bow Stance
  • Right Inward Overhead Elbow Strike
  • Right Wide Kneel Stance
  • Left Downward Heel Palm Strike
  • Right Downward Heel Palm Strike
  • Left Upward Knee Kick
  • Right Front Crossover
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Face
  • Jaw
  • Upper Spine
  • Left Kidney
  • Left Rib Cage
  • Right Rib Cage

Concepts & Principles

  • Anchoring
  • Angle of Cancellation
  • Angle of Disturbance

Concepts & Principles (Con’t)

  • Angle of Entry
  • Angle of Execution
  • Angle of Incidence
  • Backup Mass
  • Body Momentum
  • Borrowed Force
  • Continuity of Motion
  • Contouring (Fitting)
  • Control Distance
  • Detaining Check
  • Economy of Motion
  • Figure 8 Pattern
  • Gravitational Check
  • Lower Case/Upper Case
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Matching Counter
  • Obscure Zones
  • Opposing Forces
  • Pivoting
  • Purposeful Compliance
  • Purposeful Defiance
  • Rounding The Corners
  • Sandwiching
  • Solidify Your Base
  • Torque
  • With


Related Techniques

Historical Notes

1975 Accumulative Journal

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Crossed Twigs is Blue Belt Technique #12
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you; step toward 1:00 on the initial move, pivot clockwise toward 7:00, crossover and cover out toward 12:00.
  • The 1975 version has you deliver a right horizontal elbow strike to your opponent’s jaw which creates two problems; the angle isn’t correct requiring you to cock before delivering the strike and it invites you to continue the flow of motion horizontally which opens the possibility of your opponent delivering an elbow to your face.  The angle has been officially changed in future versions.

Historical Versions

CROSSED TWIGS (rear two-hand grab to wrists)

  1. With feet together and opponent grabbing your wrists from the rear counter grab both of opponent’s wrists (right to right and left to left) as you step to l o’clock with your left foot (into a left neutral bow ).
  2. Pivot clockwise facing 7 o’clock (still maintaining wrist grabs) as you cross your opponent’s arms (right over left) in the process, have your right elbow strike horizontally and outward to opponent’s right jaw and continue to pull opponent’s right arm down with your right (have your left hand which is grabbing opponent’s wrist pull down and below the level of your buttocks).
  3. Release only your right grasp and circle counter clockwise with your right looping inward overhead elbow strike down to upper spine of opponent.
  4. Release your left grasp and with your right, double heel palm, grab, and pinch opponent’s left kidney and ribs as you kick your opponent’s right ribcage with your left knee.
  5. Replant your left foot to point of origin. Right front crossover and cover to 2 o’clock.

Begging Hands (Blue #1)

KenpoTech on September 14, 2010

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Begging Hands is the 1st technique requirement to obtain your Blue Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Begging Hands is a defense against a two-hand wrist grab from the front, placing it in the Grabs and Tackles category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Wrist Grabs Family Group in the Grabs category of the family groups Grappling division.

In Begging Hands you are introduced to a double wrist grab and as a result you respond with a dual movement.  The rotation of your hands is the reverse response of Hooking Wings. In Hooking Wings you rotate your hands inward and downward while in Begging Hands you rotate your hands upward and outward. The principles learned in Hooking Wings are reinforced in Begging Hands. Your focus in Begging Hands is to stabilize your base, momentarily disturb your opponent’s balance, control your opponent’s center line, cancel your opponent’s height zone, and nullify your opponent’s ability to attack with any of his weapons.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly in front of you (12:00). Your opponent grabs your left wrist with his right hand and your right wrist with his left hand.  The grabs are on the tops of your wrists with your opponent’s palms facing down.

This attack is a restraint that keeps your hands under your opponent’s control. In this position he is able to kick you, headbutt you or direct you into an unfavorable position.  You may be thrown to the ground, into another object or be held in place for a second opponent.

Defense

Begging Hands – defense for double wrist grabs from the front.

  • Step 1
    • Step back toward 6:00 with your left foot to form a right neutral bow stance facing 12:00,
    • Rotate your hands up and outward on top of your opponent’s wrists (palm up),
    • Pull your elbows back and down toward your hips to be anchored.
  • Step 2
    • Slide your right foot back into a transitional right 45° cat stance,
    • Immediately, deliver a right front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s groin.
  • Step 3
    • Plant your right foot forward toward 12:00,
    • Deliver a left front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s chest or face
  • Step 4
    • Plant your left foot forward toward 12:00 int a left neutral bow stance.
    • Deliver simultaneous left and right torquing heel palm strikes underneath your opponent’s rib cage.
  • Step 5
    • Left front cross over
    • Cover out twice toward 4:30.

