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Taishin Ryu Kenpo Student Guide

By

Sensei Gerald Aitken

gtaitken@frontiernet.net

 

A downloadable PDF version of the Student Guide is available

here.

 

This Student Guide covers:

 

Moral Standards for Students

An infraction of the Moral Standards will result in immediate permanent expulsion of the student from class (along with a pro-rated refund of his or her tuition).

  1. Do not use martial arts offensively, unless to defend an innocent helpless person from serious harm.
  2. If forced to defend yourself, or an innocent helpless person, use proportionate force.  Do not use excessive or unnecessary force.  Do not presume to punish the offender; let the police and a judge do that.  Stop fighting once there is no more threat.
  3. Do not use or sell mind altering drugs. 
  4. Do not abuse alcohol.
  5. Do not commit crimes, especially crimes involving morality, such as having sex with a minor or collecting child pornography.
  6. Do not hate any other people, and do not discriminate against any other people.
  7. Do not be cruel to animals.
  8. Do not kill an insect or a spider just because it’s a bug (Students may protect their homes from infestations). (A threatening insect should be shoo’ed away first, then killed only as a last resort).
  9. Do not needlessly harm the environment.
  10. Do not be dishonest or unethical in business dealings with others.
  11. All new students before joining class are required to show that they are an actively participating member of one of the accepted religions of the world or to secular humanism.  If the student claims to be a secular humanist, he or she must belong to a secular humanist society and actively participate in it.  In other words, every student must adhere to some kind of moral code, and actively associate with others who share the same code.  If a student lacks a moral code, and believes he or she can do anything they want, they may not study Taishin Ryu Kenpo.

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System of Rank and Test Requirements

Belt Color

Rank

Requirements

Yellow Stripe

9th Kyu

Chi-Gong exercises 1-8; Warming Up and Stretching Routine; Horse Stance Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise; Tai Chi Looping Exercises 1 – 5.

Yellow Belt

8th Kyu

Tai Chi Form Movements 1 – 20.

Green Stripe

7th Kyu

Tai Chi Form Movements 21-40.

Green Belt

6th Kyu

Tai Chi Form Movements 41-61.

Purple Stripe

5th Kyu

Hard Form Movements 1 – 27.  Combinations 1 – 11.

Purple Belt

4th Kyu

Hard Form Movements 28 – 54.  Combinations 12 – 20.

Red Stripe

3rd Kyu

Hard Form Movements 55 – 81.  Combinations 21 – 30.

Red Belt

2nd Kyu

Hard Form Movements 82 – 108.  Combinations 31 – 42.

Black Stripe

1st Kyu

Knife Kata (entire).  One Step Sparring Routines 1 – 15.

Black Belt

1st Dan

Club Kata (entire).  One Step Sparring Routines 16 – 30.

Black Belt

2nd Dan

6-Step-Sparring Routines 1 – 10.  Semi Free Sparring.  Free Sparring.  Multiple Assailant Combinations [31-35] with actual opponents.  Tai chi push hands.

 

Class is 90 minutes long:

·         15 minutes: Chi Gong, Warming Up, Horse Breathing, Tai Chi Looping

·         5 minute break

·         20 minutes: Beginner Skills (8K, 7K, 6K).

·         5 minute break

·         20 minutes: Intermediate Skills (5K, 4K, 3K)

·         5 minute break

·         20 minutes: Advanced Skills (2K, 1K, 1D)

If only beginners show up for class: 60 minutes of Beginner skills.

If only beginner and intermediate students show up: 30 minutes of Beginner skills and 30 minutes of Intermediate skills.

Black Belts have their own separate classes.  The Black Belt class does not have a set structure; it is spontaneous.

The main class (the class for color belts) is held twice a week, 8 times a month.  So the curriculum cycle is 8 sessions.  When a new student enrolls, he or she joins the class the next time Session One (of Eight) occurs, or in other words, at the beginning of the next calendar month.

By having a regular cycle for teaching the curriculum, all the curricula are taught regularly, and it is not simply the whim of the Instructor what gets taught in a particular class.

