Another Good Reason to Learn to Protect Yourself

Karate girl, 11, fights off attacker in Bristol

Monday, October 17, 2011

Bristol Evening Post

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AN 11-year-old girl used her karate skills to fight off a man who attacked her as she was walked to school.

Jade Pidden noticed a man following her in a secluded lane in Stockwood.

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   Jade Pidden, 11, below, fought off a man who tried to grab her

The brave schoolgirl tried to run away but the man grabbed her by her rucksack, and that’s when Jade’s three years of karate training kicked in.

She used all her strength to elbow him in the chest and punch him in the face, causing her shocked attacker to flee.

When Jade got to school she told the receptionist what happened and the on-site police officer was informed.

Police are investigating the disturbing incident and asking for witnesses to come forward.

Brown-belt Jade says she first spotted the man when she turned off Lyons Court Road and into Winash Close.

By the time she reached the lane running between the Imperial ground field and Knowle golf course she said he was right behind her and asking to speak to her.

Jade ran away through a gap in the fence and into the field, pursued by the man who managed to grab her rucksack.

But she fought back, delivering the blows that saw her attacker run off.

Jade, who has a twin sister Amber, said: “I had walked ahead of my sister and her friend when I saw a man following me. I ran away but he grabbed my bag which was over both my shoulders on my back – I think he was trying to attack me.

“He was trying to grab me, not my bag. The bag was just something he was able to get hold of when I ran.

“When he did I just automatically responded by elbowing him in the chest and punching him in the face.

“He looked pretty shocked and ran away with his hand over one eye. I was quite upset but my sister and her friend comforted me on the rest of the way to school.”

Jade’s parents, pictured with their daughter, believe the incident may have been an abduction attempt.

Her mum Carly Maughan, 31, a nursing home housekeeper, said: “When I was phoned by the police I was so shocked – it really didn’t sink in. Then I became very upset.

“The police say they think it was a attempted robbery but that’s not my gut feeling. I’m so proud of her – she was very brave.”

Jade’s dad Stuart, 33, a self-employed mechanic, added: “Jade just lashed out and I am glad she did. Clearly three years of karate lessons has paid off.

“The police say it was an attempted robbery but why would anyone want a bag with homework in? We worry it was something worse and are concerned if it happened again the girl might not be so lucky.”

Simon Hall, Jade’s instructor at the Bristol Martial Arts Academy in Hengrove, said: “I rang her dad to make sure she was OK after I heard what had happened.

“We think Jade will be looking at doing her black belt in March next year. It just goes to show a little bit of training can go a long way.”

Jade described the man as white, 6ft tall, slim, in his early 20s, with light brown hair and a long fringe.

She said he was wearing a blue hoodie, with white writing and tight jeans with black and white Nike trainers.

A police spokesman said: “Police received a report of an attempted robbery in Stockwood on October 6 at 8.15am. A young girl was walking to school when she was followed by an unknown man.

“She ran into Imperial field and the male ran after her and tried to grab her bag.

“She managed to push away the man with some force and he ran off in the direction of Ellesmere Road.

“Police are in contact with the victim and her family and would ask anyone with information to contact us on 101 or anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555111.”

Class

Had a great time teaching the kids last night. Had 3 new students join the class also. I look forward to class on Thursday night. 6pm Tues. & Thurs. at FSBCPV

Bruce Lee Playing Ping Pong (A Must Watch)

The Kata of Lion’s Roar Kempo Karate & Jitsu and their Origins

Lion’s Roar Kempo Karate & Jitsu Kata
White Belt, 9th Kyu:

Kihon Te Waza – Yoshukai

Ippon No Kata 1-5 – Wado Ryu

Ippon Kumite 1-3

Yellow Belt, 8th Kyu:

Kihon no Kata – KoChinDo Kempo

Ippon Kumite 4-6

Yellow Belt, 7th Kyu:

Wanshu – WadoRyu

Ippon Kumite 7-10

Green Belt, 6th Kyu:

Nifanshi Ishi – Ko Chin Do Kempo

Ippon Kumite 11-13

Green Belt, 5th Kyu:

Nifanshi Ni – Ko Chin Do Kempo

Nunchaku Kata 1

Ippon Kumite 14-16

Geen Belt, 4th Kyu:

Nifanshi San – Ko Chin Do Kempo

Nago No Kun (Bo kata)

Ippon Kumite 17-20

Brown Belt, 3rd Kyu:

Seisan – Yoshukai

Gihon Kumite 1-3

Brown Belt, 2nd Kyu:

Kusanku – Wado Ryu

Sai Kata

Gihon Kumite 4-6

Brown Belt, 1st Kyu:

Passai – Shoto Kai

Gihon Kumite 7-10

Shodan:

Niseishi – Wado Ryu

Tui-fa Kata

Nidan:

Chinto – Shoto Kai

Sandan:

Seipai – Shito Ryu

Kama Kata

Free-Styling Sparing

In Lion’s Roar Kempo, we do not practice any free styling sparing until the student has reached the rank of Brown Belt. And when we do free spar, we do it full contact wearing chest protectors, Kempo gloves, boxing head gear, mouth piece and cup.

