Begging Hands (Blue #1)

Begging Hands is the 1st technique requirement to obtain your Blue Belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Begging Hands is a defense against a two-hand wrist grab from the front, placing it in the Grabs and Tackles category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Wrist Grabs Family Group in the Grabs category of the family groups Grappling division.

In Begging Hands you are introduced to a double wrist grab and as a result you respond with a dual movement.  The rotation of your hands is the reverse response of Hooking Wings. In Hooking Wings you rotate your hands inward and downward while in Begging Hands you rotate your hands upward and outward. The principles learned in Hooking Wings are reinforced in Begging Hands. Your focus in Begging Hands is to stabilize your base, momentarily disturb your opponent’s balance, control your opponent’s center line, cancel your opponent’s height zone, and nullify your opponent’s ability to attack with any of his weapons.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly in front of you (12:00). Your opponent grabs your left wrist with his right hand and your right wrist with his left hand.  The grabs are on the tops of your wrists with your opponent’s palms facing down.

This attack is a restraint that keeps your hands under your opponent’s control. In this position he is able to kick you, headbutt you or direct you into an unfavorable position.  You may be thrown to the ground, into another object or be held in place for a second opponent.

Defense

Begging Hands – defense for double wrist grabs from the front.

• Step 1
  • Step back toward 6:00 with your left foot to form a right neutral bow stance facing 12:00,
  • Rotate your hands up and outward on top of your opponent’s wrists (palm up),
  • Pull your elbows back and down toward your hips to be anchored.
• Step 2
  • Slide your right foot back into a transitional right 45° cat stance,
  • Immediately, deliver a right front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s groin.
• Step 3
  • Plant your right foot forward toward 12:00,
  • Deliver a left front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s chest or face
• Step 4
  • Plant your left foot forward toward 12:00 int a left neutral bow stance.
  • Deliver simultaneous left and right torquing heel palm strikes underneath your opponent’s rib cage.
• Step 5
  • Left front cross over
  • Cover out twice toward 4:30.

Considerations

• What if…
  • your opponent grabs your fingers instead?
  • your opponent grabs your elbows or upper arms instead?
  • your opponent grabs your wrists with your arms crossed (double cross wrist grab)?
  • your opponent tries to kick you while holding your wrists?
  • your opponent tries to headbutt you while holding your wrists?
  • you are unable to step back?

Notes

• Be sure to stabilize your base after the initial move before sliding into the transitional cat stance. In doing so make sure you are in a proper right neutral bow with your toes pointed in the proper direction. This will protect your groin.
• When you are in the “Begging Hands” position, be sure that your hands are unclenched and your fingers are together. This will prevent injury to your fingers, increase your checking options and the sensitivity of your hands.
• Time your double heel palm thrusts so that they occur at the moment you plant your left foot into a left neutral bow stance to take advantage of body momentum and marriage of gravity in order to maximize the effect of the strike.
• Be sure that your double heel palm thrusts drive through your opponent and not lift him.

Variations

• Many schools teach the two front snapping ball kicks to be executed in a chicken kick fashion by starting to deliver the left front snapping kick before your right foot is fully planted. This is still proper for the the technique
• Some schools will teach planting the left foot into a left forward bow stance after the left front snapping kick or chicken kick.

Additional Information

Name

The name of this technique comes from the position of your hands during the initial move. When you rotate your hands in, up and then out into outward hooking parries your hands will be palm up and out as if you were begging for money. This gives us the name, Begging Hands.

Related Techniques

• Thrusting Salute (O-4)
• Crossed Twigs (B-15)
• Destructive Twins (B-22)
• Desperate Falcons (3Br-8)
• Unfolding the Dark (2Br-14)
• Aggressive Twins

Historical Notes

• In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, the cat stance was part of the first step. You would complete the cat stance as you completed your double outward hooking parries.
• The 1975 Accumulative Journal indicates the angle of departure as 6:00.
• The 1987 IKKA Studio Manuals indicate the angle of departure as 4:30.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

BEGGING HANDS (front two-hand grab to wrists)

1. With feet together, step back with your left foot (to 6 o’clock) into a right neutral bow as you have both of your hands assimilate begging (palm up) on the top of your opponent’s wrists as your right foot draws back into a right cat stance.
2. Immediately deliver a right snapping ball kick to opponent’s groin.
3. Plant your right foot (toward 12 o’clock) adjusting its depth according to the circumstance and deliver a left snapping ball kick to opponent’s chin.
4. As you plant your left foot forward (toward 12 o’clock) into a left neutral bow, deliver a double torquing heel of palm thrust under opponent’s chest, shuffling forward if needed.
5. Left front crossover and over out to 6 o’clock.

1987 IKKA Studio Manuals

BEGGING HANDS (Front two-hand grab to wrists)

1. Standing naturally, step back with your left foot toward 6 o’clock into a right neutral bow (facing 12 o’clock). Execute two back elbow thrusts as you simultaneously have both of your hands circle (from inside out) up, over and on top of your opponent’s wrists, simulating begging with both hands turned palms up.
2. Without disturbing your flow of motion, slide your right foot back into a right 45 degree cat stance, and immediately deliver a right front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s groin. (Your opponent should bend forward at the waist, as his entire body moves away from you.)
3. Plant your right foot toward 12 o’clock (making sure that you adjust the depth of your planting foot according to circumstances) and deliver a left front snapping ball kick to your opponent’s chin or chest. (Your opponent’s head and chest should snap up.)
4. As you plant your left foot forward into a left neutral bow (facing 12 o’clock), deliver twin torquing hell palm thrusts under your opponent’s ribcage (Fitting). Shuffle forward if needed. (This should knock the wind out of your opponent, cause him to bend forward at the waist, and possibly drop to the ground.)
5. Execute a left front crossover and cover out twice toward 4:30.