Repeated Devastation (Blue #5)

Repeated Devastation is the 5th required technique to obtain your Blue belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Repeated Devastation is a defense against a full nelson from the rear, placing it in the Hugs and Holds category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Full Nelson Family Group in the Holds and Hugs category of the family groups Grappling division.

In Repeated Devastation your primary focus is on your opponent’s hold. You step forward to gain balance while disrupting your opponent’s balance to set up your repeated elbow strikes where rotational force is the key ingredient to making it repeated devastation. You will be introduced to the third hand principle, as well as the front-to-back switch in this technique.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your opponent is directly behind you (6:00) and places you in a full nelson hold.  It is assumed that your the hold is completed and your opponent is pushing your head forward making it impossible to maintain the proper balance necessary to execute Scraping Hoof.

Defense

Repeated Devastation – defense for a full nelson.

• Step 1
  • Step toward 3:00 with your right foot to form a modified horse stance facing 12:00.
  • Deliver simultaneous left & right punches over and behind your head to your opponent’s face.
• Step 2
  • Drop your weight and lower into a horse stance,
  • Drive both elbows downward into your opponent’s biceps,
  • Thrust both fists towards the ground
  • Slide your feet back together as you straighten and stiffen your entire body
  • Deliver a rear head butt to your opponent’s face.
• Step 3
  • Step forward with your left foot toward 1:30 into a transitional left neutral bow stance,
  • Pin your opponent’s left arm with your left arm as you grab your opponent’s right hand with your left hand,
  • Pivot clockwise into a right forward bow stance facing your opponent.
  • Deliver a right outward horizontal elbow strike to the right side of your opponent’s jaw.
• Step 4
  • Slide your left foot back to your right foot and step forward with your right foot toward 10:30 into a transitional right neutral bow stance.
  • Pin your opponent’s right arm to your body with your right arm and grab his left wrist with your right hand,
  • pivot counterclockwise to form a left forward bow stance facing your opponent.
  • Deliver a left outward horizontal elbow strike to the left side of your opponent’s jaw.
• Step 5
  • Execute a left front crossover
  • Double Cover out toward 10:30.

Considerations

• What if…
  • your opponent forces your head down, bending you forward at the waist?
  • your opponent pulls you backwards?
  • you are unable to step forward or your opponent pushes you towards a wall?
  • your opponent doesn’t release his hold after your initial strikes?
  • your opponent falls to his knees while maintaining the hold?
  • your opponent is taller than you?
  • your opponent is shorter than you?

Notes

• Stepping towards 3:00 on the initial move will establish your base. If your base is established then you can time the downward drop of the elbows with planting into a horse stance to gain more power through marriage of gravity.
• Experiment with different strikes to the face on the first move, determine the strengths and weaknesses of using claws and middle knuckle strikes.
• Learn to insert and suffix scraping hoof into repeated devastation and see how they exemplify grafting techniques.
• Take special note of the simultaneous checks with your strikes and define the types of checks that you are employing throughout this technique?
• For what other attacks can you use a similar reponse to overcome your opponent?
• Experiment with suffixing wrist locks onto this technique as possible take downs.

Variations

• A variation that I prefer starts by (1) Shoot two claws to your opponent’s face (2) Step towards 3:00 with your right foot into a horse stance and drive your elbows downward into your opponent’s biceps as your right foot plants (to maximize force) (3) Immediately thrust both fists towards the ground (angled inward just in front of your bladder), locking your arms, while you slide your right foot back to your left (straightening your entire body) and deliver a rear head butt strike to your opponent’s face.
  • It is important to understand the original version is the way it is first. The initial step is to help stabilize your base. So in the event your base isn’t stabilized it is important to follow the original version. Otherwise this will just speed things up.

Additional Information

Name

The name of this technique comes from the repeated use of the elbows which used correctly will have devastating effects. Thus the name Repeated Devastation.

Related Techniques

• Scraping Hoof (O-11)
• Obscure Sword (O-22)
• Wings of Silk (B-19)
• Menacing Twirl (G-8)
• Conquering Shield (G-15)
• Twirling Sacrifice (G-17)
• Blinding Sacrifice (3Br-21)

Historical Notes

• In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Repeated Devastation was Blue Belt Technique #3.
• The 1975 Accumulative Journal indicates 12:00 as the Angle of Departure.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

REPEATED DEVASTATION (full nelson)

1. With feet together and while in a full Nelson, strike over and back of your head with both of your fists (palms facing forward) to opponent’s face (sandwiching his head) as your right foot steps to 3 o’clock into a narrow horse stance.
2. Strike both of your elbows down to opponent’s biceps (palms still facing forward) while dropping lower in your horse stance and immediately thrust both fists toward the ground (palms facing you) as you straighten and stiffen your knees.
3. Step forward (in a straight line) with your left foot toward 12 o’clock  into a left neutral bow and pivot clockwise into a right forward bow (facing 6 o’clock) as you deliver a right outward thrusting elbow strike to opponent’s right jaw.
4. Plant your left foot back to the point of origin and step forward with your right foot toward 2 o’clock into a right neutral bow and pivot counter clockwise into a left forward bow (facing 6 o’clock) as you deliver a left outward thrusting elbow strike to opponent’s left jaw.
5. Left front crossover and cover out to 12 o’clock.