The Technique Forms of Kenpo- An Introduction The technique forms of Kenpo do break from the previous pattern seen in the basic forms (Short Form 1 through Long Form 2) of in - out - up - down. Instead the pattern that develops within the technique forms is one that develops within our own techniques. For example, what is the attack of the first technique we learn at a belt level-- say for example: Delayed Sword, Clutching Feathers, Twirling Wings, Twin Kimono, Begging Hands, etc. They are all grabs, the most passive of the attacks we have in Kenpo other than the handshake, maybe. The second level is pushes, and the third and fourth levels are punches and kicks. Then were get into advanced grabs and finally on to defending against weapon attacks, starting with the stick and moving up to the knife at more advanced levels.

The first set of technique forms, Short Form 3 and Long Form 3, are both designed to defend against grabs of a variety of types. There are simple grabs like the two hand lapel grab pulling in, wrist grabs and shoulder grabs as well as more advanced grabs like hammerlocks and headlocks and bear hugs. There are even a few pushes added in for good measure.

Long Form 4 and Long Form 5 are both designed against a punches from numerous angles. They also defend against the kick followed by a punch. The primary difference is Long Form 4 has you moving between attackers while in Long Form 5, you take your attacker down and then find yourself under another attack.

In Long Form 6, we defend against a variety of weapon attacks: staff, knife, and gun. The gun attacks within Long Form 6 feature one of each: inward, outward, upward, and downward, just not in the usual order we have seen in the previous forms.

Long Form 7 features us using two sticks as we defend against attackers. So as techniques progress in attack danger, we do the same with the technique forms of Kenpo.