Category: Fundamentals

Although most self-defence situations begin standing, they do not always stay that way. A slip, a tackle, a throw or a loss of balance can quickly take one or both people to the ground. For this reason, every self-defence practitioner should have a basic understanding of groundwork.

The question is not whether groundwork is important—it is. The question is how it should be approached within a self-defence system.

A Different Set of Priorities

Ground fighting in combat sports often focuses on achieving positional dominance, applying submissions or controlling an opponent until the contest ends.

In self-defence, the priorities are different.

The ground is rarely a safe place to remain. You may be struck while down, the surface itself may present hazards, and additional attackers may become involved. Even if you are successfully controlling one opponent, you are often less aware of what is happening around you and may find it difficult to disengage quickly.

For these reasons, self-defence generally prioritises returning to your feet whenever it is safe and practical to do so.

Escaping First

Kempo is a traditional martial art with a strong emphasis on practical self-defence rather than specialising in any one area of combat. As a result, students are introduced to groundwork from the perspective of self-protection rather than prolonged ground fighting.

The primary emphasis is therefore on escaping from common bottom positions, protecting yourself while under pressure and creating opportunities to stand up safely. These skills are developed through partner practice and progressively more resistant drills, helping students learn to apply techniques against realistic resistance.

Control When Necessary

As students progress, they are also introduced to methods of controlling or restraining an opponent on the ground. These are generally taught from dominant top positions, often following a successful throw or escape.

The emphasis, however, remains on maintaining control while retaining the ability to disengage if circumstances change. In a self-defence situation, remaining entangled on the ground for longer than necessary is rarely desirable.

A Balanced Approach

Different martial arts naturally place different emphasis on groundwork, reflecting their aims and methods of training. Some specialise in ground fighting for sport and explore it in great technical depth. Kempo takes a broader approach, recognising that groundwork is an important part of self-defence while also recognising that it is only one piece of the puzzle.

The aim is not to become a specialist ground fighter, but to develop the knowledge and confidence to protect yourself if a confrontation reaches the ground, recover your position and, whenever possible, return safely to your feet.

Distance is one of the most important concepts in martial arts. It determines which techniques are possible, how much time you have to react, and whether you or your opponent are in the stronger position.

Different martial arts naturally develop tactics around the distances that best suit their aims. Boxers operate primarily at punching range, wrestlers seek to close the distance and establish grips, while arts such as Taekwondo often favour longer ranges where kicking techniques can be used effectively. Each develops skills that reflect its own objectives and methods of training.

Self-defence presents a different challenge. A confrontation may begin with someone shouting from several metres away, standing uncomfortably close, or suddenly grabbing you without warning. Rather than relying on one preferred distance, you must learn to recognise the range you are in and adapt to the situation as it unfolds.

Five Ranges of Combat

Although distance changes constantly, it is helpful to think of five broad ranges, each with its own threats and opportunities.

Out of Range

Beyond striking distance, the immediate danger is low, but the situation may still be developing. This is often the best opportunity to create space, use verbal de-escalation or leave safely before physical violence begins.

Kicking Range

At this distance, kicks become possible while punches generally do not. Low kicks, front kicks and pushing kicks can help maintain space, but there is always the possibility that an opponent will suddenly close the distance.

Punching Range

Within arm’s reach, punches become the primary threat. This is often where confrontations begin and where reactions must be quick. It also provides opportunities to strike, improve your position or safely enter into closer range if appropriate.

Close-In Range

Once inside punching distance, elbows, knees and other short-range strikes become effective. This is a dynamic range where opponents often collide, clinch or attempt to control one another. It rarely remains a purely striking exchange for long.

Grappling Range

When body contact is established, the emphasis shifts towards controlling the opponent. Grabs, throws, joint locks and restraints become possible, as do very short strikes. Balance, positioning and control often become more important than speed.

Distance Is Always Changing

One of the most important lessons in self-defence is that distance is never fixed. People move forwards, retreat, circle and suddenly rush in. A confrontation may pass through several ranges in only a few seconds.

Different martial arts naturally place greater emphasis on particular ranges, reflecting their goals and methods of training. Since Kempo is taught primarily as a traditional self-defence system rather than a combat sport, students are encouraged to develop familiarity with all of these ranges rather than specialising in one.

Ultimately, effective self-defence is not about keeping your opponent at one particular distance. It is about understanding the opportunities and dangers that each range presents, and adapting your response as the situation changes.

The English word block is widely used in martial arts, but it can be misleading. It often suggests meeting an attack with a hard, forceful stop. While this is certainly one type of defensive movement, it represents only part of a much broader range of techniques.

