I am shaking hands with my opponent.  I will let you decide from below why this is now a fight:

a. The salesman will not let me leave the car lot.
b. I am introducing myself to my daughter's new boyfriend...
c. I have been kidnapped by a mob of multi-level marketing geeks "You seem like a sharp guy!"
d. They acted friendly -- but the handshake was a ploy to hold me there for their next attack.
e. My name is Bond, James Bond.  I am licensed to kill.
f. American Kenpo has half a dozen techniques against the dreaded handshake... so Five Animal Kenpo decided it needed to have one just to be complete.
g. ALL OF THE ABOVE.

I pull my right hand to my right hip while checking their right elbow with my left palm while delivering a right crossing stomp to the interior of their right knee.  I plant forward with my right foot into a transitional twist stance and attack the interior of their left knee with my left side kick while I press down on their elbow joint with a left push down block action. After the side kick I adjust my footwork to support my continued arm bar (via the continued pressure from the pushdown block on their elbow) until I bring them to the ground. I stomp (if needed) and cover out.  The attacking animal is a snake (constrictor) and the controlling animal is also a snake.

Lesson One:  Counter control manipulation. I use their grabbing hand as a point to establish my own  control over their position.  The pulling of the hand back towards my right hip gets their weight forward exposing them to my cross stomp to their right knee.  My left palm to their elbow gives me a check and an additional point of control.  As the technique progresses, I use this control point (right hand at hip and left palm on their elbow) to further collapse their structure.  

Lesson Two: Cross checking. By kicking their right knee with my right cross stomping kick (and then again on the next move when my left side kick attacks their left knee) I accomplish a check that occupies the zone between us with a diagonal line.  This "cross check" protects me against the leg I am kicking but also against the leg that is not targeted. In contrast if I kicked the leg directly across from me (i.e. my right kick to their left knee) then a greater chance exists that they might also kick me in my support leg or groin with their free leg.  Sometimes this may happen as a reaction or even purely as coincidence of timing.  Either way, the cross check keeps me safer. 

Lesson Three: Marriage of gravity.  Every move in this technique from beginning to end makes use of marriage of gravity -- using the dropping of our body weight to add power to our strike or control.  Marriage of gravity helps power each of the two kicks we deliver and the arm control we apply.

Methods of Drill:

1. Expand the application of this technique to other frontal attacks (grabs and strikes).

2. Apply this technique when struggling for possession of a weapon (club for example) to take control of the "tug of war" that began.

3. Drill the cross stomping kick and side kick on a heavy bag or hand held kicking shield.  

WHAT IS IN A NAME? "Gift" is code in kenpo for "handshake."  Perhaps because friendship is a gift?  Maybe it is because you "give" someone a handshake. Originally the handshake was a way of showing "I am unarmed" making this technique's existence a bit of irony.  We "accept the gift" because we receive their handshake attack and make it use of it as a control point to manipulate their position.

A left grab from the right flank to your right shoulder does not by itself pose an immediate threat.  This technique is really designed to capitalize on this preliminary grab position to cancel an impending right punch. 

My left pinning check to their grabbing hand prevents it from moving into a strike to my face. Meanwhile, I step with my right foot toward them and strike their ribs.  The technique uses a middle knuckle fist to further concentrate force to the target (which is great if you have developed this weapon over time but otherwise just use your regular fist) -- my viper snake controls their constrictor snake.  This strike isolates their right hand from punching.  From there, I pivot my body clockwise and use my right arm to trap their left grabbing arm to my body while my left inward blocking motion on their left shoulder (or slightly below) levers them backward while my left leg sweeps them to the ground as I transition to a forward bow. From here, a series of stomps are used (if needed) to insure my safe retreat.

Lesson One: Strike the central axis to cancel rotation. Although the first strike is delivered to their ribs, because they are to my flank this blow still energetically cuts through their center and limits their ability to rotate (to punch).    .

Lesson Two: Strike a target that is pre-stretched. The extension of my attacker's left arm "stretches thin" the muscles of the back and abdominal obliques that help protect the ribs. The middle knuckle strike capitalizes on this exposure.

Lesson Three: Moving the body (support) to the arm instead of the arm to the body.  The second movement where we lever against the arm uses the clockwise rotation of our body to bring our support to our right hand trapping their left hand instead of trying to pull our right hand back to our body.  This approach is especially useful when dealing with a substantially stronger opponent.  

METHODS OF DRILL:

1. Practice the technique on both sides and with the attacker in a variety of positions.  Adapt the angle of the initial strike to continue to affect the central axis.  Also practice variations where the attacker's arm is less extended, or pushing you away, or pulling you in, or perhaps causing you to rotate.

2. Have your partner attack with a variety of "extended position" grabs and practice strike reacting with strikes to the most exposed target area.

3. Practice adapting the take down and stomping portions of this technique after blocking your partner's roundhouse and straight punch attacks (right and left sides).

4. Have your partner hold a knife in their free hand and explore what changes you would make and why.

5. Condition your middle knuckle strike by punching gently (both sides) into a bucket of pinto beans.  Make sure your thumb is properly locking the middle knuckle into position.  The volume and power of these punches should be increased gradually over time.  Ideally use Dit Da Jow liniment after each training session.  

WHAT IS IN A NAME? The middle knuckle potentially can break the rib (crack the cage).