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The 8 Session Monthly Curriculum Cycle

Class #

Beginner Skills

Intermediate Skills

Advanced Skills

1

Tai Chi Form movements 1 – 10

Hard Form movements 1 – 13

Combinations 1 – 5

Hard Form movements 82 – 94

One Steps 1 – 3

2

Tai Chi Form movements 11-20

Hard Form movements 14 – 27

Combinations 6 – 10

Hard Form movements 95 – 108

One Steps 4 – 6

3

Tai Chi Form movements 21-30

Hard Form movements 28 – 40

Combinations 11 – 15

Combos 31 – 42

One Steps 7 – 9

4

Tai Chi Form movements 31-40

Hard Form movements 41 – 54

Combinations 16 – 20

Knife Kata (first half)

One Steps 10 – 12

5

Tai Chi Form movements 41-50

Hard Form movements 55 – 67

Combinations 21 – 25

Knife Kata (second half)

One Steps 13 – 15

6

Tai Chi Form movements 51-61

Hard Form movements 68 – 81

Combinations 26 – 30

Club Kata (first half)

One Steps 16 – 18

7

Review Tai Chi Form movements

1 – 30

Review Hard Form movements 1 – 40

Review Combinations 1 – 15

Club Kata (second half)

One Steps 19 – 21

8

Review Tai ChiForm movements

31-61

Review Hard Form movements 41-81

Review Combinations 16 – 30

One Steps 22 – 30

 

To be promoted to each new rank, student must:

Promotions are not guaranteed on a schedule, even if the attendance requirement is met.  Attendance AND proficiency are required to be promoted.

For 1st Degree Black Belts to be promoted to 2nd Degree Black Belt:

Thus in the best case scenario, the 1st Degree Black Belt can be earned in 30 months (two and a half years), and the 2nd Degree Black Belt can be attained after a total of three and a half years training.  But again, there are no guarantees of being promoted according to a time-table.  Proficiency must be demonstrated before a student can be promoted.

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The 8 Chi Gong Exercises

  1. Holding the Dantien.
  2. Dantien Up and Down.
  3. Opening and Closing the Dantien.
  4. Turning the Waist.
  5. Big Bear Stretches.
  6. Roc Extends its Wings.
  7. Supporting the Sky.
  8. Bringing in the Chi.

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Warming Up and Stretching Routine

  1. Massage roots of hair.
  2. Lion.
  3. Open lower jaw.
  4. Head up and down.
  5. Head left and right (vertically).
  6. Head left and right (horizontally).
  7. Head circles clockwise and counterclockwise.
  8. Horse stance vertical arm circles, forward and backward.
  9. Natural stance forward and backward arm sweeps, horizontally.
  10. Forward and backward arm sweeps, vertically.
  11. Flex the shoulder blades.
  12. Elbow circles, clockwise and counterclockwise, up and down.
  13. Wrist circles, clockwise and counterclockwise, up and down.
  14. Flex the knuckles.
  15. Shake out the hands.
  16. Bend the waist forward and backward, left and right, clockwise and counterclockwise.
  17. Twist the body clockwise and counterclockwise, first with elbows bent, then with arms swinging freely.
  18. Squat down and raise up again.
  19. Flex the knees.
  20. Flex the ankles and toes.
  21. Leg stretches, left and right leg.

 

NEXT: Horse Stance diaphragmatic breathing, twelve cycles.

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Tai Chi Looping Exercise

  1. Sink chi  three times.
  2. Standard backfists.
  3. Sink chi three times.
  4. Vertical punches.
  5. Sink chi three times.
  6. Twin palms.
  7. Sink chi three times.
  8. Push Hands simulation – one hand type. 
  9. Sink chi three times.
  10. Push Hands simulation – two hand type.
  11. Sink chi three times.

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The Tai Chi Form

  1. Sink chi.
  2. Left press forward north.
  3. Right press forward east.
  4. Both hands push east.
  5. Left horizontal sword west.
  6. Single whip west.
  7. Play lute north.
  8. Spread wings west.
  9. Brush knee west.
  10. Full step forward brush knee west.
  11. Full step forward brush knee west.
  12. Both hands push west.
  13. 180 degree shift with brush knee east.
  14. Parry block and punch east.
  15. Both hands push east.
  16. Block and kick east.
  17. Twin roundhouse punches northeast.
  18. Twin roundhouse punches southeast, block and kick, knee kick, twin roundhouse punches.
  19. Block, kick, brush knee east.
  20. 180 degree shift with brush knee west.
  21. Wave hands like clouds westward.
  22. Single whip west.
  23. Glide down.
  24. Rooster stands on one leg (right)
  25. Glide down.
  26. Rooster stands on one leg (left).
  27. Repulse Monkey eastward.
  28. Slant Flying east.
  29. Play Lute north.
  30. Spread Winds west.
  31. Brush Knee west.
  32. Parry block and punch west.
  33. Both hands push west.
  34. Pluck needle west.
  35. Fan west.
  36. Vertical backfist, knifehand, vertical backfist east.
  37. Deflect, parry, punch east.
  38. Both hands push east.
  39. Horizontal sword west.
  40. Single Whip west.
  41. Wave Hands Like Clouds westward.
  42. Single Whip west.
  43. Fair Lady Works the Shuttles.
  44. Horizontal Sword west.
  45. Single Whip West.
  46. Wave Hands Like Clouds eastward
  47. Single whip west.
  48. Low X, High X blocks.
  49. Crescent Kick
  50.  Tiger Bow.
  51. Brush Knee.
  52. Deflect parry punch west.
  53. Two hands push west.
  54. Glide down.
  55. Rooster stands on one leg (right)
  56. Glide down.
  57. Rooster stands on one leg (left).
  58. Repulse Money Eastward.
  59. Slant Flying east.
  60. Play Lute north.
  61. Sink chi.

