1st Annual Kenpo Camp Registration and Rules Form

Photo Order Form for Disciple Martial Arts Kenpo Camp

Look forward to seeing everyone at camp! Oss!

Damian Wilson

2011 Fellowship Kenpo Camp

The goal of the camp is to promote fellowship and camaraderie among Kenpoists of all ages from all over the region.  Adults are encouraged to set up tents on the acreage around the school on Friday and stay until Sunday.

The weekend will kick off Friday night (April 29) with a belt/stripe test for the kids at 7:00 pm.

Saturday (April 30) morning the kids’ seminar begins at 8:00 am and runs until 2:00 pm. There will be rotating classes with the different instructors and karate games.  Lunch will be provided for the kids. The groups will be broken up by age so the instructors can cater the subject matter perfectly. From 8:00 am until 9:00 am we will be doing individual pictures and a group pictures at 9:00 am.  Photography will be done by Kate Kelser Photography.      Download the order form here

Mr. Duffy will be covering Little Tiger Boot Camp for the youngest students and Dynamic Kenpo Forms for the juniors.  Mr. Hale will cover Elements of Kenpo specific to the group he’s working with.

The adult seminar begins at 2:00 pm and runs until 9:00 pm.  White to Green belts will be with one professor for 2 hours while Brown and up will be with the other.  Then the classes will switch professors and go another 2 hours. Afterwards will be a short food break followed by voluntary sparring until 9:00 pm.

Mr. Hale’s adult groups will go over Elements of Kenpo in more detail.  Mr. Duffy will show his adult groups how to Analyze Kenpo Forms and Break Them Down.

After the sparring will be a bonfire, campfire Kenpo stories, and fellowship.

Sunday morning (May 1) Mr. Hale will begin another adult class open to all ranks at 9:00 am for those who are able to make it.

Cost is $50 for kids and $150 for adults; lunch on Saturday is provided for the kids, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday is provided for adults.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP with Mr. Damian Wilson (405-285-6454 or damian@dmakenpo.com) to ensure we get all the food and accommodation details organized.  You can also see the event on Facebook.  Look forward to seeing everyone there!

Kids learn to spar at Disciple Martial Arts

I remember when I first experienced one of these schools. I was a blue belt and my original Instructor, Mr. Hickman, who happened to run an extremely solid Kenpo school with lots of quality sparring, stopped teaching and closed the doors to his studio. At this time I had two choices, I could find a different art or I could find a different Kenpo school to continue my training. There is an old saying in Kenpo, “Kenpo ruins ya.” With a person who has studied Kenpo for a short time, it is very difficult for him to train in any other striking art because the basics are so different. Therefore Kenpo ruins someone to the chances of learning other striking arts. That was certainly true in my case, I had to keep training and the art had to be Kenpo. Quitting altogether wasn’t an option. Being a martial artist and training is like being a vampire and drinking blood. It’s hard to make out where the line is between choice and need.

Anyway, getting back to my story, I found a school where I was very impressed with the technical level of the instructors and students. Their techniques and forms were awesome. The technique lines were amazing. They were very intense and could manipulate the body like I had never seen. Certainly looked well enough to be video worthy on all levels. In fact, now that I think about it, they sold lots of videos too. Shortly, however, I realized that there were never any sparring classes in this school. I was curious and approached the instructors about this and was told that we do not spar. I was a greatly disappointed and continued to press the issue, knowing that sparring was an essential part of training, not only in Kenpo, but also in most martial arts. Finally, out of frustration, the instructor let me and his Black Belts spar. At first I was nervous because I could tell that he was frustrated, and I had the feeling that he was hoping that his Black Belts would teach me a lesson. However, that was not the case at all. Needless to say, his Black Belt’s inexperience in sparring made them appear rather foolish, not to mention how foolish he must have felt that an intermediate was doing so well against his upper belts. This was obviously not a place for me. I continued searching.

