Within the martial arts, there are two separate philosophies of training and application: the Watchmaker and the Iron Worker:
The Watchmaker is very precise, technical with great attention to detail, using pure technique to overcome obstacles; the Iron Worker is very strong, relying on aggressive quality and hard training to forge his weapons.
Here at SCC, we offer two separate programs in order to better meet the needs of a diverse community of students: the Dynamic Kenpo Concepts system (Watchmaker) and the Tetsujiinkai Karate system (Iron Worker).
American Kenpo Karate
(Self-Defense, ages 13+)
Our adults self-defense program is American Kenpo Karate, a fusion of various methods of fighting, designed to adapt to the individual practitioner! Here at SCC, we teach the system outlined by Mr. Paul Mills of the AKKI.
Our class is for EVERYONE! You need not be athletic or in-shape to begin, merely carry the desire to learn to defend yourself. We prefer the old school method of training: Repetition, repetition, repetition - each rep better than the last, each workout progressively more intense than the one before; training the body and mind to prevail through rigorous training. As students progress, they earn colored belts to represent their skill level, as follows: white, yellow, orange, purple, blue, green, brown, then black belt. Each belt level has an outlined set of requirements designed to build on the previous level, introducing vital concepts and skill sets at the appropriate place within an individual's training.
American Kenpo Karate is a fluid fusion of striking and joint manipulations, all structured around a functional logic base designed solely for practical self-defense. In Kenpo, one learns to use their hands, feet, elbows and knees in a fast and explosive manner - combining hard and soft movements into a devastating sequence of motion supported by body structure and mechanics. The techniques work off the way the body naturally moves, and we tailor how we teach based on the individual student's strengths and weaknesses; you learn not only defensive and offensive movements, but also the functional Concepts and Principles behind the art - and these same principles apply to learning the stick and knife as well.
Our system is taught through basics (isolated movements, the ABCs of the art), solo and partner drills, sparring and self-defense techniques which address a variety of attacks and scenarios - both standing and on the ground. We use the 'technique before intensity' approach, where we focus first on developing proper technique through detailed repetition, before delving into intensity.