Hooking Wings (Purple #15)

Hooking Wings is the 15th required technique to obtain your purple belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Hooking Wings is a defense against a low two-hand push from the front, placing it in the Pushes category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Pushes Family Group in the family groups Striking division.

In this technique the environment prevents you from moving to the outside of your opponent’s arms. In addition the attack is directed low which puts it out of range of an inward or outward block. You will act quickly on the inside of your opponent’s arms using borrowed force and frictional pull to draw your opponent closer and guide his arms to the outside of your Outer Rim. Using borrowed force again you kick to the groin and then execute the remainder of the technique in a continuous manner, rounding the corners for speed & efficiency while using the figure at pattern to control all of your opponent’s zones of protection.

The Technique

Attack

In the ideal phase your attacker is directly in front of you (12:00). He then steps forward with his right foot and executes a two-hand low push toward your waist.

This type of push usually comes on a downward angle in an attempt to knock you to the ground.

Defense

Hooking Wings – defense for a low two-hand push.

• Step 1
  • Step back toward 6:00 with your left foot to form a right neutral bow stance facing 12:00,
  • Deliver left and right outward downward hooking parries (shape of the crane) to the inside of your opponent’s wrists.
• Step 2
  • Slide your right foot back into a right transitional 45° cat stance
  • Immediately deliver a right front snapping ball kick to your attacker’s groin.
  • Your left hand covers low as your right hand cocks high
• Step 3
  • Plant forward into a right neutral bow stance facing 12:00
  • Deliver a right inward downward diagonal hammerfist strike to your opponent’s left jaw hinge
  • Continue the motion (in a figure 8 pattern) to deliver a right outward downward diagonal back knuckle strike to your opponent’s right jaw hinge.
  • Your left hand checks at solar plexus level.
• Step 4
  • Shuffle forward (push-drag)
  • Deliver a right upward elbow strike to your opponent’s chin.
  • Your left hand continues to check.
• Step 5
  • Deliver a right downward heel palm claw to your opponent’s face with the heel palm going to the bridge of your opponent’s nose as you claw his eyes and face.
• Step 6
  • Right front crossover and cover out toward 7:30

Notes

• Your wrists should be outside of your opponent’s wrists on the hooking parries.
• As you execute the hooking parries to your opponent’s wrists you will be jerking your opponent’s arms down, outside and past your hips. this will allow your opponent’s momentum to continue forward while directing his weapons outside of your Outer Rim which will prevent him from re-orbiting them toward you.
• Advanced students who properly stabilize their base may reintroduce the transitional cat stance into the first step to improve timing and flow, however they should be aware that stabilizing their base is more important and when teaching the technique, the transitional cat stance should be on the second step to enforce that.
• Plant your foot as quickly as possibly after the kick to ensure a stable base in case your opponent’s momentum continues to bring him forward.
• Maintain a constant flow of motion with the right arm; there should be no stopping between strikes.

Considerations

• What if…
  • your opponent pushes high, toward your shoulders?
  • your opponent pushes with one hand high and the other low?
  • your opponent grabs both of your wrists?
  • our opponent steps with his left foot?

Variations

• During the downward heel palm claw you can deliver a right downward elbow strike to the sternum along the way.
• You may drop into a right wide kneel stance when delivering the right downward heel palm claw for added power.

Additional Information Name

In American Kenpo the term wings refers to the elbows. In this technique, Hooking Wings,  it serves as a reminder to keep your elbows anchored as your hands are hooking over your opponent’s arms to clear them out of the way.

Related Techniques

• Clutching Feathers (O-1)
• Lone Kimono (O-7)
• Snapping Twig (P-2)
• Bow of Compulsion (P-18)
• Thrusting Wedge (B-2)
• Raking Mace (B-8)
• Snaking Talon (B-9)
• Crossed Twigs (B-15)
• Fatal Cross (2Br-1)
• Aggressive Twins

Historical Notes

• In the 1975 Accumulative Journal this was Purple Belt Technique #21
• The 1975 Accumulative Journal has you pull back into the right transitional 45° cat stance on the first step. Students were not stabilizing their base in the processing and to correct this it was moved to second step which slightly alters the timing of the technique but does not alter any of the principles.
• The 1975 Accumulative Journal indicates an Angle of Departure of 7:00.

Historical Versions

1975 Accumulative Journal

HOOKING WINGS (front two-band low push)

1. With feet together, drop back with your left foot (to 6 o’clock) into a right neutral bow and execute a double hook (shape of the crane) using both of your hands to the inside of opponent’s wrists (your wrists are outside of opponent’s wrists) as you draw your right foot back into a right cat stance.
2. Deliver a right front snapping ball kick to opponent’s groin.
3. Plant your right foot (to 12 o’clock) simultaneously looping your right hand so that your right hammerfist strikes diagonally to opponents left jaw hinge. Continue a figure eight pattern and right back knuckle to opponent’s right jaw hinge.
4. Follow-up with a right upward elbow strike to opponent’s chin as your left hand guards your right ribcage, shuffling forward if necessary.
5. As your right elbow descends, deliver a right downward heel palm and claw to opponent’s face starting at the bridge of his nose as your left hand covers low.
6. Right front crossover and cover out to 7 o’clock.