Defences against Kenpo 2

Now that I have had several minutes` exposure to Kenpo fightin`, I have had an opportunity to test my previous theory about defenses against Kenpo, and have discovered that it was, essentially, correct. However, this is not to say that Kenpo is defenceless or has nothing to teach - quite the contrary. Of the two chaps I spar, one has a very solid defensive style, and the other is very fast. Both of them have a wide range of techniques, and because of this and their experience they are quickly starting to identify the biggest weakness in my style - the complete lack of variety. Kickboxing doesn`t offer much variety, which is a great strength but also a bit of a weakness once you know it. These boys have started to notice that I only attack from certain angles and in certain ways, and they are beginning to adapt.

This is of course my fault. I trained at a school with an extensive array of kung fu opportunities available to me, and when my instructor beat me up he didn`t use much kickboxing at all. I should have learnt some of that kung fu! (well, I did, but many many many years ago, and never for sparring). So perhaps while I am here I will be able to learn a few more diverse techniques from kenpo, diversify my sparring tactics a little, and thus improve my style. I probably should have done it years ago but I have a bit more time now, and since I have to engage with the kenpo club to use their bags, it seems the ideal time to do a little learning.

For example, I have repeatedly tried to use my jab-cross-hook combination against the boys I spar. They are not so good that they can just see it coming and avoid it entirely while beating me up (as my instructor did), but quite often they use a certain sort of powerful sweeping defence on the second punch which shifts me off the line of my attack and completely cuts off my ability to follow up with the hook. Since this second punch is probably my best attacking technique at the moment (thanks to years of master classes with Professor Mick), this defensive technique has completely screwed my best punch and also threatens to cut off one of kickboxing`s better technical details, the rapid combinations (although having said this, if they don`t get that kenpo defense going in time they are completely blown away by the whole concept of the three-punch combination, and things go badly for them). I could have learnt this defensive technique in Sydney, but I stuck to kickboxing - so now I am going to have to diversify.

I am hoping that this diversification will go two ways, however. The kenpo training style does not involve long periods of repetition, and one thing I have particularly noticed is that they do not have many drills for training defensive techniques rigourously. Here I am particularly thinking of focus-pad sparring, where one person punches pads and the other throws in random attacks, kicks and punches, to ensure defensive techniques are well drilled. Once they are more comfortable with me and I have convinced them I am not trying to teach kickboxing, and when I have a few more language skills, I will try and introduce this training concept to the more senior students. I might also try and introduce a separate fitness class, for my own benefit mostly ... we shall see whether the kenpo kids are interested in a few new training techniques, and how much the sparring will benefit from them...