Demonstration

[pdavis]

At different times I get into discussions with people about what art I am studying and am asked to "demonstrate" a technique. Has anyone got any advice on what techniques they would recommend in such a situation?

In the same vane, sometimes my training partner and I go to different events where we would like to put on a short five minute demonstration of Kenpo. Does anyone have any suggestions for a few techniques that we could string together that would make for a good demonstration?

[Lance C]

There is a difference between demonstrating kenpo and pleasing a crowd.

That is, when I studied magic (for the purpose of furthering my karate skills) there's a saying that you have to perform to the speed and interest of the audience or your just wasting your time and theirs.

Maybe do what you do best, with enthusiasm. Kenpo does not crank out identical fighters, find out what is your best and do it.

-Lance

[pdavis]

Well, I've never done demonstrations in front of a crowd. I was hoping for some advice on what techniques string well together and are crowd pleasures.

[Lance C]

Crowds like spins, flips and flying. However some Kenpo techniques that have been successful usually involve takedowns and/or an Extreme flavour.

Dance of Death, Leap of Death, Twirling Sacrifice, The Bear and the Ram, maybe Back Breaker.

The speed and efficiency of Kenpo is often under-estimated since the details of what you are doing are often nearly invisible to the audience. Also since techniques are "overtraining" the fight may seem dirty and unfair. Beating on someone when they are down, or recently kicked in the groin may look as bad as when I demonstrate with my wife as my partner, she is much smaller and female. Public disaster. However she is fully qualified to be a practice partner.

Plus if you are openly interacting with people, learn somethings that can go wrong with the techniques, some weisenheimer will try and smurf up your techniques (think about people that try and disrupt comedians) and learn some defenses or "What if's" to the obvious problems with the techniques.

That is just do not go demonstrating using just the ideal phase of the technique. It took years of practice to learn the ups and downs of the techniques and am sure that this is a life long learning process.

Short Form 3 has a nice string of techniques to demonstrate one side only.

-Lance

[warrior-scholar]

Here is an alternative approach:
Why not fight a training partner in free form, but use a pre-arranged order of techniques as responses. Also, you can have the fight "escalate" into the more violent responses.
For example:
Have the guy walk up and push you, whilst you perform the neutralization from Hooking Wings...not the whole technique. Let that aggravate him even more. Keep moving constantly throughout the performance. Now he might try and taunt and go into a fighting stance. Let the aggressor attempt some footwork with a few jabs and then attempt a right haymaker, which you defend with Circles of Protection, but stopping with the second block/parry. You will need to get away and let him continue to press the action. This time he might throw a straight right or left, which you follow up with Sleeper or Shield and Sword. If you go into Sleeper I would take him down without the follow up strikes. Now if he decides to get back up he might act desperate and attempt a tackle or grab which could follow some quick punches. This would be your chance to use an appropriate technique for tackles or body grabs. I would take this technique to completion. I like this method because it keeps things a bit more real than just letting Uke stand there and take it.

Also, if you want to drive home the hand speed, then consider using Purple Belt stuff. Honestly, if you could somehow string Twirling Wings, Snapping Twig, Parting Wings, Darting Mace, Hooking Wings, and Cross of Destruction together, that would look really nice. However, you will have to work on the transitions, perhaps to two or three attackers.

Let me know what you think!

[MarkWeiser]

I always demostrate the very first Self Defense Technique in the Yellow Belt System. This gives an insight to the speed and power of Kenpo. Using Yellow Belt Self Defense Techniques in a Series works as well. This way you can also get new students this way. Seeing that this is what they will learn first.

[pdavis]

Thank you, exactly what I was hoping for!