AMERICAN KENPO TAIJI: KENPO INTERNALISED
(Martial Arts Illustrated - December 2001)

I have spent most of my life studyign both the external and internal martial arts. By combining the techniques and priciples of American Kenpo with the internal principles of the Old Yang Style Taichi Chuan and other internal principles of Chi Kung, I have developed my own formidable fighting style, American Kenpo Taiji.

As a result of cross-training, I have come to the conclusion that external and internal are realy one, and in order to attain maximum potential all body capabilities adn mental abilities must work in unison. Physical muscle strength must combine with internal power for maximum results.

Ed Parker categorically stated that he was against his art being traditionalised, a fact which many Kenpo instructos choose to ignore. In fact I am convinced that Parker was in the process of internalising his art before his untimely demise, as he often spoke of energy disruption and unity between body, mind and spirit. In fact, a book written by Ed Parker in the 1960's briefly touched on the subject Dim Mak, also known as death point striking, but this was frowned upon, and in my opinion he was not encouraged to incorporate this aspect of teh martial arts into his system.

However, I am of the opinion that by completing what Ed Parker started, and incorporating the principles of teh internal arts of Kenpo, I now have a more complete system. As the ultimate fighting system it deals effectively with all aspects of street fighting, including unarmed combat, mass attckes, defeating a grappler, knife and gun attacks and all other aspects of fighting.

I must stress the importance of being relaxed, in a state referred to by the Chinese as 'Sung' in any altercation as this allows the 'chi','ki' or internal energy to easily flow and combine with muscle (physical) strength, thus producing a great deal more power than ust muscle power. This can make the power generated as much as seven times stronger.

We should tense only at the point of contact and immediately relax again for maximum power and speed. This principle adapts very well to Kenpo as we're taught to strike from teh point of origin using economy of motion. As we don't use distance for power, proper mechanics incorporating internal energy is an excellent menas of meeting our objectives. The explosive penetrating power emitted by following this advise is known as 'fa-jing'.

This allows us to achieve power oever a very short distance. However, in order to execute a fa-jing strike, body connectivity is essential. The upper and lower body sections must move as a single co-ordinated unit. It is the whole body that is the weapon as the power created by just the arms adn legs is only push power and lacks the deadly penetration of fa-jing.

Hitting a heaving hanging bag with fa-jing will cause the back to shudder rather than swing away, demonstrating the internal damage which will be done to anyone on the receiving end of such a strike. Connectivity is imperative, and may best be explained by describing how it would be applied in the case of a punch or other hand strike. The power begins as the foot pushes off against the ground in a spring-like action. Power is then released from the leg, controlled by teh waist adn back and released through the hand.

'Rebounding' is another internal principle which I have incorporated into my system. By staying relaxed and only tensing at the point of contact, then immediately relaxing again, the striking weapon is forced to reboung off the target. It does this by penetrating further into the target, causing internal damage, before rebounding back again as one relaxes. In my effords to internalise American Kenpo, I have not only incorporated Dim Mak into the way I teach the art, but made it a significant part of American Kenpo. In studying the internal arts I have studied Dim Mak in some depth.

Dim Mak is based on the disruption of the energy (Chi or Ki) which constantly flows in the body's meridian. The energy is our life force, the electricity within us which gives us life.

We each have twelve meridians which are related to our main organs and eight extra eridians branching off the main twelve. By striking certain points situated along these meridians, in a certain direction, the Chi or Ki will be disrupted causing serious injury or death. Striking a point on a meridian which is directly related to one of the organs will hafe adverse effect on that organ. A strike to any of these points will, at the very least, cause a knockout. The direction in which these points are struck will determine how the victim is affected (see diagram).

Apart from the points along the meridians there are also other points not situated along any of the meridians. An example of this is the mind point situated on the fat part of the cheek. Struck in a certain direction this will cause a knockout or death.

Antidotes to Dim Mak strikes are also taught. However, some of these strikes have no antidote and the only chance of revival may be CPR.

Something which I stress in classes is the fact that fighting is a subconscious reaction. You cannot rely on that conscious thinking part of the brain to see you through a fight as it is too logical and fighting is not a logical process. We therefore train in methods to occupy our conscious mind so that the subconscious can take over. This is known as the 'No Mind' state of mind, or the state of 'doing without doing'. The years of training in our basics, teach us mind and body co-ordination. We instinctively become spontaneous masters of adaptability with all our action being both defensive and offensive. The years of solo and two person training in our techiques, forms, sets and sparring give us the ability to act calmly and sponateously in a flash when the situation warrants it. We will instinctively strike vital targets and Dim Mak points without thinking about it.

At a more advanced leveI will introduce students to the 'reptilian brain' which can be thought of as the ultimate 'no mind' state. I was taught about the reptilian brain in Tai Chi Chuan training and incorporated it into Kenpo with great success. Kenpo's rapid succession of strikes makes it very adaptable to the reptilian brain.

Humans have three brains inside their heads. The reptilian brain was the first we had. Reptiles, such as snakes and crocodiles, still only have this brain. Then there is the paleo-mammalian brain which all animals have and then we, as humans, also have the neo-mammalian, or the human brain. Humans have all three brains.

The reptilian brain is the survival brain. However, the modern way of life has really made this part of the brain, which modern science has identified as the brain stem, redundant. In order to attain the highest level of the martial arts, we must make use of this brain, as it is by nature our survival brain. By training in both the external and internal arts, we will quite naturally go into this brain in an altercation. By internalising Amerian Kenpo, students will learn to take advantage of this part of the brain.

There are certain ways in which we can bring the reptilian brain into action, but this will only be taught to senior students, as it may cause problems if the student has not had adequate training.

Once the reptile brain has come into play, you're in a different world, everything around you seems to move in slow motion.

When in the 'no mind' state of mind, we use peripheral as opposed to focus vision. Instead of focusing on our attacker's individual weapons which will make us oblivious to what the other parts of his body are doing, we look at the attacker as complete unit, making us aware of what every part of his body is doing. However, when in the reptilian state of mind, we take peripheral vision a stage further. When in the reptilian brain mode, we use 'eagle vision' whereby our mind and vision are literally 'locked' on the space which is occupied by the opponent, as if our energies are linked. As he moves, his space moves, causing us to move accordingly. An eagle can zoom down from a great height and grab a small mouse which is constantly moving.

In an effort to internalise American Kenpo, I have introduced the 'Old Yang Style Tai Chi' form as part of the curriculum for 1st dan black belt. The Old Yang Style form is the original form, inclusive of all the fa-jing and Dim Mak strikes, and not the watered down version which is more widely taught. The original form is more of a martial form than the later variations. (Level three of the form will be taught at 1st dan, fourt level 2nd dan, fifth level 3rd dan.) This will be an addition to the existing curriculum, nothing will be taken away from American Kenpo. The form, and related exercises such as pushing hands which will also be taught, will assist us in taking our Kenpo training to an internal level.

I am possibly also the first instructor teaching martial arts over the Internet. Initially the tuition is in text-picture format with new developments on the way.

The website will be constantly updated, teaching other unique elements of the arts not normally taught in classes.

Anotherfirst is tha tI will be the first martial artist to take martial arts action to the Internet. My short action packed film The Chase is available now to view on the World Wide Web and my latest productin, Protection, will soon be available at the an Internet site near you.

Athos Antoniades teaches his American Kenpo Taiji system, which is basically American Kenpo incorporating the principles of the internal arts to make it a more complete system, in London.