Before going into the details of each technique I want to ask a fundamental question:  Why even used prearranged sequences, "self-defense techniques", as a curriculum approach to teaching Five Animal Kenpo? (...or any other Kenpo or Martial Arts system for that matter.)  

Techniques are convenient methods of encapsulating a variety of theories and strategies into a case study example.  It makes it easier to maintain a consistency of approach in communicating the principles of the fighting system.  However, by no means are you going to learn everything about Five Animal Kenpo from its sequence of moves (techniques, sets, katas, etc.) but they certainly become a significant and convenient starting point to frame the discussion.  Techniques are not meant to be a one step solution to your self-defense needs, but rather think of it as an old, experienced friend sharing his life's war stories with you so you can learn from his experience.  I could have created more, I could have created fewer, I could have created better, I could have created worse.  Regardless of what I created, the real question is whether they introduce ideas that allow you to grow and experiment; or rather, do you focus so much on the one sequence that it takes ona significance greater than it should.  The guy who dwells on exactly how it should always be done regardless is missing the point just as much as the guy who dwells on how he can improve it or fix it with this move or that move.  

So as we move into this blog, remember we are listening to each techniques war stories.  You may think the old guy telling the story has a funny looking nose, smells a little funny, or seems to laugh at his own jokes, but nonetheless the question is whether you decide to listen to his story and then apply what you can to learn from his experience.

My initial goal in this blog is to address the theory of each of the empty hand self-defense techniques in the Five Animal Kenpo System.  This will not happen overnight (but hopefully within a year's span!) and as with most of my blogging attempts I suspect that this will occur is spurts.  The student on the mat that day gets priority over my blog objectives.  The reality is that I spend far more time training and teaching then writing or filming (just ask Richard Fox... who I am well aware is still waiting for Nunchaku Form and Knife Form DVDs).  

I am going to lay some ground rules for myself.  I am going treat these more as journal entries than works of literary art.  I want the theory out there instead of just bouncing around in my head and if I over edit demand too much exactness in this process than I will throw in the towel and about three techniques will get described.  So here we go.  I welcome comments but will display only the ones I feel offer additional insight or raise questions I want to further explore.  So "you suck" or "wow, you are cool" is never going to be displayed so don't bother with either.