Private Lesson

[michaeledward]

Recently, I had a two hour private lesson with Mr. Planas.

We worked on a variety of topics based triggered from Form 4, mostly. He showed me several ways of looking at things differently than I had looked at them before. Here are a couple.

Mr. Planas was emphatic in discussing 'Inside' and 'Outside'. He showed me a new way of looking at 'Inside' and 'Outside'. Normally, I think about these two ideas in relationship to where I stand against my opponent.

We discussed 'Inside' and 'Outside' in relationship to myself. If I am performing an Inward block, the space between my arm and my body is 'Inside'; and conversly, the space between my arm and my opponent is 'Outside'. He demonstrated the idea that we never use our second hand 'Inside' because it can easily be trapped. He also showed me how to properly use my second hand inside, by keeping it above the first hand (the block), as in Darting Leaves or Circling the Horizon.



Another topic we discussed truly brought home the idea of 1st person and second person points of view, as discussed in Infinite Insights.

We were discussing Thundering Hammers, and Mr. Planas indicated that it was a 'Horizontal' technique. This struck me as an odd way of looking at the technique because the strikes are moving on a downward trajectory (vertically). In our studio, we are taught that 'Thunder comes down from the sky'. Mr. Planas' statement was that the opponent is in a horizontal position, so it is a horizontal technique.

He talked of the corollary technique being a 'vertical' technique; Flashing Wings. I had always seen this technique as being 'horizontal' because the strikes are moving horizontally. But, as the opponent's body is vertical, Mr. Planas' referred to this as the 'Vertical Version' of the technique.

I have been studying for 4 years, and I thought I had a pretty good handle on the material I was working on. Mr. Planas pulled the curtins back quite a bit further in that brief lesson.

I am sure much of what he was explaining was going over my head. But, there is always the next time he is in town.

[dubljay]

Recently, I had a two hour private lesson with Mr. Planas.


We were discussing Thundering Hammers, and Mr. Planas indicated that it was a 'Horizontal' technique. This struck me as an odd way of looking at the technique because the strikes are moving on a downward trajectory (vertically). In our studio, we are taught that 'Thunder comes down from the sky'. Mr. Planas' statement was that the opponent is in a horizontal position, so it is a horizontal technique.

He talked of the corollary technique being a 'vertical' technique; Flashing Wings. I had always seen this technique as being 'horizontal' because the strikes are moving horizontally. But, as the opponent's body is vertical, Mr. Planas' referred to this as the 'Vertical Version' of the technique.

I have been studying for 4 years, and I thought I had a pretty good handle on the material I was working on. Mr. Planas pulled the curtins back quite a bit further in that brief lesson.

I am sure much of what he was explaining was going over my head. But, there is always the next time he is in town.

Lucky to get such a lesson. Perhaps I will be seeing Mr. Planas again when he will be in Chico around March.

On the note of horizontal and vertical techniques: this makes sense to me if you think about it in terms of "angle of incidence". All blocks and strikes have maximum effect when the angle at which they are engaged to your opponent are at a 90 degree angle to the target. So in the case of Thundering Hammers the strikes that come down are on the vertical plane to be perpendicular to the opponent who is horizontal.


That’s how it makes sense to me anyway.


-Josh-

[michaeledward]

I had another private lesson with Mr. Planas after a weapon seminar at JKKenpo in New York.

We continued to work on Long 4. We reviewed angles and match-ups on numerous techniques. How one move can be two actions. Knife edge kicks to the four corners.

We also briefly reviewed the Two Man set. I have spent a good amount of time reviewing Mr. Planas's tape on this set. We just spent a few minutes digging a little deeper into the set.

It was a very good day.

Salute to Mr. Blay for hosting the seminar.

Salute to Mr. Planas for his time.

Mike

[kenpochrstn]

Any Concerned,

I hope this is the proper place to ask my question? Mr.Edward mentioned Mr.Planas' training tapes in his post. In that regard. Does anyone know if the reduced price still stands? I read on another forum that the tapes had been reduced in price. I believe that the quoted (reduced)price was $28.00 USD, and change. Can anyone help me out with this? It would be greatly appreciated.

[Celtic_Crippler]

First off let me say this: YOU LUCKY DOG!!!!

...and thanks for the post. I'd heard our organizations president refer to master key moves and horizontal, vertical techniques and inside and outside maneuvers but there were points I never quite completely grasped. Your post actually cleared a lot of this up for me. Thanks!

[michaeledward]

Any Concerned,

I hope this is the proper place to ask my question? Mr.Edward mentioned Mr.Planas' training tapes in his post. In that regard. Does anyone know if the reduced price still stands? I read on another forum that the tapes had been reduced in price. I believe that the quoted (reduced)price was $28.00 USD, and change. Can anyone help me out with this? It would be greatly appreciated.

I think that Mr. Planas no longer has any video tapes in his inventory. His material is now available only on DVD. You can get the DVD order from at www.parkerplanaslineage.com

I assume that price you mention was for the VHS stock he had in inventory.

