FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are some questions people ask us often...
WHO DOES KENPO?
At Rathdown Kenpo club we have over 15 senior students, male and female, from as young as 6, to people in their forties!
WHAT HAPPENS IN CLASS?
First of all, all students line up according to rank, the highest grade students starting from the top right corner of the room working down in rows and columns to the beginners who take their place at the back of the room. This enables the beginner to learn from the person in front of him and also the beginner feels more at ease since fewer people are watching them.Usually all the basic blocks,punches and parries are done to warm up the upper body. This is followed by a good leg workout involving all manner of basic kicks and foot maneuvers. Depending on how much effort you put into it, this can be very tiring. The higher coloured belt you are the more effort that is expected!. Syllabus work is then done for the remainder of the class. This will involve practicing up to the stage you are at in your syllabus. Also receiving any new material asking any questions and discussing any problems. Sparring or freestyle generally takes place towards the end of the class. This is interesting to watch when you begin Kenpo. As you learn more about Kenpo you will realise how interconnected the syllabus work and sparring are.
WILL IT HURT?/WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
Will it hurt? Apart from the odd bump or bruise I have never seen any serious or even slight injury as result of punch or kick!. It is compulsory for both male and female students to wear protective groin guards as soon as possible for obvious reasons!. Padded foam gloves, shin pads, foot pads, helmets and gum shields are mandatory during freestyle or sparring. The aim of any martial arts student is to learn control and as a result broken arms etc are an extreme exception! What should I wear? For the first few weeks you can wear normal sports gear or loose fitting clothes. However, if you have done a different style previously you can of course wear that uniform/gi with a white belt.
BLACK AND WHITE SUITS?/WHY ISN'T CLASS DONE IN KOREAN,JAPANESE,CHINESE?
Black and White suits? When you first start Kenpo you will notice that some students wear white suits and some wear black. A black suit may be worn in class when you have earned the rank of brown belt, like the belt it represents standing and authority in the class. Many other Kenpo associations allow all students to wear black suits but in the IKKA you must earn the right to wear it, it is permissible to wear a black suit while competing in a competition. The class isn't done in Japanese/Korean/Chinese? Many traditional styles use their country of origins vocabulary during the class, counting in Japanese, Korean etc. Ed Parker, the founder of our style of martial art was born in Hawaii hence all the language used is English. Names of self defense techniques are broken down into codes/descriptive memory aids. For example, Wing meaning elbow, Sword for a chop, Mace for a fist etc. See the techniques section for a list of all techniques. A roundhouse kick is called simply that as are all other 'basics' you will learn.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?/HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TRAIN?
Firstly you will learn all the basic strikes, blocks, kicks and foot maneuvers as prescribed by the yellow belt syllabus. The self defense techniques will teach you to counter attack someone who is for example punching, kicking, grabbing you from behind, headlocks, grabbing your from the front. These are effective and most enjoyable to learn. While the Self defense drills and forms play an important part in the class we also provide time for sparring or competition freestyle, when you have the basic capability to defend yourself and attack in a controlled manner you may begin sparring. It is fun and enjoyable, improves fitness, speed and gets you used to gauging distance, how to attack and how to defend. How often should I train? - Students who want to learn Kenpo properly and learn to defend themselves should be fully comitted. There are two main classes available (Tuesdays and Fridays). Students who attend both classes regularly normally improve their own standard and recieve the rank appropriate to their level.
OUR BOXING TESTIMONIAL
Fight School has specialized in martial arts since 1986 and has one of the most innovative programs in the nation.
We teach martial arts because we love it — not because we want to make money on you.
We teach martial arts because we love it — not because we want to make money on you.
We teach martial arts because we love it — not because we want to make money on you.
We teach martial arts because we love it — not because we want to make money on you.