Kenpo Self Defense Techniques

Crossing Talons

• Crossing Talons is a defense against someone who has reached across and grabbed your wrist. It involves using your other hand to trap the attackers grabbing hand. You then turn around and bow forward simultaneously bringing your elbow down on your attackers arm while raising their trapped hand. This will eventually hyper-extend or break the trapped arm.

Circling Wing

• Circling Wing is intended as a defense against a two-hand neck grab from behind. It involves simultaneously stepping out with your left foot while turning around and bringing the right arm down to trap the attackers hands. As you bend forward, your attacker is drawn towards them which makes it easy to follow up with an eye jab from the left index finger.

Deceptive Panther

• Bruce Lee believed that the best way to end a fight quickly was to strike your opponents nearest point with your closest weapon to them. Generally this involves delivering a low kick with your front leg to your opponents nearest knee. This can then give you a chance to escape or to follow up with a second blow. Deceptive Panther involves delivering just such a low kick with your right leg and then following up immediately with a high roundhouse from the left. Like in a panther's attack, the first strike weakens your opponent and the second one finishes them off. Deceptive Panther is a good technique to employ if you are cornered and need to act quickly.

Shield and Sword

• Shield and Sword is employed as a defense against a left straight punch. It involves stepping out with your right foot and using your right hand to do an inward parry. This is followed by a left outward extended block which should temporarily tie your opponent up, allowing for a quick follow up punch from the right, which has now been drawn back into striking position.