In many Japanese martial arts, the original term is more closely related to the idea of receiving an attack than simply blocking it. This reflects a wider concept: responding to an incoming strike, push or grab in whatever way is most appropriate, rather than always trying to stop it head-on.

In Kempo, we often think in terms of Blocks & Controls. This includes the many ways of engaging with an opponent’s arms as you establish a connection—or bridge—between yourself and your opponent. Depending on the situation, that may involve stopping, redirecting, guiding, controlling or clearing the attacking limb.

A Spectrum of Responses

Some defensive movements are firm and direct, particularly when learning the fundamentals. A strong rising or outward block can stop or significantly disrupt an incoming attack, providing a simple and reliable response.

As your training develops, however, you will discover that many defensive movements become softer and more economical. Rather than meeting force with force, you may deflect a strike with minimal contact, guide it past your body, hook or control the arm, or move smoothly from the outside to the inside of your opponent’s guard.

These are all examples of blocking in its broader sense.

From Defence to Control

An effective block involves far more than the movement of your arms. It is coordinated with footwork, body movement and positioning. By moving off the line of attack while engaging your opponent’s arm, you not only reduce the risk of being struck but also place yourself in a more advantageous position.

Good blocking therefore aims to improve your own position while making your opponent’s position less favourable. Depending on the situation, this may mean moving to the outside or inside of your opponent’s arms, disrupting their balance, or limiting their ability to launch further attacks.

An effective block does more than prevent you from being hit. It should also create opportunities for your next action. Sometimes this means opening a line for a counter-strike. At other times, it means establishing control of your opponent’s arm, creating an opportunity to apply a throw, joint lock or restraint, or simply escaping safely from the encounter.

For this reason, blocking and controlling are closely linked. The initial contact with an opponent’s arm is often the beginning of a sequence rather than the end of it. As your training progresses, you will come to see blocking not as an isolated defensive action, but as the first step towards taking control of the situation.

Developing Your Skills

When you first learn Kempo, you will naturally begin with clear, structured blocks. These develop confidence, timing and sound body mechanics.

With experience, your movements become more relaxed, adaptable and efficient. The goal is not simply to block harder, but to use only as much force as the situation requires while maintaining control and creating opportunities to respond effectively.

Understanding blocking in this broader way helps explain why the same movement can be applied in many different ways. What is first learnt as a clear, structured block may later become a deflection, a bridge, a control, or the beginning of a throw, depending on the situation.

Every martial art has its fundamental techniques and movements. These are not simply exercises for beginners; they are the foundation upon which everything else is built.

It is easy to assume that the more advanced a technique appears, the more important it must be. In reality, the opposite is often true. Advanced variations only become reliable because they are supported by strong fundamentals. A solid stance, a precise strike, or a simple escape performed well provides the structure from which countless other techniques can develop.

The word foundation should be taken literally. Just as a building cannot stand without a solid base, advanced movements cannot be performed consistently with speed, power, or control unless the underlying skills have first been mastered. Rushing past the basics may produce short-term progress, but the gaps almost always become apparent when techniques are performed under pressure.

It can also be helpful to think of the fundamentals as the trunk of a tree. From a strong trunk, many branches can grow, each representing a different variation or application. If you focus only on learning one particular branch because it seems more practical or impressive, you may gain a useful tactic, but without the trunk beneath it, that branch remains weak. More importantly, you limit your ability to explore the many other branches that share the same foundations.

This is why traditional martial arts devote so much time to practising the basics. The aim is not simply to repeat simple movements, but to refine the balance, posture, timing, coordination and body mechanics that lie beneath them. Those underlying skills become part of every technique you learn in the future.

The best martial artists never leave the fundamentals behind. They return to them throughout their training, continually refining the foundations that support everything else.

Choosing Your Position Against a Strike

When defending against a strike, one of the first tactical decisions is whether to move to the inside or the outside of your opponent’s arms.

These terms simply describe your position relative to the attacker’s body.

• Outside means you have moved so that both of your opponent’s arms are on one side of you.
• Inside means you have moved between your opponent’s arms.

Neither position is always right or always wrong. Both have advantages and disadvantages, and experienced practitioners learn to use each according to the situation. However, understanding the strengths of each will help you appreciate why many Kempo techniques are taught the way they are.

The Advantages of the Outside

Against straight punches, our basic preference is usually to move to the outside.

From here, you are generally farther away from your opponent’s free hand, reducing the immediate risk of a follow-up attack. Your position also gives you better access to your opponent’s side and back, making it easier to control their balance, create angles for striking, or transition into throws and locks.