In “Infinite Insights Into Kenpo” Volume 1, page 43, Mr. Parker outlines the three sections or divisions of Martial Arts as 1) Basics, in the form of Sets and Forms/Katas 2) Self-defense techniques and 3) Freestyle, or Sparring.  All of these sections have a defining purpose in the development of a martial artist. Let’s focus on sparring for the moment.

Regular sparring classes at Disciple Martial Arts every month

Sparring
There are two kinds of sparring: tournament or point sparring, and street or continuous sparring. Each type of sparring involves all of the same basics from the form and the concepts that are learned in the self-defense techniques and puts them into application. Usually two or more people are involved, and it more resembles a fighting situation. A response is now required when you or your opponent(s) attacks, but the difference is that the opponent(s) no longer just stands there and allow you to strike and counter. This differs from self-defense techniques in the fact that now both individuals are defending and attacking simultaneously. There is no designated “bad guy.” This forces the students to learn several concepts in a different way than self-defense techniques and forms are taught. Mr. Parker mentions a few of these concepts in “Infinite Insights…” Volume 1, starting on page 49 which include:

Timing – being able to accurately know when a basic or move should or can be performed to avoid being struck, or striking the target when it becomes open.
Range – proper gauging of distance
Reflexes – the ability to move your body in reaction to a move from an opponent without having to “think” about it.
Maneuverability – using the correct stances and footwork to move around quickly, smoothly and efficiently.
Control - the ability to strike a target with the appropriate amount of power and speed as to cause or not cause damage.

Now don’t get me wrong, all of these concepts are taught in self-defense techniques and forms also. There are two main differences though. During sparring, your opponent is not static. He is not going to just stand there and let you pound on him.  Also there is an added ingredient that is lacking in the basics and self-defense divisions: realism.  When a person is the “bad guy” during a self-defense technique, he is supposed to “act” appropriately to the strikes, kicks, blocks, etc. to allow the person applying the technique to learn the movements properly, build muscle memory, and quicken the reflexes. During sparring however, there is no acting. Each participant is attacking and defending as they go. This is also a good reason that there should be a waiting period before a beginner should start sparring. A person has to know how to block, move, punch, and kick before he can apply these basics, especially in sparring. Which is why the level of yellow belt must be achieved before a student can spar in my school. If a person spars to soon bad habits can certainly develop.

Bad habits are very hard to overcome. As instructors we have to monitor students closely to prevent them from developing. For example, one of these bad habits is “blasting through” strikes to get inside instead of blocking and/or maneuvering to avoid being struck. If the opponent is using control, then the strike is probably not extremely hard, or full power, like it would be on the streets. Eventually, to avoid the other from getting past by “blasting through,” sparring partners will begin to strike harder to not allow their opponent to achieve getting inside. Now, students are just beating on each other rather than trying to apply proper self-defense concepts. Most of the time when sparring partners start striking harder, it has the potential to lead to another problem…

Injuries. We must encourage our students to use control. If someone is not using good control and is striking hard then an injury can occur to his opponent. Some of these injuries can result in long recoveries or the student quitting altogether. Properly monitoring the amount of contact that is allowed to make sure serious injuries do not occur is imperative. No one wants to get injured, and for the most part, no one wants to injure other their training partners. If instructors perceive someone trying to injure another person, hopefully it is given serious attention immediately.

There are many more pros that could have been discussed at length and they far outweigh the cons when it comes to sparring. Such as: panic control, the ability to think and respond in stressful situations, spontaneity, control of emotions such as anger or fear, the ability to withstand strikes, whether blocked or not and responding appropriately, the list could go on and on. Bad habits and injuries can be greatly avoided if monitored correctly and sparring can significantly increase the percentages of survival when defending against an attacker. When confronted with a real situation on the street, the training concepts of ALL of the divisions are critical in being able to defend yourself properly. And that’s why at Disciple Martial Arts, we opt to spar.