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The Hard Kata

The Hard Kata has 108 movements.  Most students break it up into six segments, practicing one segment at a time, with a little breather in between segments.

  1. Bow.
  2. Left obverse low block west.
  3. Left obverse down elbow block west.
  4. Right reverse middle corkscrew punch west.
  5. Left obverse straight knifehand strike west.
  6. Full step forward right standard backfist west.
  7. Twin upward crane blocks west, with simultaneous knee withdraw.
  8. Left reverse downward palmfist strike west.
  9. Right obverse inward palm strike west.
  10. -17 are the converse of 1 to 9, done eastwards.
  1. Long stance twin outward blocks northwest.
  2. Back stance TK-block northwest.
  3. Right front kick northwest.
  4. Plant forward into right obverse middle long stance corkscrew punch NW.
  5. Left reverse middle corkscrew punch northwest.
  6. -27 are the converse of 19-23, done northeast.
  1. Step back with long stance low X block north (left foot forward).
  2. Pivot into high X block north.
  3. Left obverse horizontal knifehand block north.
  4. Right reverse vertical punch north.
  5. Step forward into middle X block north (right foot forward)
  6. Right obverse horizontal knifehand block north.
  7. Left reverse vertical punch north.
  8.  270 degree step turn into back stance left leading twin knifehand outward block east. (Now facing south)
  9. Right leading twin knifehand outward block southeast.
  10. Right leading twin knifehand outward block west.
  11. Left leading twin knifehand outward block southwest.
  12. Shift into long stance left obverse upward block east.
  13. Right reverse outward block west (knuckles out).
  14. Left obverse hard inward block west, shifting into back stance.
  15. Cross-step simultaneous left obverse corkscrew punch and right reverse soft upward block, west.
  16. Low left leg side kick west.
  17. Plant down into horse stance with left obverse straight palmfist strike west.
  18. – 50.  Converse of 39-44, done west.
  1. Down forearm deflecting block southeast.
  2. Spin kick southeast.
  3. Plant back into left obverse standard ridgehand strike southeast.
  4. – 56.  The converse of 51-53, done southwest.
  1. Left knee front kick south.
  2. Right reverse upset punch south.
  3. Left obverse inward elbow strike south.
  4. Right reverse uppercut punch south.
  5. Left obverse roundhouse punch south.
  6. Right reverse downward elbow strike south.
  7. Pivot into right straight elbow strike north.
  8. Right vertical backfist north.
  9. Right low hammerfist north.
  10. Right upward elbow strike north.
  11. -76.  Converse of 58-66.
  1. Left reverse low block south.
  2. Right obverse soft inward block south.
  3. Left reverse soft inward block south.
  4. Right obverse corkscrew punch south.
  5. Twin forearm block south.
  6. 270 degree step turn into horse stance left obverse low block west (now facing north)
  7. Withdraw front foot into cat stance left obverse scooping block west.
  8. Rear (right) leg low roundhouse kick west.
  9. Plant down into horse stance right obverse standard backfist west.
  10. Knee withdraw and simultaneous reverse soft upward block west.
  11. Plant forward into long stance right obverse twin finger stab west.
  12. 180 degree step turn into horse stance right obverse low block east.
  13. – 93.  Converse of 84-88, done eastwards.
  1. 180 degree step turn into horse stance left obverse outward block west (knuckles in).
  1. Right middle inward crescent kick west.
  2. Plant forward into horse stance right inward elbow block west.
  3. Right vertical backfist west.
  4. Half-step into left reverse inward crescent knifehand strike west.
  5. Pivot into right obverse horse stance middle corkscrew punch west.
  6. Right obverse horizontal hammerfist west.