Celtic_Crippler, yes, it is nice to work with Mr. Planas. A couple of years back, the idea of a private lesson with Mr. Planas just plain scared the hell out of me. He is a very patient instructor. He knows what he is looking for and patient in allowing me to understand what he is saying. And, if I am a little slow in grasping that understanding, he'll explain it a different way .... for example ..

during one of our lessons, we were working on the isolations in Form 4 ... you know ... upward parry, downward block, reverse them, blah blah blah. We get to the 'Slice' --- 'Slice, Slice' part with the fingers .. then that little fingertip-whip kinda thing .... (I'm sure there is a name for that) ..

Mr. Planas explains to me why the timing of the slices works the way it does:
... Slice once across the eyes ... Nasty ....
... Slice-Slice across the eyes, to turn the head, and catch the eye from the other direction ... really Nasty ... Ouch!

I then ask Mr. Planas, "But, gee, what the hell is this finger thing, after the slices?"

Mr. Planas reached up and whacked me in the temple with that strike .. I literally saw stars ... It was the ultimate dope-slap ... "Thank you, Sir, may I have another." .... put all your finger tips together and whip/hook that hand down .... and it too is a nasty strike. Mr. Planas drew blood from that strike ... cool

If you get the opportunity, you won't regret it.

[michaeledward]

I had another private lesson with Mr. Planas a few weeks back.

We briefly discussed some more of the two-man-set. He didn't like the way my hands were positioned in a couple of places. We discussed that I had drawn much of my information from his tape. Mr. Planas suggested that I watch his tape 'four times'; once just watching the right hand, then the left hand, then the right foot, then the left foot.

While that seems a bit overkill to me, he explained a scenario where he was watching a tape from which he couldn't get the right hand knife work correct - reaching around the arm and behind the neck. He said when he turned his attention to the left hand, he notices a left hand wrist lock that caused the bad guy to bend over; putting the right hand work into play. The left hand makes the right hand possible. So, "Yes, Sir. Mr. Planas".

We dug a little deeper into the Form 4's kicks to the four corners; how Prance of the Tiger and Shield and Mace match up. Taking out the back leg from in front, and then from behind. He also cleaned up the marriage of gravity drops in Shield and Mace.

Most of what we worked on, however, was Long Form 2. He sent me back to the video tape woodshed on this form as well. Much of what he brought out of the form is explained in his Long Two video (which I have since reviewed a couple of times).

Some things of note ... the 'realistic hand position' in the Outward Block section of the form. At the "block-punch" maneuver, the next piece is "punch-punch", before the "kick-punch". My movements were pretty small during that portion of the form. Mr. Planas explained the right hand (on the 9 O'clock section) draws back to the pectoral muscle as the left hand executes the straight punch. This motion is putting the right hand in its "realistic position". I continue to work on getting that corrected.

We also spent some time on the isolation at the end of the form. It seems I never quite figured out what I was doing with the elbows at the end of the form. The isolation is an 'upward elbow with a rear elbow'. And prior to executing that isolation, we put our hands and arms into the correct position to execute that isolation. As simple as that sounds, I gained an whole new understanding of it from my time with Mr. Planas. Including a similar action in Long Form 1.

There was much more we discussed as well. I've been running this form for five years. And layers keep getting peeled away. Wonderful.

[jfarnsworth]

Thanks for sharing your fine experience. How long do you get for your private lesson?

[michaeledward]

Thanks for sharing your fine experience. How long do you get for your private lesson?

We usually schedul one hour .... although, it is pretty loose. This last lesson was just about one hour, because Mr. Planas had to have lunch before the school's seminar. I think you have worked with Mr. Planas before; he will often keep going beyond the alotted time. I'm sure other lessons have been closer to two hours.

[Rob Broad]

Master Plans is my favorite Kenpo Senior to learn from. He always makes me feel like an absolute beginner, but always in a very good way.

[michaeledward]

Howdy ...

I didn't get a private lesson today But I did get to spend the afternoon with Mr. Planas.

Mr. Planas was in Schenectady, NY, at Mr. Blay's JK Kenpo studio. The seminar ran about four and a half hours.

Mr. Planas led the group through five techniques. Breaking them down, building them up, and relating them to other things in the system. On the agenda today were, Lone Kimono, Twin Kimono, Parting Wings, Thundering Hammers and Swinging Pendulum.

Perhaps the most interesting story told today was about the days he was teaching in California. Mr. Planas told us that Lone Kimono used to be one of the techniques he taught to students fairly early on in their studies. As the student began to grasp the effectiveness of Lone Kimono, and the damage it can bring to an attacker; Mr. Planas would point out that all that damage came by only using one hand. When the student learns to start using both hands and both feet in Kenpo, he will become a "Buzz Saw".

I like the picture it painted. Is there a 'Buzz Saw' smiley, anywhere?

The Seminar had attendees from Florida, Pennsylvania, Buffalo, NY and New Hampshire (yours truly), in addition to Mr. Blay and several of his students.

A good day!