“To enlighten and evolve through the art of Kenpo” 

From The President...

The Warrior Within, Part 1

6th Annual West Coast Training Camp ‘99

Steps To Mastery

And Then There Were Five...

A Kenpo Story...

Upcoming News & Notes

Recommended Reading

Quote

Previous Issues

UKS Home

A Kenpo Story...

By Paul Burns, Green Belt, Bryan Hawkins Kenpo Karate

I work in downtown Los Angeles in a high rise office building. I wear a suit and carry a briefcase and a hard lunch box to work daily. One afternoon, as I was heading home for the day, I had my first opportunity to use the Kenpo I have been studying for the past two years.

As usual, I was riding the elevator down to the lobby with my briefcase and lunch box in my left hand. When the doors opened, a man, approximately 5'7", 150 lbs dressed in scuffed work boots, faded and dirty jeans and t-shirt, strode directly onto the elevator without waiting for me to exit. He entered as I was moving to the door and collided with the briefcase/lunch box in my left hand. An immediate string of invective, foul language and personal insult streamed from his mouth as he bounced off the briefcase and into the elevator. I moved out the door, turned my head and casually returned a personal insult while stepping over the threshold and continuing on my way.

The man immediately exited the elevator to follow me. I was not watching, but “felt” him come up behind me. His left hand came down solidly upon my right shoulder and I could feel the beginnings of his attempt to spin me around while more foul language was washed over me. Virtually without thought, I released the objects in my left hand and, reaching up to counter grab and pin his hand, I glanced over my left shoulder to fix his location. I then stepped to ~1:00 into a left forward bow - stretching him out and disrupting his balance - while my right hand chambered (palm up), under my left arm. I immediately rotated into a right neutral bow towards 6:00 and, instead of striking his throat with an outward hand sword, I rotated my hand over and connected with a right outward horizontal palm heel to his jaw. Continuing my rotation, I delivered a left step through ball kick to his groin - landing back. I then crossed and covered out towards 12:00 ending in a fighting stance facing my opponent at 6:00. In a word, I provided my opponent a modified “Obscure Sword.”

As I settled into the fighting stance, what I saw amazed and elated me. My attacker was on the floor; bent in half like last years Christmas card. He was on his knees, backside pointing up, with his chest and face on the floor and a thin gurgling sound issued from his lips.

I have been in fights before and I fully expected to have to continue the battle, but as my tunnel vision relaxed and I became fully cognizant of my opponents condition, I knew Victory was mine! I will never forget the feeling of elation and power which swept through my being. Nor will I forget the very first thought which came to my mind.

That thought was “Man, this stuff really works!!!”