This is a free festival for the community, free food, bounce house, giant air-up slide, many karate demonstrations from the students and felllow Kenpoists, drawing for prizes, and games for kids.

If you can make it early, there will be a Friday night kids test.

We look forward to seeing everyone there.  If you would like to RSVP, there is a Facebook Event set up as well.

As I hear more and more about bullying in the news, all of the bullying I endured as a kid comes rushing back. I remember other kids constantly picking on me, both physically and verbally. Before I was twelve, I had been tripped, pushed, slapped, kicked, punched, slammed on my head, spit on, had gum stuck on me, Vaseline rubbed in my hair, books knocked from my hands, been thrown into a fence, put in a headlock and thrown over a hip to the ground. Not to mention all the name calling, exclusion, and threats directed at me. I could go on and on about all the abuse I took.

This is a serious problem. We need to address it with our youth…before the child committing suicide or taking another person’s life…is one of our own kids.

According to Stop Bullying Now, standing up to bullies and asserting yourself is not a successful tactic. Neither is ignoring and/or pretending that the bully doesn’t bother you. I found this to be true in my case. It didn’t matter if I was assertive or ignored them or laughed with them, the bullying didn’t stop. In most cases, it even got worse. In fact, the more I fought it, the more I had to continue fighting it. There was always another bully right around the corner. Not knowing how to fight very well was also a problem; I would have to face the same bully again and again because he could beat me up.

It wasn’t until I realized that things didn’t have to be this way—that I could do something about it—that things changed. I’m not talking about physical altercations; I’m talking about self-confidence, self-respect, and a sense of self-worth. But it took moving to another town, starting over, and changing my whole world to develop this self-confidence and courage. It also took loving parents, a consistent school system, and friends who proved to be caring and trustworthy to build me up. I became unaffected by threats and slander, and I even started helping others who were being bullied.

Creating an environment where a child feels safe is the first step. Children need loving parents who are willing to intervene, to help them know that bullying is wrong, and that they’re not going to tolerate it happening to them. This stance builds trust and sets the example for our children to follow. It also means that you need to monitor your children, watching for behaviors that they may be victims of bullying…or even that your child may actually be the bully. And yes, in some cases, a child is going to have to defend him/herself. But fighting should be the last resort.

What do we do, then? If kids can’t fight, assert themselves, ignore it, or pretend, how are they supposed to handle it? They’re not! WE ARE! As parents, teachers, instructors and family members, we’re the ones who need to stand up and create the safe environment that our kids deserve. Once they feel safe—assured that they’re not alone, that they have someone watching their backs—will their confidence rise, equipping to handle these stressful situations appropriately. That’s also when the confidence and courage that martial arts teaches will becomes most effective.

Again, I’m not talking about physical confrontations. Anyone can fight. Our children can only discover true courage and confidence when they become leaders, seeking solutions that don’t involve violence.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “This art is better than that art,” or “This fighter is better because his art is superior to other arts.” I’ve heard every possible variation on, “My daddy can beat up your daddy.” I’ve been on the mat with fighters of most of the different arts. Everything about one art over another is, frankly, nonsense. There’s always someone better, faster, stronger, quicker, more powerful than you. Period.

I’ve personally beaten—and been beaten by—all of the major arts. I was fighting in a school in Texas that’s a different style than my own. Even as just a blue belt, I took on higher ranking fighters and won. But during that same hour, at that same school, a lower rank kicked my tail.

It’s universally true: You get out what you put in. A person who puts time and energy into his style will excel. It really is just that simple. The art that you practice is a preference, not a guarantee. The art you study isn’t important. How hard you train is all that matters.

I’m convinced Bruce Lee saw this many years ago. He looked past the style, directly to the human being he was fighting. Art—any art—is expression. When a person wins a championship, they announce the winner’s name, not their art. They may say separately what art the champion trains in: but that art represents his preference, his expression. But what really matters is that he won. The same is true on the street: When you defend yourself, you don’t care what style your opponent is fighting in: All you care about is putting an end to that fight. The style is simply an avenue of expression you chose much earlier.