101-107.  Converse of 94-100, done eastwards.

  1. Bow.

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The Knife Kata

1.      Bow.

2.      Long stance right obverse vertical thrust north.

3.      Inward slash north.

4.      Outward slash north.

5.      Change knife from right hand to left hand.

6.      Full step forward long stance left obverse vertical thrust north.

7.      Inward slash north.

8.      Outward slash north.

9.      Change knife from left hand to right hand.

10.  Step 180 degrees with right foot, forming south-facing right-lead long stance, simultaneously executing a right obverse downward slash south.

11.  Shift weight back, retracting knife.

12.  Step 180 degrees with right foot, forming north-facing right-lead long stance, simultaneously executing a right obverse downward slash north.

13.  Shift weight back, retracting knife.

14.  Step backward with right foot, forming long stance, while executing a slow open-hand left obverse low block north.  Simultaneously change knife grip from vertical to horizontal.

15.  Step 180 degrees with right foot, executing a long stance right obverse straight thrust south.

16.  Step backward with right foot, forming long stance, while executing a slow open-hand left obverse low block north.  Simultaneously change knife grip from horizontal to vertical.

17.  Step 360 degrees with right foot, forming west-facing horse stance, simultaneously executing inward slash west.

18.  Outward slash west.

19.  Half-step north with inward slash west…

20.  …and outward slash west.

21.  Shift into south-facing left-lead long stance, with downward stab south.

22.  Cross-step north with outward crescent slash north.

23.  Horse stance inward crescent slash north.

24.  Bent-knee stance reinforced hammerfist stab east.

25.  Shift into south-facing left-lead long stance with right reverse vertical thrust south.

26.  Right front kick south, simultaneously executing a right outward stab west.

27.  Plant down into east-facing left-lead long stance, simultaneously performing a left obverse upward bow wrist block east, and a right low stab west.

28.                                                                                                                                                                                       Right front kick east, simultaneously slashing upwards with knife, east.                                                 

29.  Plant down into horse stance, simultaneously stabbing downwards with knife.

30.  Bow.

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The Club Kata

DEFAULT DIRECTION IS NORTH.

 

  1.  BOW.

 

  1. UP AND DOWN.

 

  1. TWIRLING.

 

  1. REVERSE  STRAIGHT  THRUST  MIDDLE

 

  1.  HIGH  LEVEL  HORIZONTAL  INWARD

 

  1.  HIGH  LEVEL  HORIZONTAL  OUTWARD

 

  1.  LOW  LEVEL  HORIZONTAL  INWARD

 

  1.  LOW  LEVEL  HORIZONTAL  OUTWARD

 

  1. MIDDLE  LEVEL  HORIZONTAL  INWARD

 

  1. MIDDLE  LEVEL  HORIZONTAL  OUTWARD

 

  1. TWIRLING WHILE STEPPING BACK.

 

  1.  LOW X BLOCK / MIDDLE  HORIZONTAL  OUTWARD (WEST)

 

  1.  HIGH X BLOCK / MIDDLE  HORIZONTAL  INWARD (EAST)

 

  1. TWIRLING (NORTH).

 

  1. LEFT INWARD BLOCK

 

  1.  RIGHT  INWARD  BLOCK

 

  1.  OBVERSE  STRAIGHT  THRUST  SOUTH.

 

  1.  HORIZONTAL OUTWARD THRUST SOUTH

 

  1.  DOWNWARD (NORTH)

 

  1.  UPWARD (NORTH)

 

  1. TWIRLING

 

  1.  THE  4-DIRECTIONAL COMBINATION

 

  1. DOWNARD (NORTH)

 

  1. TWIRLING.

 

  1. DOWNWARD AGAIN.

 

  1. BOW.

 