Perhaps most importantly, moving outside often allows you to avoid meeting force with force. By changing your position rather than simply blocking, you can defend while creating opportunities of your own.

This is why many of our fundamental defences against straight attacks emphasise stepping to the outside while counter-attacking.

When the Inside Is Better

Swinging attacks, such as hooks and haymakers, present a different problem.

Moving away from the attack often leaves the strike with room to develop its full power. Instead, our basic response is usually to drive forward on the inside while protecting ourselves and striking simultaneously.

By moving towards the centre of the attacker’s rotation, you effectively shorten the blow. The strike has less distance to accelerate before it reaches you, reducing its potential power. At the same time, closing the distance makes it more difficult for your opponent to launch further swinging attacks.

Rather than remaining at striking range, you quickly enter a position where clinching, grappling, throws or finishing techniques may become appropriate.

Principles, Not Rules

Like many ideas in martial arts, these are principles rather than fixed rules. Real confrontations are unpredictable, and your response will always depend on the nature of the attack, the environment and the opportunities available in the moment.

Nevertheless, understanding the distinction between the inside and the outside provides a useful way of thinking about self-defence. Instead of seeing techniques as isolated movements, you begin to recognise the tactical ideas that connect them.

As your training progresses, you will find yourself asking not just “How do I defend this attack?” but also “Where do I want to be once I have defended it?” That change in thinking is an important step towards understanding the principles that underpin effective Kempo.

Building Your Core Skills

Kempo Foundations is aimed primarily at beginners and lower grades, providing a structured introduction to the core skills of Kempo. However, the class is not exclusively for beginners. More experienced students and black belts regularly train alongside newer members, using the class to refine their fundamentals, deepen their understanding of key principles, and support the learning of others.

The purpose of the class is to help you develop the essential skills that underpin effective self-defence and prepare you for more advanced training.

Classes are structured and progressive, allowing you to build confidence through regular practice. Rather than trying to learn a large number of techniques quickly, the emphasis is on developing sound movement, good habits, and an understanding of the principles that make techniques effective.

Throughout the Foundations programme, you will develop skills in the following areas.

Safe Falling and Recovery Techniques

Learning how to fall safely is one of the first skills you will develop. Breakfalls teach you how to protect yourself if you lose your balance, are thrown, or fall unexpectedly. Just as importantly, you will learn how to recover quickly and regain a safe, stable position so you can continue to protect yourself.

Positioning and Movement for Self-Defence

Good self-defence is about more than techniques—it begins with where you stand and how you move. You will learn how to position yourself to stay balanced, create opportunities, reduce vulnerability, and respond effectively under pressure.

Footwork and Balance

Strong footwork forms the foundation of every technique. You will practise moving efficiently in all directions while maintaining good balance and posture. These skills improve your ability to strike, defend, escape and generate power without losing stability.

Striking Techniques

You will learn a range of practical striking techniques using your hands, elbows, knees and feet. Training focuses on correct body mechanics, accuracy, control and safe practice, allowing you to develop effective techniques that can be adapted to different situations.

Escapes from Grabs, Holds and Chokes

Many real confrontations begin with someone grabbing rather than striking. You will learn practical methods for escaping common wrist grabs, clothing grabs, holds and chokes using leverage, timing and positioning rather than relying solely on strength. As your confidence grows, you will also practise escaping from common ground positions, including situations where an opponent is on top of you.

Basic Throws and Finishing Techniques

Some escapes naturally create opportunities to take control of an attacker. Throughout the Foundations class, you will be introduced to basic throws, joint locks and chokes where they arise naturally as part of an escape, rather than treating them as separate techniques to memorise. This helps you understand how effective self-defence flows from good positioning, balance and timing. You will also learn how to receive these techniques safely, building confidence and trust with your training partners.

Awareness

The most effective self-defence is avoiding danger whenever possible. Throughout your training, you will develop greater awareness of your surroundings, learn to recognise potential risks, and understand practical strategies for preventing situations from escalating into physical confrontation.

Building Strong Foundations

The skills taught in the Foundations class provide the basis for everything that follows in your Kempo journey. As you progress, you will continue to revisit and refine these fundamentals while learning more advanced techniques and applications. Even the most experienced practitioners recognise that there is always more to learn from the basics.

For this reason, we encourage you to make the Foundations class a regular part of your weekly training routine. Consistent practice is one of the most effective ways to build confidence, improve your technique and develop a deeper understanding of Kempo. Whether you are attending your first class or preparing for a black belt grading, strong fundamentals remain the key to long-term progress.