To “totally and completely” express yourself, you have to be honest. You have to know your limits. You have to understand your body. You can’t lie to yourself. This discipline is the only path that can take you to achieving your very best. If you have limitations that prevent you from high kicks, you may have to adapt your style. But you can train around that and still make yourself effective. If you have spinal problems, neck cranks in grappling probably aren’t a good idea for you. So you should train around that to become effective in some different way. Don’t force it. Just because someone you know uses a specific style, that doesn’t mean it’s the best. Especially for you. Your art is your expression.

Consider every major sport in the world. Each one requires a certain kind (and amount) of training and effort to raise an athlete to perform at their highest potential. Even so, most of these athletes take different approaches to training, even within the same sport. Some use agility drills, some plyometrics, and still others resistance. I couldn’t even begin to list the variety of core workouts, sport-specific exercises, etc.—because there are simply too many! You could consider all of these unique workout approaches as styles. And yet all are designed to achieve the same ultimate goal: victory on their playing field.

Finally, unfortunately, luck may also play a role. (Bad luck, in the case of Todd Duffee) Of course, we have no control over that part. All we can do is what we can do: Train hard in the art you choose to express yourself in.

I’m lying on my side, June 11, 2006 at 8:00 AM,  comfortable in my bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. I squint one eye open. Digital clock says 8:00, then 8:01. My mind clicks on:

It’s Sunday. Why are we waking up?

I close my eye and try to lie still. No one’s shaking me. No one’s calling my name. The house is silent. But my brain’s just getting started.

Wait a minute! Today’s Saturday! Don’t we have to teach karate? Uh… Let’s see… Went to church last night… So today HAS to be Sunday. Wait. Why are we awake? Oh yeah…bathroom.

I groan softly. I lift my head to start to sit up. Lightning shoots from my hips down the backs of my legs, all the way into my toes. Excruciating. Instantly, my eyes fill with water. I try to freeze in that position so the pain will pass. Instead, it intensifies. And spreads.

What had felt like lava spilling into my lower body now becomes a white hot sword, searing through my hips to just below my kidneys. It continues stabbing down through my knees, severing my calves and protruding out of my toes. My abs, already quivering, manage to raise my upper body into a sitting up position. The pain levels off, but doesn’t subside. My heart races. Every pore of my body simultaneously pushes out a layer of sweat. The tears pour.

I just need to sit up. If I can get into another position, maybe the pain, the burning will subside.

But I knew: Reaching the sitting position had been the easy part.

I have to move! Can’t…take…this…pain!

I slowly, gently slide across the mattress, using mostly my arms, and slip my feet tenderly toward the floor. I try to keep the pressure off my lower back, where the pain is coming from. I’m gasping, panting. My sweat and tears burn my eyes. But I can’t wipe them—my hands are supporting all my weight.

Changing the angle in my posture brings even more new pain. The white hot sword now rips through my back and erupts out of the sides of my legs…even though only about 5% of my body weight is on my feet. My arms tremble. I can’t hold myself up much longer. I take a slow, deep breath. I grapple with the truth: Any movement—any at all—is going to bring more pain. I grunt and thrust up into a standing position in one motion, using mostly my legs. I crumble instantly in a heap on the floor, in literally the greatest pain of my life, sobbing. Using just my arms and clawing the carpet, I drag my useless legs and pain-wracked body to the edge of the bed.

Tunnel vision is overtaking me, fading in and out. I’m blacking out. I panic.

Breathe! Breathe! Slow! Deep!

Can’t think! Can’t stand the pain!

Everything from my waist down feels like it’s being crushed by a truck.

Need help! Help!

My wife is still sleeping peacefully on the bed. It seems like hours. It’s been maybe three minutes. I cling to the bed. I claw up halfway. “Help me!! Help me!!”