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The 42 Combinations

1.      Low block and reverse punch

2.      High block and reverse punch

3.      Knifehand out block and reverse punch

4.      Soft inward block and reverse vertical punch

5.      Hard inward block and reverse punch

6.      Simultaneous obverse palm and reverse upward block

7.      Simultaneous obverse upward block and reverse palm

8.      Simultaneous obverse low block and reverse palm

9.      Simultaneous reverse knifehand outward block and obverse punch

10.  Simultaneous obverse high soft inward block and reverse middle vertical punch

11.  Simultaneous obverse middle soft inward block and reverse high punch

12.  Outward knifehand block, lead front kick, lead punch

13.  Low X block, rear front kick, twin inward crescent knifehands

14.  High X block, rear front kick, twin low horizontal hammerfists

15.  TK-block, obverse backfist, reverse punch

16.  Horse twin forearm block, horizontal knifehand, reverse punch

17.  Downward forearm block, reverse punch, obverse punch

18.  Downward elbow block, reverse punch, obverse punch

19.  Knee withdraw with reverse upward block, obverse palm

20.  Crane leg block, reverse punch, obverse punch

21.  Sidestep outward block, pivoting reverse punch

22.  Sidestep, sidestep, reverse punch

23.  Three sidesteps, reverse punch

24.  Two sidesteps, front kick and punches

25.  Two sidesteps, side kick and punches

26.  Two sidesteps, roundhouse kick, backfist, punch

27.  Two sidesteps, spin kick, ridgehand, punch

28.  Two sidesteps, low inward crescent kick, punches

29.  Two sidesteps, middle inward crescent kick, punches

30.  Two sidesteps, sweep front kick, reverse up block/obverse palm

31.  Shuttles

32.  Front kick, palm, round kick, backfist

33.  5 step multiple combo

34.  3 step multiple combo

35.  Start west multiple combo

36.  Spin hammerfist, full step punch, front kick

37.  Front kick, roundhouse kick, backfist, punch

38.  Simple Get Behind

39.  Complex Get Behind

40.  Obverse cross steps combo

41.  Reverse cross steps combo

42.  Step drags combo

 

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The 30 One Step Sparring Routines

These are Combinations 1 to 30 performed with an attacking partner.

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The 10 Six Step Sparring Routines

These are combinations of the 30 One Step Sparring Routines.

The first 6 Step Sparring Routine consists of:

  1. Partner 1 punches at partner 2.
  2. Partner 2 performs One Step #1.
  3. Partner 2 punches at partner 1.
  4. Partner 1 performs One Step #1.
  5. Partner 1 punches at partner 2.
  6. Partner 2 performs One Step #2.
  7. Partner 2 punches at partner 1.
  8. Partner 1 performs One Step #2.
  9. Partner 1 punches at partner 2.
  10. Partner 2 performs One Step #3.
  11. Partner 2 punches at partner 1.
  12. Partner 1 performs One Step #3.

The second Six Step Sparring Routine utilizes One Steps 4, 5, and 6.  And so on.

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Semi Free Sparring

Semi Free sparring is like Six Step Sparring, with a little more freedom.  Partner 1 and Partner 2 still take turns attacking.  But the defending partner can respond with ANY of the 30 One Step Sparring responses that fit the attack.  There is only one exchange at a time, not six joined exchanges as in Six Step Sparring.  After each exchange there is a brief pause, then roles reverse, and the next partner takes a turn attacking.

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Free Sparring

Free Sparring is totally spontaneous sparring.  Unlike other schools which hold three minute sparring matches, our matches are confined to 30 seconds, because, to be prepared for real life encounters, our students must learn to win quickly.  Taishin Ryu Kempo black belts practice hard style free sparring, and also soft style sparring (tai chi push hands).

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Why such a compact curriculum?

In the 1984 film “The Karate Kid”, the venerable Karate Master Mister Miyagi says to his teen aged student, Daniel LaRusso:

“Quality of what you know is important.  Not quantity.”

The old Taishin Ryu school spread the student too thin with too many Katas and other curricula.

The new Taishin Ryu school seeks to fix that by reducing the curriculum, and having the student spend years repeating and perfecting a smaller yet comprehensive set of fundamentals.

In the new system students spend years repeating and perfecting a Hard Kata (108 movements), a Tai Chi Form (61 movements), and two weapon Kata, a Knife form (30 movements) and a Club form (26 movements). 

In addition there are 42 Combinations, and 30 One Step Sparring routines based on Combinations 1 to 30.  Students at all levels begin class by practicing 8 Chi Gong exercises, warming up and stretching, horse stance diaphragmatic breathing, and a Tai Chi looping exercise (performing simple tai chi techniques over and over with exaggerated circularity, to build up internal power).

Black belts practice ten “Six Step Sparring” routines which are combinations of the fundamental One Step Sparring routines.  Black belts then practice Semi Free sparring, and finally, Free Sparring.  Tai Chi Push Hands are also practiced by the black belts.  Sparring is a black belt activity, and not practiced by color belts, because without control, expertise, and precision, sparring can be dangerous.

The Hard Kata has nearly every important external bare-hand technique in our style, all wrapped up into a single Kata (the Kata has 108 movements). 

