This is an age old arguement, is it better to master a few good techniques or spend time being exposed to a plethora of techniques of which yhou will eventually select your favorites. I'm considering Tracy but their curriculum, to me, is long and convoluted. Although they will defend the curriculum by saying you build on base techniques, it still seems like overkill. I always believe simple is best. At least for me. Does anyone else out there think Tracy's Kenpo is excessive in its curriculum?
They make it seem like there are more than what there is. You have Rear Choke, ABCD. Well it's the same techniques, but one has a heel palm for an ending, another has a claw strike, another has a chop and another has a hammer fist. It's all the same, they just make it seem like alot more than what it is, but there are more base techniques than most (I think more than any) system I know of. But then also you have alot of the same base movements in different techniques, Cranes Wing and Thundering Hammers is the same technique, ones open handed and the others closed handed, but basically the same. Now I am no expert on Tracey's Kenpo, thats just what I know if it.
I really think that Tracy kenpo techniques are meant to be forgotten in a practical application sense. I think we have so many techniques simply in order to build the capacity to rearrange combos spontaneously. Spontaneous rearrangement existed long before Parker coined the term and whereas Parker introduces the concept first, the traditional method has been to practice, practice, practice. In my opinion most kenpo studios whatever their lineage happens to be should at some point provide more focus on spontaneity. People forget that techniques are not rules. Salute
re... Having had experience in both learning and teaching at a Tracies, please allow me to further clariy the techinque system. A previous poster had it put nicely by his statment on knowing it but "forgettign it". And the original poster said he liked techinqes that were all practical, effective, and quick. Now there are literally hunderds and hundreds of techinques out there in the system, but they serve as a combat simulation more or less. In otherwords you learn a techinqe, ino rder to be able to apply it in a certain situtation. Chances are, however, that most situations will not require the techniques step by step, and that is what we emphasize. To sum it up the point of a techinque, is to be able to take bits and pieces out of it to use in real life. SOmetimes the entire techinque will work, other times(most cases) it will have to be adapted. The adapation is something that comes with experience, but definetly becomes practical, and is from the start. Hope this helped you out.
After having put my Kenpo to the test (literally having to use it on more than one occasion to defend myself over the years) I have to say that I agree with your answer 100%. I've pulled off a complete book technique on more than one occasion. I've also had to improvise and modify a technique in order to tailor it to the situation I was in. In every case it was my training that saved me and allowed me to defeat my opponent. I don't study, nor have I ever studied, Tracy's Kenpo. I train in Ed Parker's American Kenpo. So I can't give you an informed opinion on their system, but I will say this: KENPO WORKS!
That's the great thing about the Ken/mpo arts You get to have a drawer full of tools to pick and choose from
I think the differences in kenpos are important. It's just a shame that all types are not offered in every town so that you could find the one that's right for you. Some people even through repitition can not think as spontaneously as others. I'm sure you've seen that in sparring class. Those people could benefit from learning all of the techniques in Tracy kenpo. We are encouraged to learn the alternate endings and even experiment with new ones for all situations. Some of them are a requirement for belt advancement but if creativity and imagination are lacking then the only other option would be to teach for every possibility. Not that people who take Tracy kenpo aren't creative or imaginative. I would think it takes very quick thinking to pick through all of those techniques to find the right one. Not to mention lots and lots of practice to master them all without getting "cornfused". We only have 60 named techniques. I'm in awe of you people for learning so many. How do you learn them, so many per belt or are they grouped by attack or something? Do you have a master form or complete kata? How long does it take to do? Boy, I bet your belt tests are a big time workout.
Except for yellow belt (which only has 15 techniques), there are 30 techniques to a belt and 1 or 2 katas. We learn about 15 techniques at a time and at our school (this is just an instructor preference) then test the rest of the belt later. We also take private class as well as group class (you pay for the private lesson, but you can go to as many of the group classes as you want - no extra charge). With the private lessons, you don't have to try to keep up with everyone else - you go at your own pace.
Many techniques are pieced together techniques, sometimes not meant to be executed from beginning to end, but just a range of body movements and concepts to learn. I would suspect that in the real world one will rarely execute one from beginning to end successfully, though, as stated above, I bet it does happen from time to time. My theory has always been to know 10 techniques/concepts well, rather than having 100 you know half-assed.
how is training in the Tracy Kempo system? i've heard of the San Jose location, and the Bay area a little, but i'm not exactly sure how they are for the most part (i live about an hour south of Sacramento and the Bay area stuff is kinda far for me).
