I want to know, especially from the Kenpo students, but not limited to, why are techniques so important. Break it down, tell me why, what, how ect…. dissect it anyway you can.

techniques are important to train muscle memory, it teaches movement,
blocks, it teaches you not to get stressed when the punch comes. They are my favorite part of kenpo, especially if you dummy for me. Please, because you are Karate man and invincible. Techniques also let you expand your abilities past the technique, I like that alot too.

The techniques are important to train so that they become instinctual movements and not anything to think about.

I’m Back, Basics, Block, counter, Get away. With weapons, redirect, control, counter, take away. Practice make permanent.

“Because it holds up your pants”
Oh wait that’s what the belt is for.

Techniques are about
training to hit the correct targets within the correct range
moving your body in a flowing combination of movements that make sense for the situation
and
over time to be able to ad lib defensive movement in any situation

Techniques teach us to react to a varity of situations. In a stressful adreneline fueled situation your mind and body will automatically and instincively revert to what has been trained.

SO FAR, SO GOOD!  REMEMBER TALKING ABOUT TECH. HELPS RETAIN THE BASICS AND WHY TECH. ARE IMPORTANT.  I NEED TO HEAR FROM MORE OF YOU!!!!!

ADD: DON’T GET HIT!!!!

Components of a technique

I was once taught, that techniques are built with the following components:

1) Form
2) Precision
3) Power
4) Focus
5) Control
6) Emotional Content

I was also taught that the order of these components is as critical as the components themselves.  For example one cannot develop precision without proper form.  Power without precision, etc.  This makes some since to me.  You might think you have good power, but will have far greater power if your form (stance, balance, proper bending of the knees, position of the feet, etc.) is perfected first.

Take our 1st technique: Overhead Knife.  That counter (elbow strike resulting from the movement from neutral bow to forward bow) is so much more powerful when that strike comes from the ground.  That strike must start from the floor, move through the legs, transferred to the hips, and up to the elbow.  How can the power start at the floor if the rear leg is not planted (as you see so often in a forward bow) on that same floor?  When I teach this (and other techniques), I do as the Sifu’s have done with me.  I stop the student in the middle of the technique, and ask “What stance is that?”  A question to which I get a response something like “Well it’s sorta a modified forward bow/close kneel stance with a 1/2 twist.” :o

For me, I’m still working on the 1st two components, with the 3rd just beginning.  I also believe that most want to put them in another order.  It seems as though many want to develop power without either form or precision.  You see this when you first teach a technique to a brand new student.  They try it once or twice, then it’s ALL-OUT power, taking out the dummy and his teeth :oops:

One thing I really appreciate about Brand-X, is the focus on these elements, with special emphasis on Form (i.e. basics, basics, and basics) and precision (i.e. targets and weapon/target selection and alignment).

Block hard! If I remember nothing else… Orange belt one tip has taught me to block hard. Also, I think doing some of the tech. are good because the teach you to look for targets.

REMEMBER RED, DON’T LOOK FOR TARGETS, FEEL FOR TARGETS.
GREAT POINT WITH THE BLOCKING HARD. I LIKE THAT.

TD. GREAT LIST OF SIX ELEMENTS. I THINK OTHERS MAY LEARN FROM THAT LIST. MAYBE SOME OF THE JR. TEACHERS CAN WRITE THIS DOWN IN THEIR BOOK.

8) ok guys new class starting up) FOMA. fat old men arts. special needs need special attention. I NEED ATTENTION!!!!

I loved the new drill with two people one from the left one from the right
punch side- I liked getting the chance to do some techniques
Although my brain stutterted a few times it was fun !

YET ANOTHER CREATIVE WAY TO PERFORM TECH. THERE WILL BE MORE TO FOLLOW. THANKS FOR THE INPUT BBOJ!

Techniques are important for learning the physical aspects of Kenpo: distance, speed, precision, and power, but I think the most important thing that techniques have taught me is what the Sifus refer to as the “Explosion.” Techniques have taught me not to be afraid of the attack and to burst forth and overwhelm the opponent, thus gaining the upper hand. Plus, trying out new coverouts is just plain fun!  :D

A technique can cover a variety of movements all key to learning and understanding kenpo. Every technique begins with a block simple but, if you don’t block hard it will also end with a block and a bloody lip. Techniques are also key to kenpo because they require a mental awareness to be able to land a soft quick blow and in that instant of suprise also land a strong physically detrmenting blow. They allow no room for error they must be performed perfectly in order to get the full effect of the techniquesa, balence must be created between the mind and body, you must render everything silent and hone in on your opponent. you must also be in a mental state of awareness by anticipating every block every strike every kick and every blow.Thus creating the mental state needed to attempt a perfect execution of a technique.

Techniques also hold the key to mastering the basics in the kenpo art. For example when a dummie is throwing the punch and you are slitley off balence you will not be able to get the balence nedde to pull it off. will perfoming the movment stance is also key because it provides power and speed without that cuplet in kenpo we are not well prepared because kenpo is the law of the fist, thus without speed and power the fist is renderd insignificant and useless.