Calming The Storm (Purple #13)

Calming The Storm is the 13th required technique to obtain your purple belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Calming the Storm is a defense against a right roundhouse club attack from the front, placing it in the Weapons category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Sticks Family Group in the Weapons category of the family groups Striking division.

Calming the Storm teaches you how to simultaneously block and counterstrike as you move to the inside of your opponent’s effective striking range (the eye of the storm) while staying within the confines of your Outer Rim to borrow the force of his attack.  You will be controlling the center line of your opponent through out this technique and applying all the basic moves found in Alternating maces.  This technique also introduces you to Shorthand Motions.

Defense

Calming the Storm – defense for a right inward horizontal roundhouse club strike.

• Step 1
  • Step toward 12:00 with your right foot to form a right neutral bow stance,
  • Execute a left extended outward block to the inside of your opponent’s right wrist,
  • Deliver a right vertical thrust punch to your opponent’s jaw or face.
• Step 2
  • Pivot clockwise to form a right forward bow stance facing 12:00,
  • Deliver a left vertical thrust punch to your opponent’s solar plexus
  • Slide your right hand down your opponent’s right arm as a check.
• Step 3
  • Pivot counterclockwise to form a right neutral bow stance facing 12:00.
  • Deliver a right outward back knuckle strike to your opponent’s right lower ribs,
  • Your left hand converts to a left upward hooking parry on top of your opponent’s right arm (waiter’s check).
• Step 4
  • Right front crossover,
  • Cover out toward 7:30.

Additional Information

Name

The term “storm” is used in Kenpo to represent an attack with a club. At a storm‘s peak there are two locations to find refuge; far away from it or the eye of the storm where it is calm.  The roundhouse motions like a storm has the least amount of energy in its center.  In this technique you will neutralize the attack by moving inside the attack, to the eye of the storm, where it is calm thus the name Calming the Storm.

Attack

In the ideal phase your attacker is directly in front of you (12:00). Your opponent steps forward with his right foot as he delivers a right horizontal roundhouse club attack toward your upper torso.

A club attack can cause severe injuries and even death. Timing and Accuracy are extremely important to be sure that you neutralize your opponent’s weapons.

Considerations

• What if …
  • your opponent strikes low?
  • your opponent is striking with a long club?
  • your opponent is striking with a two handed club?
  • your opponent swings to short never reaching you?
  • your opponent swings with his left leg forward?
  • your opponent swings diagonally downward toward you?
  • you are unable to get in deep enough to block your opponent’s arm?

Related Techniques

• Alternating Maces (Y-2)
• Checking the Storm (Y-7)
• Swinging Pendulum (P-4)
• Defying the Storm (B-7)
• Detour from Doom (G-4
• Returning Storm (B-14)
• Circles of Protection (G-10)
• Securing The Storm (G-19)
• Glancing Wing (G-23)

Historical Notes

• In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Calming the Storm was purple belt technique #8.
• The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you step toward 11:00 to be sure that your opponent’s knee is buckled.

Historical Version

1975 Accumulative Journal

CALMING THE STORM (front right roundhouse club)

1. With feet together, step slightly forward and to your left with your right foot (to 11 o’clock) as your opponent steps through with his right foot, delivering a right roundhouse club attack.
2. As you step in, execute a left extended outward strike to inside of opponent’s right wrist. Simultaneously deliver a right vertical fist to opponent’s jaw or face.
3. Immediately pivot into a right forward bow (facing 12 o’clock). Check opponent’s right arm with a right inward parry as your left vertical fist shoots over your right arm striking to opponent’s solar plexus or ribcage.
4. Drop back (in place) into a right neutral bow as you deliver a right horizontal back knuckle strike to opponent’s right floating ribs while having  your left hand execute a left extended outward handsword or left hooking  check (palm up) can also act as a parry aside from being a check.

Notes

• Be sure to positionally check your opponent’s right knee on the initial move with a right knee buckle.
• Use your right arm during the sliding check to turn your opponent’s body clockwise to open up the solar plexus for the vertical thrust punch.

Variations