Principles: Anatomical Positioning

[Celtic_Crippler]

The Encyclopedia of Kenpo defines Anatomical Positioning as follows:

The calculated striking, forcing, or controlling of vital targets which will force an opponent into preconceived postural positions, and make the next anticipated target readily accessible for a follow-up

What is your understanding of this principle? Why is it important to understand?

What other principles are closely related? How do they apply?

For the instructors: What methods or tools do you use to teach this principle?

[DavidCC]

Instinctive reactions can be predicted, depending on your understanding of the attacker's intent/psychology, and your ability to read their posture as it relates to that intent, and your understanding of how various postures (weight distribution etc) influence target vulnerability and the attacker's ability to perceive and react to your actions.

Being able to predict the other guy's movements is a valuable tactical and strategic tool to say the least.

[LuckyKBoxer]

want to see a great example of Anatomical Positioning?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxg716xgTcI
at the 2:10 mark for about 3 seconds..
okay maybe not a great example... but for some reason I always think of the three stooges when I hear anatomical Positioning... for some reason in my head they always had these long run on fights with each other where one slap from Mo moved Larry into a new position which led to another poke, and continued on.... while trying to find a good example of it I realized my idea of what they did, and what I could find were way different... still love these guys..

[KenpoChanger]

Positioning the oponent for future strikes speaks to the Angle portion of the cycle of considerations.
Sean

[Russm]

Good Day
Anatomical Positioning is used by every type of fighter, even our boxing freinds.
I was always told every strike , parry and block should be used to set up your opponent for the next strike.

[sigung86]

Kind of interesting that the only/best example we can find of this is a 60 - 70 year old three stooges clip. I guess my poiint is... Can anyone provide a vid example from their own training? Outside of the theoretical, is there an example of this that lasts longer, in reality, than a split second or so?l Although, got to admit the three stooges are great. LOL!

Point in fact, many, many, many, etc. years ago as a very young fellow, I went to the Shriner's Circus here in St. Louis, and got to take part in a standing ovation for the Three Stooges... What a great memory. In those days, I never thought they should be Kenpo Black Belts! rofl!!!!

[LuckyKBoxer]

Kind of interesting that the only/best example we can find of this is a 60 - 70 year old three stooges clip. I guess my poiint is... Can anyone provide a vid example from their own training? Outside of the theoretical, is there an example of this that lasts longer, in reality, than a split second or so?l Although, got to admit the three stooges are great. LOL!

Point in fact, many, many, many, etc. years ago as a very young fellow, I went to the Shriner's Circus here in St. Louis, and got to take part in a standing ovation for the Three Stooges... What a great memory. In those days, I never thought they should be Kenpo Black Belts! rofl!!!!

well I know that my use of the terms is shaky at best... always has been my weakest part... but I look at it like this...

Anatomical Positioning is done in one of three ways..
Contact Manipulation - striking an opponent to move them to a position you want
Control Manipulation - Holding an opponent and pushing/pulling them to a position you want
and Feints - Making an opponent move a way you want them to without touching them, by making them think they need to move that way to be clear of your attack.

whenever I am involved in an encounter, I will make sure I hit my opponent and hit them hard.. if they are skilled and it becomes obvious the game is afoot, and I have a challenge I will utilize Feints to get my opponent to make a mistake and either clear his own guard for me to strike, or move where I want him to be to strike him. Once I am inside on my opponent and have taken his balance and control his body I can then utilize contact manipulation to strike him in different areas to move him where I want him to be for the next strike, or to keep him off balance, or to grab and move him with contact manipulation to do the same.. Once I am done with his husk, I give him control back....

Now as far as examples go, there are plenty of examples, unfortunately most are poor examples, and done with a compliant opponent.
as far as examples go, I would tend to say that it shouldn't last long... Grafting as I see so many play at performing it is ridiculous... hell when doing any of our techniques, if our opponent starts to veer out of the ideal phase, utilizing one of the two manipulation methods with the equation formula will veer it right back into the idea phase..

[robertk]

You know, SOMEBODY had to do it. (Rob Broad put this up first,I just couldn't resist recycling it!)

[robertk]

What is your understanding of this principle? Why is it important to understand?

On a serious note,failure in utilization (i.e.missing target,not hitting hard enough,positioning etc.) could be disasterous,especially with any technique that incorperates a spin,as in" Flashing Mace" for example. What goes through the mind when another student doesn't "react" right? I try to use it as a ''what if" senario,within reason,and examine my own technique. But the thought that goes through my mind is,of course,what if this was real? Good opportunity for grafting of course.If everthing checks out,I start hitting harder.(see "Thundering Hammers") Bigger attackers are good reality checks. I also have a tendency to not cooperate if targets are missed. Anyway,that's my take.

[Doc]

Kind of interesting that the only/best example we can find of this is a 60 - 70 year old three stooges clip. I guess my poiint is... Can anyone provide a vid example from their own training? Outside of the theoretical, is there an example of this that lasts longer, in reality, than a split second or so?l Although, got to admit the three stooges are great. LOL!

Point in fact, many, many, many, etc. years ago as a very young fellow, I went to the Shriner's Circus here in St. Louis, and got to take part in a standing ovation for the Three Stooges... What a great memory. In those days, I never thought they should be Kenpo Black Belts! rofl!!!!

"Cause I put it there!"

[Doc]

The Encyclopedia of Kenpo defines Anatomical Positioning as follows:



What is your understanding of this principle? Why is it important to understand?

What other principles are closely related? How do they apply?

For the instructors: What methods or tools do you use to teach this principle?

This would be considered a "concept" sir. An idea. The specific physical implementation would be defined as a/the "principle," and that can vary according to the circumstances. From a science perspective principles always have a quantum of measurability beyond the abstract idea. Great post for discussion. Let's see where it goes.