Kempo is a traditional martial art with a strong emphasis on practical self-defence. Rather than specialising in a single aspect of fighting or training primarily for competition, you will develop skills across the major elements of unarmed combat.

This article provides a brief overview of the different categories of techniques you will encounter as you progress through your training. Don’t worry about understanding every detail at this stage—your instructors will introduce each area gradually through the curriculum.

Training begins with simple, fundamental movements before progressing to more advanced applications. As your experience grows, you will learn not only how to perform techniques, but also when and why they should be used.

Striking

Striking techniques include punches, kicks, open-hand strikes, knees and elbows.

Initially, you will learn striking primarily in the context of practical self-defence. Particular emphasis is placed on simple, reliable techniques that can be delivered quickly and efficiently against vulnerable targets. Open-hand strikes, knees and elbows are especially valuable at the close ranges often encountered in self-defence situations.

As your skills develop, you will learn combinations, counter-attacks, close-range striking and how to integrate strikes naturally with other techniques.

Throws and Takedowns

Throws and takedowns allow you to unbalance an opponent and bring them to the ground under control.

Initially, these techniques are introduced mainly as responses to common grabs, holds and chokes, or as natural follow-ups to effective striking techniques.

As your understanding develops, you will learn a wider variety of throwing methods together with the principles of balance, timing, positioning and body mechanics that make them effective.

Finishing Holds

Finishing holds include joint locks, chokes and strangles. In sporting martial arts these techniques are often referred to as submissions.

Joint locks can be applied to many of the body’s joints, although your early training will focus mainly on techniques affecting the wrist, elbow and shoulder.

Chokes generally fall into two broad categories. Air chokes apply pressure to the windpipe, while blood chokes (also known as strangles) restrict blood flow through the major arteries of the neck.

Initially, finishing holds are taught primarily as part of escaping grabs and holds, or as a natural continuation of a successful takedown. The aim is not to voluntarily enter prolonged entanglements on the ground, but to understand how these techniques can be applied effectively and safely when appropriate.

Defence and Control

Perhaps the least obvious, but arguably the most important, category of techniques involves defence and control.

These include blocking, parrying, redirection, positioning, controlling an opponent’s limbs, creating angles and managing distance.

Rather than simply stopping an attack, these techniques are designed to place you in a more advantageous position from which you can safely disengage or apply strikes, throws or finishing holds.

As your experience grows, you will begin to appreciate that good self-defence is often determined not by the final technique, but by the quality of the positioning and control that precedes it.

Putting It All Together

Although these categories are described separately, they are not intended to be used in isolation.

A strike may create the opportunity for a throw. A throw may naturally lead to a finishing hold. A defensive movement may become a counter-strike or an escape.

One of Kempo’s defining characteristics is the way these different elements are combined into a single, adaptable system. As your understanding develops, you will learn to move naturally between striking, throwing, controlling and finishing techniques, selecting the most appropriate response according to the situation rather than relying on a fixed sequence of movements.

Ultimately, the goal is not simply to learn a collection of techniques, but to develop the judgement, adaptability and technical understanding needed to apply them effectively in practical self-defence.

Many Kempo techniques involve joint locks, chokes and strangles that, if applied fully, can cause pain, unconsciousness or injury.

To allow these techniques to be practised safely, martial artists use a simple and universally recognised signal known as a tap.

Tapping tells your training partner that the technique has been applied correctly and is now effective. It is not a sign of failure or defeat. Rather, it is an essential part of safe and productive training.

When Should You Tap?

Tap as soon as you recognise that a technique has been correctly applied and, if sparring, cannot be escaped safely.

During pressure or sparring drills, you should make every reasonable effort to escape a finishing hold. However, you must also learn to recognise the point at which the technique has become effective and further resistance is likely to result in injury. At that point, you should tap immediately.

Do not wait until you are in significant pain or until an injury is about to occur. The purpose of tapping is to prevent injury, not to signal that one has already happened.

How Should You Tap?

The standard signal is two quick taps.

Whenever possible, tap clearly on your partner’s body so they can feel it immediately.

If this is not possible, tap firmly on the mat or floor. If your hands are unable to move, tap with your foot or leg. If no physical tap is possible, simply say “Tap!” loudly and clearly.

Your training partner should acknowledge the tap immediately.

Applying Techniques Safely

If you are applying a joint lock, choke or strangle:

• Apply the technique gradually and with control.
• Give your partner sufficient time to recognise the technique and tap.
• Release the hold immediately when they tap.
• Never continue applying pressure after a tap has been given.

Good control is one of the hallmarks of a skilled martial artist.

