Sijo Carl Totton would often tell us stories about his time training with Senior Grandmaster Ed Parker (The founder of American Kenpo Karate). Sijo clearly admired Ed Parker for his prowess as a fighter and for his generosity as a teacher but I think he was in awe of Mr. Parker’s analytical mind. There were a couple of memories of Ed Parker that Sijo passed down to us during my time at the Taoist Institute.
One of the memories was, “Stop waving hello to Sue!” He usually said that when we were looking the wrong way. This was a reminder to keep our eyes on our opponents. Apparently, once upon a time, Sijo had been a student too.
Another memory that would surface fairly often was a reminder to be a good date. It always struck me as odd that we would be fighting our dates but I guess it takes two to tango… Apparently, Ed Parker would lead with these kinds of catch phrases and then lean in and tell students what they meant. Sijo was no different and he certainly had a penchant for describing things in meaningful detail. Ed Parker was using D.A.T.E. as an acronym and Sijo added an “S” to the end. I guess when you have a good date, it turns into multiple dates… and we all want to be good D.A.T.E.S.
(D) Distance
In order for a strike to be effective, it has to come from the right distance. If we are too far away, we can fail to reach the target or the impact can be so slight that it will fail to register an effect. For example, when you are aiming to punch someone in the face, you don’t want to aim for the surface of their face, you want to aim for the back of their head through their face. This is the proper distance because it allows you to effect the most change on your opponent while giving you the option of scaling the force to an appropriate level for the conflict at hand.
(A) Alignment/Angulation
The second item on the list refers to the angle of the strike. Certain angles may become predictable and allow your opponent to block or counter your attack. Sometimes you need to change your angle of attack in order to land a blow. You also need to keep in mind that your opponent may move in an unpredictable way and that you will need to adjust your angle to them to give yourself the best opportunity for using certain attacks.
(T) Timing
This is a critical component of fighting. Controlling the rhythm of the fight can allow you to control the outcome to a certain degree. It was also pointed out that we could syncopate our rhythm and work between the beats of our opponent’s rhythm. The timing of the extension of our punches and kicks is critical and should be practiced with particular attention paid to timing the impact of an attack with the distribution of your weight.
(E) Entry
Every attacker is trying to deal damage to you while trying to avoid damage to themselves. If your attacker has training, they will work diligently to reduce the amount of opportunities you will have for connecting a punch or kick. If no opportunity for entry presents itself, you may have rely on feints and blocks to create those opportunities. This back and forth is where you will find out if your opponent is playing checkers or chess.
(S) Stabilize Your Base While Destabilizing Your Attackers Base
Take every opportunity to claim the space your attacker has claimed as their own. You don’t want to focus entirely on punching and kicking. A big part of the battle may be the use of your body weight and your stance work to exploits weaknesses in your attacker’s stance. Keep them so off balance during the fight that all they want to do is get away from you. Every attack and counterattack is an opportunity to attack their legs and pull them up by the root.
We practice punches and kicks and forms in a certain way that can create a sort of idealized flat-footedness if we aren’t careful. In a real altercation, nothing is ever perfect. Our adrenaline pumps us up and we start to lose fine motor skills. Our brains suddenly can’t remember what to do next. This is where your training comes in.
Training with a real fight in mind requires you to stay calm and it requires you to incorporate D.A.T.E.S. into your training method. Focusing on these concepts in addition to working on your forms and techniques can help you to increase your situational awareness and allow you to make adjustments in the moment. Keep in mind that trouble may find you at the exact moment where you are at your weakest. Train for that moment. That’s the only test that matters.
I should take this opportunity to point out that we are talking about self-defense. The best fighter is the one that doesn’t have to fight. That being said, we can’t control everything that happens in this world. If you are forced to defend yourself, keeping these principles in mind can help protect your health and hopefully end a conflict quickly.
The Universal Pattern
Kicks, pokes, chops, blocks, etc. can travel to any imaginable point on the compass. Whether the art is boxing, wrestling, etc., this pattern will advance all self-defense systems practiced throughout the world. However, it must be remembered that this pattern is only as good as the mind of the man studying it and his ability to adapt it to his own system.
Senior Grand Master
Edmund K. Parker, Sr.
Infinite Insights Into Kenpo
Volume 4