Rathdown Kenpo Karate

Who does Kenpo?

At Rathdown Kenpo club we have over 15 senior students,
male and female, from as young as 16 to people in their forties!

What happens in a class?

First of all, all students line up according to
rank, the highest grade students starting from the top right corner of
the room working down in rows and columns to the beginners who take their place
at the back of the room. This enables the beginner to learn from the person
in front of him and also the beginner feels more at ease since fewer people
are watching them.

Usually all the basic blocks,punches and parries are done to
warm up the upper body. This is followed by a good leg workout involving
all manner of basic kicks and foot maneuvers. Depending on how much effort
you put into it, this can be very tiring. The higher coloured belt you are
the more effort that is expected!.

Syllabus work is then done for the remainder of the class. This will involve
practicing up to the stage you are at in your syllabus. Also receiving
any new material asking any questions and discussing any problems.

Sparring or freestyle generally takes place towards the end of the class.
This is interesting to watch when you begin Kenpo. As you learn more about
Kenpo you will realise how interconnected the syllabus work and sparring
are.

Will I be hurt?, Is it dangerous?

Apart from the odd bump or bruise I have never seen any serious or even slight injury as result of punch or kick!. It is compulsory for both male and female students to wear protective groin
guards as soon as possible for obvious reasons!. Padded foam gloves, shin
pads, foot pads, helmets and gum shields are mandatory during freestyle
or sparring. The aim of any martial arts student is to learn control and as
a result broken arms etc are an extreme exception!

What should I wear?

For the first few weeks you can wear normal sports
gear or loose fitting clothes. However, if you have done a
different style previously you can of course wear that uniform/gi with
a white belt.

Black and White suits?

When you first start Kenpo you will notice that
some students wear white suits and some wear black. A black suit may be worn
in class when you have earned the rank of brown belt, like the belt it
represents standing and authority in the class. Many other Kenpo
associations allow all students to wear black suits but in the IKKA you
must earn the right to wear it, it is permissible to wear a black suit while
competing in a competition.

Fitness - When you first come up, do not worry about keeping up with
everyone in terms of fitness. Students are encouraged to only do as much
as they feel comfortable with. The days of boot camp Martial arts classes
are long gone, we pride ourselves on a sane and rational approach to teaching
and creating an enjoyable atmosphere in the class. However the more a student
puts into the class the sooner they will see an improvement.

The class isn't done in Japanese/Korean/Chinese?

Many traditional styles use their country of origins vocabulary during the class, counting in
Japanese, Korean etc. Ed Parker, the founder of our style of martial art
was born in Hawaii hence all the language used is English. Names of self defense
techniques are broken down into codes/descriptive memory aids. For example,
Wing meaning elbow, Sword for a chop, Mace for a fist etc. See the
techniques section for a list of all techniques. A roundhouse kick is called
simply that as are all other 'basics' you will learn.

What will I learn?

Firstly you will learn all the basic strikes, blocks, kicks and foot maneuvers as prescribed by the yellow belt syllabus. The self defense techniques will teach you to counter attack someone who is for example punching, kicking, grabbing you from behind, headlocks, grabbing
your from the front. These are effective and most enjoyable to learn. While
the Self defense drills and forms play an important part in the class we
also provide time for sparring or competition freestyle, when you have
the basic capability to defend yourself and attack in a controlled manner you
may begin sparring. It is fun and enjoyable, improves fitness, speed and
gets you used to gauging distance, how to attack and how to defend.

How often should I train? - Students who want to learn Kenpo properly and
learn to defend themselves should be fully comitted. There are two main classes
available (Tuesdays and Fridays). Students who attend both classes regularly
normally improve their own standard and recieve the rank appropriate to
their level.