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How to Teach New Students to Aim and Kick the Nuts?
Posted by: John W. Zimmer
I have been doing karate for years and have not really thought about this from a beginning students perspective recently. I had a buddy ask me my take on teaching students how to kick the groin as beginners can miss the mark at first. Also (understandably) guys do not want to volunteer their family jewels as target practice!
Ok – one of the first kicks a student learns is the front snap kick in most styles. You bring the knee up, snap the kick out (kicking with the ball of the foot or instep), bring the kick back and land it. This method fast becomes second nature but before a student learns actual sparring (if they style they are learning does that), how is a student to know their kick is going to be a real ball buster? That is the question I’ll deal with in this post.
First for some comic relief Master Ken is going to demonstrate some ways to create more sopranos in the choir. 
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What is Your Training Method; Is it Realistic?
Posted by: John W. Zimmer
Most martial artists will know fellow students that study real hard for testing and then forget techniques and kata afterwards (until the next testing). Basics seem to stick with us longer because we have to know all of the kick and punch combinations for what most hold dear to their hearts – fighting!
I used to somewhat be one of these martial artists other than while I was teaching – I did remember everything (as I taught it over and over again). In my case after I sold my karate school and then decided not to make a career of full contact (not much money), I got stale off and on over the years. Sure I would make a best effort comeback every few years but then would be focusing on scratching out a living for my family. No excuses though and I would bet many martial artists fall into this camp at times.
In this post I will be making an argument for not only brushing the dust off your martial art but additionally training in a realistic method of some type. After all now that your are a black belt and hopefully have trained yourself to be a fairly good fighter – what is left to prove to anyone? Nada! You have to be in the martial arts for yourself to improve!
First here is a video where Benny “the Jet” Urquidez is speaking to kid about owning your techniques… and what it means to be a black belt. I only listened to the first part about making techniques your own as that is what this post is about.
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American Kenpo Karate Demo and Promotion Event in San Diego
Posted by: John W. Zimmer
Forwarding an Announcement about our organization’s event.
Dick Willetts’s American Kenpo Karate Association will be have a belt promotion and demo on Sept. 20th, 2014 at the main studio located at 3030 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego Ca. The event will start at 1:00 PM. Below is an outline of the event.
The event agenda is as follows.
Dick Willett’s
American Kenpo Karate
Belt testing and Promotion event
Saturday Sept. 20th, 2014
Time 1:00 to 4:30(ish) pm
Agenda
1:00 – Welcome and opening comments plus an outline of the day’s events – Mike Roberts
1:15 – Introduction of Honored guests (Master Bob and Barbara White, Master Ted Sumner) – David Hays
1:20 – Recognition of ALL Black Belts in attendance
1:25 – Opening ice breaker entertainment – David Hays, Todd McElhinney, Kim Kimmel
1:40 – History of Dick Willett’s American Kenpo Karate – Mike Roberts / UKF Rey and Chicken
1:55 – Explanation of our belt and testing system (mainly Black Belt) – David Hays
2:00 – Council Demonstrations
· Rey – Tiger and the Crane
· Foots – Self Defense techniques
· Mick & Todd – Ground Work
· David & Terry – Sparring
3:00 – Joe Scarafone Testing
3:30 – Kerry Maull Testing
4:00 – Other Belt Promotions
· Calvin Sanders – 4th – Presented by Todd
· Brian Stull – 5th – Presented by David
· Franklin Vasques 5th – Presented by Todd
· John Zimmer – 7th Presented by Mick
· Jack Shamburger – 7th Presented by Mike
· Victor Hervias – 7th Presented by Mick
· Herb Patus – 8th Presented by Todd
· Joyce Libert – 8th Presented – Terry
4:30 – Comments by Honored Guests, Bob and Barbara White and Ted Sumner
4:35 Q &A
4:40 – Closing comments and invitation to join us at the town and country Hotel for a few hours of socializing.
5:00 – 8:00 PM a gathering of the Kenpo family at the town and country resort hotel
Thank you
Dick Willett’s AKKA Senior Council
Challenging your Karate School!
Posted by: John W. Zimmer
Many of you have watched the Karate Kid or heard about challenge matches Bruce Lee had to endure from the Chinatown Kung Fu masters, and are probably wondering in this day and age – does that ever really happen?
Well more than you probably think. The challenges come from other schools, various kind of fighting arts, and what I encountered a lot was fighters creating their own martial art that wanted to test.
Before we get started, here is a scene from the karate kid were Mr. Miyagi issued a challenge.
Bowing in the Martial Arts; Valid Religious Objections?
Posted by: John W. Zimmer
I have had some experiences while teaching karate over the years confused me. One of the time I was teaching this woman some karate on the side and showed her how to do the kenpo salutation/bow. She did not want to bow to me. I tried to explain to her this was just a formality in karate – it shows respect for one’s instructor. I finally got her to understand but I did not understand the objection myself. I’ll tell you about what I was able to work out with her in a bit.
Then when I read this post entitled, “Religious Objection In The Dojo” I was still confused a couple of years back. I mean I am a Christian but was not really practicing much other than trying to find a service at Easter and Christmas. Still I was confused by why even a devout religious person would object to the obligatory bow before and after lessons.
In this post I’ll explore the pros and cons of the martial arts tradition of bowing. First watch this explanation video I found.
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Concealed Handgun for Self Defense? Don’t Bet your Life on it!
Posted by: John W. Zimmer
When I owned my karate school, one of the neighboring businesses was a biker bar. One of their bartenders and I were talking about karate one day and he made the remark that if any karate guy messed with him – he would just use his gun. I retorted that would be fine if you happened to have it one you. The bartender started laughing. You see I had assumed the bartender was a law-abiding citizen and would not carry a illegal handgun.
My assumption was natural in California because up to now – only one county in the state allowed for concealed handgun permits without showing cause (that is being challenged now and may change here). So the bartender assumed since he had a fire stick – he could take care of himself if he had to against any unarmed or lesser armed man.
It this post I will challenge the bartender’s assumption as any martial artist knows like any weapons attack – you have to fully deploy it with a calm state of mind to use it. Guns are no exception. Martial artists are under no illusion that they will be ready if attacked so Bruce Lee’s famous words, “Expect the unexpected” is actually a better mantra.
I will make the case that a gun, knife, bat or whatever is no substitute for actual martial arts training. If you ever to get attacked it is going to be when you are asleep, sick, totally unaware and such so you are going to have to regroup and let your training take over. With that said – lets bust a myth. Take a look at this video to see how prepared police (arguably should be the best prepared) to take on a sudden knife attack.
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Women in Movie Fight Scenes; Can they be Realistic?
Posted by: John W. Zimmer
Fight scenes in movies generally are not realistic, I mean my wife hates watching moves with me as I get mad. I tell her anyone who gets hit with a solid punch first should lose the fight but so often the fight goes on for another five minutes. But this post is not about the normal movie fight but having women in the fight sequence.
As a martial artist I really do not like fighting depicted in a cartoon light. If a movie is going to show a fight scene – it should be close to what would work in real life one would think, unless it is one of those cheesey fighting Masters in the clouds or a fantasy kind of movie.
So I’ll start with a movie fight sequence I like. Then I’ll discuss what some of the problems with the movies and depicting women in fight scenes. Notice that while you may say this sequence is not likely to happen – if it did – it could really work. I’m willing to suspend disbelief to this point in a movie.
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