Delayed Sword: A Small Technique With Big Lessons

Delayed Sword is a relatively simple Kenpo technique, but it contains several important lessons about self-defense.

One of the first is positioning.

Rather than remaining directly in front of an attack, the defender uses movement to change the relationship between attacker and defender. At the same time, the hands provide protection.

That combination is important.

In practical self-defense, we don't want to think in separate pieces: first move, then block, then counter.

Whenever possible, movements should work together.

Delayed Sword also teaches another important lesson: simplicity.

A self-defense response doesn't necessarily have to contain ten movements to be effective. Under stress, simple actions that have been practiced repeatedly can be extremely valuable.

As students progress, Delayed Sword can also become a vehicle for studying distance, timing, striking surfaces, targeting, body mechanics and alternative responses.

That is one of the beauties of Kenpo.

A technique you learned as a beginner can still teach you something decades later.