Training Together

The purpose of technical training is to develop skill—not to defeat your training partner.

When drilling techniques, allow your partner to perform the movement correctly. Do not fully resist their attempts to apply a throw, lock or finishing hold unless the instructor has specifically asked you to do so. Appropriate cooperation allows both partners to develop good technique before increasing the level of resistance.

During pressure or sparring drills, greater resistance is both appropriate and expected. Even then, safety must always come first. Apply techniques with control, tap promptly when caught, and release immediately when your partner taps.

Every time you practise a finishing technique, you place your safety in your partner’s hands, just as they place theirs in yours. This mutual trust allows everyone to train realistically while remaining safe, ensuring that all members can continue to learn, improve and enjoy their training.

Learning to make a proper fist is one of the first practical skills every martial artist should master.

A well-formed fist allows force to be transferred safely and efficiently into a target while reducing the risk of injury to your own hand. Although it may seem like a simple action, poor fist formation is a common cause of bruised knuckles, sprained thumbs and wrist injuries.

Forming the Fist

To make a proper fist:

1. Curl your fingers tightly into the palm, beginning with the little finger and finishing with the index finger.
2. Place the thumb firmly across the outside of the first two fingers. Never tuck the thumb inside the fist, where it can easily be injured.
3. Close the fist firmly, but avoid excessive tension in the forearm until the moment of impact.

The Striking Surface

For most straight punches, contact should be made with the first two knuckles—the knuckles of the index and middle fingers.

These knuckles are best supported by the bones of the forearm, allowing force to be transmitted efficiently while reducing the likelihood of injury. Correct alignment is far more important than striking with maximum force.

Wrist Alignment

Perhaps the most important point is to keep the wrist straight.

At the moment of impact, the back of the hand should form a straight line with the forearm. A bent wrist is weak and greatly increases the risk of injury.

For this reason, beginners should always concentrate on good alignment before attempting to punch with power.

Stay Relaxed

One of the most common mistakes beginners make is clenching the fist too early.

Keep your hands relaxed while moving and close the fist only as the strike is delivered. This allows your movements to remain fast, fluid and efficient while ensuring the fist is strong at the moment it is needed.

Small Details Matter

Get into the habit of making a proper fist whenever you practise striking techniques. Over time, it will become completely natural.

Like many aspects of Kempo, good technique begins with attention to small details. A correctly formed fist is safer, stronger and more effective, providing the foundation for every striking technique you will learn.

Bowing is one of the oldest and most recognisable traditions in the martial arts.

To those unfamiliar with martial arts, bowing can sometimes appear mysterious or overly formal. In reality, it is simply a gesture of courtesy and mutual respect. It reminds us that, although we train in techniques that can be dangerous if misused, we do so in an atmosphere of trust, cooperation and self-control.

At London Kempo, bowing is an important part of our training culture. It reflects not only respect for the traditions of the art, but also appreciation for the instructors and training partners who make our development possible.

When Do We Bow?

At London Kempo, members bow:

• At the beginning and end of every training session.
• Before and after training with a partner.
• On other formal occasions when directed by an instructor.

These bows acknowledge our shared commitment to train safely, learn together and help one another improve.

The Traditional Salute

Unlike many Japanese martial arts, which typically use a simple standing bow, London Kempo follows the traditional Chinese martial arts custom of the covered fist salute, known in Chinese as Bàoquán Lǐ (抱拳礼), meaning the “fist-covering salute.” This traditional greeting has been used in Chinese martial arts for centuries as a respectful way of greeting fellow practitioners.

To perform the salute:

• Stand upright with your feet together.
• Make a fist with your right hand.
• Cover the fist with your open left palm.
• Hold the hands comfortably in front of the chest.
• Keeping your back straight, make a small bow by bending from the waist.
• Return smoothly to an upright position.

The salute should be calm, natural and respectful, without exaggeration.

The Meaning of the Salute

The covered fist salute carries a simple but powerful symbolism.

The right fist represents martial skill and strength.

The open left palm represents courtesy, humility and self-control.

By covering the fist with the open palm, the salute reminds us that martial ability should always be guided by respect, good character and peaceful intentions. Strength exists, but it remains under control. This symbolism has long been associated with traditional Chinese martial arts.

More Than Tradition

Although bowing is rooted in tradition, it also serves an important practical purpose.

Every time you bow to a training partner, you acknowledge that they are placing their trust in you, just as you are placing your trust in them. Together, you agree to train safely, honestly and with mutual respect.

In this sense, the salute is far more than a ritual. It is a reminder of the attitude that allows everyone in the dojo to learn, improve and enjoy their training.