I can’t hold on, and I collapse to the floor again, weeping. She scrambles to my side. “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! What?!? What happened? What can I do? WHAT NOW?!?”

And that’s what I’m asking you: What now?

What’s holding you back?

Are you in a crisis? What now?

Are you at the end of your rope? What now?

Have you lost your job, your family, a child, a loved one? What now?

I was only 33 years old. And I had to ask myself, “What now?”

Lying there on the floor, I realized that my life was never going to be the same. I was going to have to figure out what to do. I have a family, a job, a karate studio, bills to pay, people who depend on me…

What now?!?

I’ll tell you about the rest of my journey later. But right there, in that moment, I told my wife to call the strongest person we know, one of my closest friends—Brian, a neighbor who could get there as quickly as possible. He arrived in minutes. He burst in and dropped down beside me: “What now?”

“Help me. Pick me up. Walk me to the bathroom. I need you to hold me up…so I can pee.”

What awakened me in the first place was still my most urgent need in that moment. It was a solvable problem…as long as I had some help. It was so simple, but I couldn’t do it by myself. My wife, my friends, my family, and most of all, my God were all there to help me.

Following that day, my recovery process would take three long years.

But now I’m asking you: What now?

“Let time be your measurement to skill and experience.” —Ed Parker

Students, parents, and fellow martial artists sometimes complain about how much training is required between Kenpo belt levels. In some arts, you can reach a black belt in 18–24 months. There’s nothing wrong with these arts. Many of my friends and fighting partners—some very good martial artists—practice other arts. The problem is not with Kenpo or with other arts. It’s with our culture…

Ours is a drive-through society. If I can’t have what I want right now, I’ll just pick something else. Kenpo is extremely fast in every way except in its advancement.

Kenpo is more complicated than other arts. I don’t believe that Kenpo (or any other art) is “better” than any other. Some are more complicated than others. But in my experience, Kenpo is one of the most complicated. As a result, it takes longer to learn. Some aspects of Kenpo require “maturing”: Some stances require practice to become automatic and comfortable. Developing muscle strength and flexibility for certain maneuvers takes time. And people learn at different rates.

The key to success in Kenpo is CONSISTENCY.

Consistently come to class. Consistently work out on your own. Consistently strive to understand what you’re trying to do (both physically and mentally). And you’ll advance faster. You have to perform earlier movements repeatedly for your body to “memorize” them. The more often you move, the faster you progress. Once you’ve committed a move to muscle memory, you don’t have to think about it as much, and you can move on. But moving quickly through belt ranks misses the point.

What makes the best steak? Some salt and a microwave? Or a long marinate, followed by a slow grill? Kenpo is like that. Your “Aha!” moment for a given move may take years to come. How long has nothing to do with being a fast or slow learner. It’s all about giving the material enough time to sink in, to marinate.

You have to know the material for that to happen. That requires consistent attendance and practice. Without both, you’ll quickly lose everything you learn in class. Also, Kenpo evolves. Without constantly practicing and retrying—techniques, stances, punches, kicks, all of it—nothing improves. If you learn to kick for your first belt (yellow), but you never practice or revisit that kick again, then you’ll always kick like a yellow belt. Your kick should improve as you climb the ranks.

What good is wearing a brown belt if you kick like a yellow? If you can’t remember the self-defense techniques or the forms/sets for that belt, what have you accomplished? Worse, if you can’t perform each technique with certain proficiency, then you look foolish. And worst, you’ll carry a false sense of security that might one day cost you something precious. Maybe your life. Or that of a loved one. Proficiency only comes with time.

Consistency requires time. Consistency equals successful martial art. Who would you rather be: The black belt who can’t hang with color belts? Or the color belt that black belts can’t hang with?

You should strive to achieve the next belt. Not for the belt’s sake—but because you know the material, and you’re genuinely ready to move up to the next level. Consistency is the path to knowledge and understanding.

“Let time be your measurement to skill and experience.”