Department of Health and Human Performance ACTivity Class Syllabus Course: American Kenpo Karate - ACT 259 Location: American Kenpo Karate 2426 West Central Avenue Missoula, Mt. 59801 406-728-0525 Instructor: Chris Crews Overview: An introduction to the martial art system of Kenpo Karate. Students will be introduced to the basics of the art including: Physical principles, training techniques, stances, and self defense techniques for different types of attacks. Objectives: Learn the basics of the martial arts and begin developing the skills necessary to defend one’s self. Learn and understand the application of physical principles related to dealing with an aggressor. Acquire the knowledge and ability to participate safely in the art of Kenpo while training. Develop self-confidence, self-discipline and self-awareness. Have fun and develop a love for an often misunderstood art. Requirements (attire, equipment, etc.): Attire – come to every class with loose fitting clothing or a martial arts uniform Equipment needed – a groin protector. Equipment provided – kicking/punching pads, mats. Grading/Attendance: A minimum of 22 hours of attendance and participation during the semester is required by each registered student in order to receive a grade of “CR” (credit) in accordance with the contractor’s menu schedule of classes. Any registered student that does not participate in the minimum 22 hours of class during the semester will receive a grade of “NCR” (no‐credit). 1. Fall 2014 hours must be attended between Monday, August 25th & Friday, December 5th 2. Spring 2015 hours must be attended between Monday, January 26th & Friday, May 8th If a student experiences a significant event (for example, a documented extended illness, major injury, or the death of an immediate family member) the ACTivity Class Director will work with the student to complete a “Petition to Extend Allowed Absences” or assist with class withdrawal. Students should consult their instructor immediately if they have special needs related to their attendance. Petitions to Extend Allowed Absences are not permitted after the last instructional day prior to finals week, and are available from ACTivity Class Instructors, McGill Hall 117, or the HHP website at: http://coehs.umt.edu/departments/hhp/activity_classes/petition/default.php In case of minor illnesses or other unexpected events that may take place throughout the semester, it is strongly recommended that students plan ahead in order to achieve their 22‐ hour minimum of attendance and participation early in the semester. Failing to participate in the minimum 22 hours of class during the semester will result in a grade of “NCR” (No‐Credit). Due to the large number of ACTivity Classes and limited facility availability we do not offer make‐up classes or other alternatives to making up for missed hours (papers, reports, etc.). Misconduct: Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course instructor, ACTivity Class Director and/or disciplinary sanction by the University of Montana. Academic misconduct is defined as all forms of academic dishonesty. The Student Conduct Code is available on the UM website at: http://www.umt.edu/vpsa/policies/student_conduct.php In particular, Student Conduct Code Section V.A.5 identifies the following violations: Submitting false information: Knowingly submitting false, altered, or invented information, data, quotations, citations, or documentation in connection with an academic exercise As this relates to HHP ACTivity Classes, examples of previous Student Conduct Code violations pursued by the HHP Department include, but are not limited to: Printing/signing another student’s name on an ACTivity Class attendance sheet Having another student participate in an ACTivity Class for you and printing/signing your name Signing in at the beginning of class and leaving instead of participating Forging documents to substantiate special circumstances as noted above Student Conduct Code Section VI.E identifies the following violation: Faculty members have the independent authority to exclude a student from any class session in which the student displays disruptive behavior that threatens the learning environment or safety and well‐being of others in the classroom. The student remains eligible to return to the next class session. The faculty member maintains the authority to remove the student from each class session during which the student is disruptive. As this relates to HHP ACTivity Classes, any student removed from class for any of the above mentioned reasons will be marked absent for that day. Safety: Let the instructor know if you have any pre-existing injuries or if you are pregnant. Immediately report any in-class injuries to the instructor. Listen to your body and go at your own pace. (No pain, no pain!) American Kenpo In the Shaolin history, there are the famous animal styles like the snake, crane, and tiger. There also are the four family styles, which originated from the families that were central to the overall system. Each had its specialty, such as close in manipulative fighting, locks and pressure points, footwork, kicking, and striking. In general, our Kenpo is a carefully designed mixture of the family and animal styles, honed down into a tight, efficient system. Kenpo is extremely effective and versatile. It is built on everyday movements so anybody can learn to use the basic techniques effectively. What sets Kenpo apart from all other systems is its focus on understanding the physics of movement. All the techniques are carefully built from easily understood basics, to help the person make maximum use of his or her own body mechanics. The art ends up being tailored to each person's size, strengths and weaknesses. So a 5 foot 3 inch 100 pound woman can learn to defend herself without having to lift weights, do jump spinning kicks, or super-human feats. The power comes from knowing how to use all parts of the body as potential weapons, controlling balance and posture, attention, understanding mechanical advantage (such as generating torque and power), and also making use of the inherent weaknesses in the opponent's stance or posture. You will learn basic body mechanics that should greatly improve how you think about any movement in any sport or other activity. Every athlete will find parallels in the mechanics used in other sports. In Kenpo, those basics central to specific techniques will be highlighted and used to maximize the technique's effectiveness. For any students interested in going further after the semester, we can start designing and learning your own kata out of the techniques you learn, or other beginning intermediate skills. It is important to emphasize that Kenpo is a martial art. There is far more to it than self-defense. It contains the history of the Chinese and Japanese cultures, important practices for maintaining health, the importance of breathing, developing motor skills and confidence, understanding how to learn complex movements, seeking ideals of motion. As a martial art, it also has implicit in it the fundamental integrity and a system of honor and ethics. Anybody at any age can learn many aspects of Kenpo and obtain not only the skills to defend themselves, but also the satisfaction and challenge of learning beautiful movement and cultural richness. Semester schedule: **This schedule is subject to change at Chris’ discretion** First two Weeks: This will be a general introduction to Kenpo. We will go over the course requirements, class rules, and basic safety. There will be a short description of the history of the Kenpo style. You will be presented with and begin to learn basics such as stances, warm up exercises, stretching, and introduction to the ideas that make Kenpo an extremely effective system for self defense. Third through 14th week: We will systematically work through about ten self-defense techniques. These will deal with grabs, bear hugs, chokes, pushes, and simple strikes. These techniques comprise one of the main requirements for a yellow belt in Kenpo. Several additional important concepts and techniques for common situations like escaping from wrist grabs will be included. We will focus on realistic situations and realistic responses. We will also practice looking at different "what if' scenarios and decision making in situations to avoid panic responses. Final Week: We will try to fine-tune the techniques for each person so they are effective in real situations. You will be reminded throughout that attitude and practice are key elements of self-defense. Week 1 Introduction and Basics Week 2 Continue on with Basics Week 3 Delayed Sword Week 4 Sword of Destruction Week 5 Alternating Mace Week 6 Deflecting Hammer Week 7 Short Form #1 Week 8 Captured Twigs Week 9 Grasp of Death Week 10 Checking the Storm Week 11 Mace of Aggression Week 12 Attacking Mace Week 13 Sword and Hammer Week 14 Review and practice different scenarios Week 15 Fine tune techniques to real life situations .