Considerations

  • What if…
    • your opponent grabs your fingers instead?
    • your opponent grabs your elbows or upper arms instead?
    • your opponent grabs your wrists with your arms crossed (double cross wrist grab)?
    • your opponent tries to kick you while holding your wrists?
    • your opponent tries to headbutt you while holding your wrists?
    • you are unable to step back?

Notes

  • Be sure to stabilize your base after the initial move before sliding into the transitional cat stance. In doing so make sure you are in a proper right neutral bow with your toes pointed in the proper direction. This will protect your groin.
  • When you are in the “Begging Hands” position, be sure that your hands are unclenched and your fingers are together. This will prevent injury to your fingers, increase your checking options and the sensitivity of your hands.
  • Time your double heel palm thrusts so that they occur at the moment you plant your left foot into a left neutral bow stance to take advantage of body momentum and marriage of gravity in order to maximize the effect of the strike.
  • Be sure that your double heel palm thrusts drive through your opponent and not lift him.

Variations

  • Many schools teach the two front snapping ball kicks to be executed in a chicken kick fashion by starting to deliver the left front snapping kick before your right foot is fully planted. This is still proper for the the technique
  • Some schools will teach planting the left foot into a left forward bow stance after the left front snapping kick or chicken kick.

Additional Information

Name

The name of this technique comes from the position of your hands during the initial move. When you rotate your hands in, up and then out into outward hooking parries your hands will be palm up and out as if you were begging for money. This gives us the name, Begging Hands.

Basics & Maneuvers

  • Left Reverse Step Through
  • Right Neutral Bow Stance
  • Double Outward Hooking Parries
  • Transitional Right 45° Cat Stance
  • Right Front Snapping Ball Kick
  • Left Front Snapping Ball Kick
  • Left Neutral Bow Stance
  • Double Torquing Heel Palm Strikes
  • Left Front Crossover
  • Cover Out

Targets

  • Groin
  • Solar Plexus/Face
  • Ribcage

Concepts & Principles

  • Anchoring
  • Angle of Cancellation
  • Angle of Disturbance
  • Angle of Execution
  • Angle of Entry
  • Backup Mass
  • Body Momentum
  • Borrowed Force
  • Borrowed Reach
  • Contouring
  • Fitting
  • Get The Upper Hand
  • Gauging
  • Marriage of Gravity
  • Purposeful Compliance
  • Purposeful Defiance
  • Stabilize your Base


Related Techniques

  • Thrusting Salute (O-4)
  • Crossed Twigs (B-15)
  • Destructive Twins (B-22)
  • Desperate Falcons (3Br-8)
  • Unfolding the Dark (2Br-14)
  • Aggressive Twins

Historical Notes

  • In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, the cat stance was part of the first step. You would complete the cat stance as you completed your double outward hooking parries.
  • The 1975 Accumulative Journal indicates the angle of departure as 6:00.
  • The 1987 IKKA Studio Manuals indicate the angle of departure as 4:30.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

BEGGING HANDS (front two-hand grab to wrists)

  1. With feet together, step back with your left foot (to 6 o’clock) into a right neutral bow as you have both of your hands assimilate begging (palm up) on the top of your opponent’s wrists as your right foot draws back into a right cat stance.
  2. Immediately deliver a right snapping ball kick to opponent’s groin.
  3. Plant your right foot (toward 12 o’clock) adjusting its depth according to the circumstance and deliver a left snapping ball kick to opponent’s chin.
  4. As you plant your left foot forward (toward 12 o’clock) into a left neutral bow, deliver a double torquing heel of palm thrust under opponent’s chest, shuffling forward if needed.
  5. Left front crossover and over out to 6 o’clock.

1987 IKKA Studio Manuals

BEGGING HANDS (Front two-hand grab to wrists)

  1. Standing naturally, step back with your left foot toward 6 o’clock into a right neutral bow (facing 12 o’clock). Execute two back elbow thrusts as you simultaneously have both of your hands circle (from inside out) up, over and on top of your opponent’s wrists, simulating begging with both hands turned palms up.
  2. Without disturbing your flow of motion, slide your right foot back into a right 45 degree cat stance, and immediately deliver a right front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s groin. (Your opponent should bend forward at the waist, as his entire body moves away from you.)
  3. Plant your right foot toward 12 o’clock (making sure that you adjust the depth of your planting foot according to circumstances) and deliver a left front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s chin or chest. (Your opponent’s head and chest should snap up.)
  4. As you plant your left foot forward into a left neutral bow (facing 12 o’clock), deliver twin torquing hell palm thrusts under your opponent’s ribcage (Fitting). Shuffle forward if needed. (This should knock the wind out of your opponent, cause him to bend forward at the waist, and possibly drop to the ground.)
  5. Execute a left front crossover and cover out twice toward 4:30.