The reasons are multi fold. First, I don’t believe a student is ready to preform free sparing until he has been practicing for several years. There is no way that they can correctly preform punches & kicks with any balance, power, technique or control in less then Brown Belt level. Most sparing done at lover levels of rank look like a slap fest of who tagged who first. Its sloppy and ridiculous! On top of that, none of the students have any confidence in themselves or in the techniques they are trying to apply when free sparing.

Most importantly, the reason we don’t free spar until Brown Belt is that Lion’s Roar Kempo is a true Martial Art and not a Martial Sport. All our techniques are geared towards self-preservation/self-defense. When we train, we have the attitude of seriousness knowing that  without focus in action, by not being serious, we could hurt our training partner or get seriously hurt ourselves. When we spar it is with technique and force. It is not done as a game of tag as I see in other schools.

What we do at the lower levels of rank is train in Kata, Bunkai of Kata and, Ippon & Gihon Kumite. In Lion’s Roar Kempo we have 20 ippon kumite and 10 gihon kumite to master. These 30 techniques  will take the student to Brown Belt level. They teach, proper technique, timing, distancing, control, and the proper way to interact with a training partner, something I see lacking in many American schools/dojo.

Lion’s Roar Kempo Karate & Jitsu feels the Ultimate in Self-Discipline, Self-Control & Self-Respect.

Recommended Reading

When it comes to Martial Arts books, most aren’t good for anything except using for toilet paper. This is especially true for Martial Arts magazines. But there are a few that are the exception to the rule and in this case its a 3 volume set written by the late Donn Draeger titled 1. Classical Budo; 2. Classical Bujutsu; and 3. Modern Bujitsu & Budo.

These books are an excellent treatment of the major veins of Japanese martial arts in the post-Edo era to present (okay, well, mid-70s to be precise). Anyone participating or considering participating in Japanese martial arts should read this book to contextualize their practice and offer opportunity to reflect on their goals, expectations, and perception of their chosen form. Draeger constructs a seamless bridge between the war era, Edo Bakufu, Meiji, and present day evolutionary processes shaping Japanese martial arts. His history of the Meiji Restoration is brief and readable, yet detailed and obviously well researched. This is the first work I’ve read looking at the long reaching effects of the Meiji and Taisho political agendas on the Japanese own perception their martial arts heritage.

Satori

Satori: is a Japanese Buddhist term for “enlightenment.” The word literally means “understanding.” “Satori” translates as a flash of sudden awareness, or individual enlightenment. In English we may refer to it as an epiphany; the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something.

No matter what you call it, I’m always amazed when they happen to me. Tonight it was while I was driving home. I was thinking about the new student I will begin to train with tomorrow and going over in my mind many of the basic techniques he will have to learn. One particular exercise came to mind, and though this particular basic exercise I have in mind seams to have no redeeming qualities other then just a means to strengthen a stance while practicing punches, one would probable not use this combination in an actual moment of combat.

But it was a flash in my mind which gave me a small moment of satori on this particular exercise and I was wrong to believe that the exercise was merely a means of basic stance strengthening. Now I’m looking forward to putting this exercise into practice tomorrow.

Lion’s Roar Kempo Karate & Jitsu classes

Lion’s Roar Kempo Karate & Jitsu

Private lessons $35 per hr

Call 602-397-0053

Email: Leopold@q.com

Work out

Had the first training secession Tuesday night in such a long time and it was great. Went over all of my kata including my Bo form and found I was lacking in a few. My muscles were definitely tired  the next day, but I look forward to training again tonight.

Jun-tsuki

Jun-tsuki and jun-tsuki no tuskkomi are both forward moving punches done with the lead hand. Though they can be thrown towards the body, usually it is a head strike. Un-like the boxer’s jab, jun-tsuki is a commited punch. In other words, when it is thrown, the punch will not be poked out and retracted in an exploratory manner to see how your opponent will react. Rather, it is thrown with power and force in a straigh line towards the target to inflict as much damage upon impact.

Start by standing in a relaxed stance with both fist facing forwards towards your opponent. When your opponent begans his attack towards you, at the same exact time you will begin throwing your jun-tsuki. This is called Sen Sen-No-Sen; In this situation both you and your opponent are ready and willing to attack. Your attack must be made first in a spilt second between the time your opponent mentally commits to the attack and the moment he begins his actual movement. His commitment to attack will prevent him responding with a defence.

At that moment, you will extend your front lead leg forward droping into a zenkutsu datchi (long forward stance), at the same time your lead hand will move upwards from it’s placement, in a straight line, without first cocking, extending forward towards it target.

At completion of the techique, the fist makes contact, the front foot stops its movement with the front knee bent over the foot, the back leg straight and locked, the leading arm shoulder is forward as is the front hip whike the other hand is pulled back. All muscles tighten upon impact with extreme mental focus and then relax.

Jun-tauki no tsukkomi is simular to the above except the stance is modified in that the back leg actuall sweeps sideways beind the front leg and the upper torso turns sideways and leans forward as if you drew a line from the back foot to the front punch, it (the body) would look as if a long spear was extended from the ground to the target all in line. This is used when you want to slip past your opponents attack using tai sabaki (body shifting)