Lone Kimono (EPAK Orange #7)

Lone Kimono is the 7th technique required to obtain your orange belt in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Lone Kimono is for a left hand lapel grab to your right lapel, placing it in the Grabs & Tackles category of the Web of Knowledge as well as the Shoulder & Lapel Family Group in the Grabs category of the Family Groups Grappling division.

Lone Kimono will teach you how to defend against a very common grab and you will find that its overall theme is very similar to Clutching Feathers (Orange 1), showing that multiple attacks may be defended against with similar principles or variations of them.  You will make use of counter manipulation, fulcruming, pinning and the angle of cancellation to maximize the effect of this technique.

Defense

Lone Kimono – defense for a left hand grab to your right lapel.

• Step 1
  • Pin the opponent’s left hand to your chest with your left hand,
  • Step back with your left foot toward 6:00 to form a right neutral bow stance,
  • Deliver a right upward forearm strike (upward block) under your opponent’s left arm at the elbow.
• Step 2
  • Circle your arm counterclockwise and deliver an inward downward diagonal forearm strike to your opponent’s left arm.
  • Left hand checks high.
• Step 4
  • Deliver a right upward outward diagonal snapping handsword strike to your opponent’s throat.
• Step 5
  • Crossover and cover out toward 7:30.

Additional Information

Name

The name Lone Kimono stems directly from the attack itself.  Lone is referencing the single hand grab to the lapel which is represented by the term Kimono, which is a traditional Japanese garment.

Attack

The ideal phase will put the attacker directly in front of you. Your opponent will step forward with his left foot as he grabs your shirt/jacket with his left hand and straightens his arm.

This type of attack is very common in an argument often used as a means to control, intimidate or move you. It is quite common that this attack is followed by a push, pull or punch so it is important to respond quickly to mitigate any extra danger.

Considerations

• What if …
  • your opponent pulls you toward him?
  • your opponent throws a right punch before you pin his hand?
  • your opponent throws a right punch after you pin his hand?
  • your opponent grabs you with his right arm?
  • you cannot step back?

Related Techniques

• Delayed Sword
• Clutching Feathers
• Obscure Sword
• Snapping Twig
• Hooking Wings
• Twin Kimono
• Raking Mace
• Conquering Shield
• Glancing Spear
• Glancing Lance
• Dominating Circles

Historical Notes

• In the 1975 Accumulative Journal, Lone Kimono was Orange Belt Technique #6
• The 1975 Accumulative Journal does not indicate an Angle of Departure.

Historical Variations

1975 Accumulative Journal

LONE KIMONO (front left hand lapel grab)

1. Standing naturally, step back (to 6 o’clock) with your left foot when your opponent grabs your lapel with his left hand. Simultaneously pin his left hand to your chest with your left hand and deliver a right upward strike against his left elbow just above the Joint thus causing the elbow to break as you pivot into a right neutral bow.
2. Then circle your right arm over and down (counter clockwise) with an inward-downward strike against opponent’s left forearm. Make sure that your opponent’s left arm is driven down and diagonally to your left.
3. After cocking your right hand slightly toward you with your right palm up, deliver a right outward chop to the right side of opponent’s neck; stance throughout is still  a right neutral bow. Cock your left hand at your solar plexus, ready to check when needed.

Infinite Insights Into Kenpo, Vol 5, page 110 – First printing, June 1987

LONE KIMONO (Front left hand lapel grab)

1. Standing naturally, step back toward 6 o’clock with your left foot into a right neutral bow (facing 12:00). Simultaneously pin your opponent’s left hand to your chest with your left hand as you deliver a right upward forearm strike against your opponent’s left elbow (slightly above the joint) to cause an elbow break or sprain.
2. Then circle your right arm over and down (counter clockwise) with a diagonal inward-downward strike against your opponent’s left forearm. Finish with your right palm up “with” your left hand checking high.  Make sure that your opponent’s left arm is driven down and diagonally to your left.
3. Your opponent is now coming down and toward 7:00. Round the corner as you strike with a right snapping outward handsword to the right side of your opponent’s neck.  Keep your left hand checking the neutral zone.
4. Right front crossover, covering out between 7:00 and 8:00.

Note:  Although beginning students are not required to do more than step 3, intermediate students are required to continue the sequence by executing step 4.  Examine the relevance of this precautionary maneuver.

Unfinished Orange Belt Manual by Ed Parker

LONE KIMONO (Front left hand lapel grab)

1. Standing naturally, step back toward 6 o’clock with your left foot into a right neutral bow (facing 12:00). Simultaneously (1) pin your opponent’s left hand to your chest, as you (2) rotate your left hand clockwise to expose and properly position his left elbow, while (3) delivering a right upward forearm strike against his left elbow just above the joint to cause the elbow to break. (This action may cause your opponent to rise up on the tips of his toes.)
2. Immediately circle your right arm counterclockwise (over and down) and convert it into an inward-downward strike to your opponent’s left forearm. Complete this strike with your right palm up, and your left hand checking high. Make sure that your opponent’s left arm is driven diagonally and down to your left. (This move should now cancel your opponent’s Width and Height Zones.)
3. With your action forcing your opponent’s head and body down and toward 7:30, ROUND OFF THE CORNER with your right hand and immediately execute a right snapping outward handsword strike to the right side of your opponent’s neck. Be sure to maintain a left hand check in the NEUTRAL ZONE.
4. Right front crossover, covering out toward 7:30.

Notes

Variation