All of the forms in the new system can be practiced in an 8 by 12 foot floor space.  So that means students can practice their forms at home daily on the five non-class days (class is twice a week).

The Knife and Club were chosen as weapons because students can practice those weapons at home with limited floor space and limited ceiling height.  Also, you can carry a Club in your car without becoming a felon if it is discovered.  And you can keep a knife handy at home for home defense without it taking up much living space, and its small size allows it to be diplomatically hidden inside a drawer.

We have changed the name of our system from “Taishin Ryu Karate Do” to “Taishin Ryu Kenpo” to emphasize the Chinese origins of many elements of the new curriculum.  Not only do we now incorporate combat tai chi, but also, among the hard movements, we now have many circular ones in addition to the linear ones.

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About Sensei Aitken and the Taishin Ryu Kenpo style

GERALD T. AITKEN was born in 1954 in a suburb of New York City.  Gerald began his martial arts career in 1970, studying Kyokushin Karate, under Sheehan Shigeru Oyama,  at the White Plains School of Self Defense, in Hartsdale NY. 

Before Gerald could get his black belt in Kyokushin, in 1972 Gerald was forced to switch styles, because he went away to college in Baltimore Maryland.  Gerald studied what was available in Baltimore - Tae Kwon Do - at Young Il Kong’s Tae Kwon Do School (at one of its satellite affiliates) and became a 2nd Degree Black Belt shortly before he graduated college in 1976.  The type of Tae Kwon Do Gerald learned was I.T.F., General Choi Hong Hi’s forms, such as Chon-ji, Tan-gun, To-san, etc.  This type of Tae Kwon Do emphasized putting maximum power into each blow, as if one blow would win the fight.

From 1982 through 1986 Gerald studied Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan, in Baltimore, from a senior student of George Cornoles.  All the while Gerald was still practicing Tae Kwon Do on his own, and also during this time Gerald taught himself many of the katas of Shotokan Karate.  Among these, Gerald especially liked Kanku-Dai.

In 1986 Mr. Aitken moved from Baltimore Maryland to Walden NY, which is located in the lower mid-Hudson Valley about 60 miles north of New York City.  From mid 1987 through mid 1989, Gerald spent two years studying Tang Soo Do, in nearby Newburgh and New Windsor NY, at Southerton Karate.  In two years Gerald attained a Red Belt in Tang Soo Do.  From learning the basics of Tang Soo Do, Gerald developed his hard style hand fighting, and learned to let his hard techniques flow more, one into the next, in contrast to the “one blow” emphasis of I.T.F. Tae Kwon Do.

In 2002 and 2003 Mr. Aitken developed his own style, which he called Taishin-Ryu Karate-Do, and began teaching it.  Since Gerald’s highest rank in any established, recognized system was 2nd Degree Black Belt, Gerald structured Taishin Ryu to promote students only as high as 2nd Degree Black Belt.  That’s as high as the system goes.

In 2011 and 2012 Gerald made some major changes to Taishin Ryu, making the curriculum smaller so that students could concentrate more on quality than on quantity.  The new system still only goes as high as second degree black belt.  Gerald incorporated combat tai chi and many circular techniques into the new Taishin Ryu, and, because of these new Chinese influences, Gerald changed the name of the system from Taishin Ryu Karate-Do to Taishin Ryu Kenpo.

Tai means Ultimate, and it also means Body.  Shin means Mind.  Ryu means School.  Kenpo means Law of the Fist.  So, Taishin Ryu Kenpo can be translated as: “A School which exists for the cultivation of mind and body by practicing the ultimate law of the fist”.

The Taishin Ryu system teaches both hard and soft methods of self defense.  Both external and internal power are cultivated.  There are more hand techniques than kicks, and the kicks are mostly low or middle. 

The underlying self defense philosophy of Taishin Ryu is that you can defend yourself better if you know one or two things well, than if you know five or six different fighting methods all mediocre.  That is why Taishin Ryu specializes in punching, striking, blocking and kicking, with various stances and footwork maneuvers, using both external and internal power.  For very short range fighting there are elbow and knee techniques.

The same “quality over quantity” philosophy is applied to the study of Katas.  There are only four Katas in the new Taishin Ryu - a hard barehand kata, a soft barehand kata, and two weapon katas.  But students spend years repeating and perfecting these four katas.  We believe that is better than learning twenty katas and not mastering any of them.

Incidentally, although Sensei Aitken lived in Walden NY for many years, since 2006 he has lived in nearby Maybrook NY.

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