A clinic with John Kerker at Chicopee Massachusetts - The principles he discussed.

I was 20 years in to my own training when I was able to host/attend clinics with Sherman Harrill.  Around 70 or 80 hours of them over the next decade prior to Sherman's death. It was an exceptional experience for me and I did my best to learn as much as I could.

Then in 2010 I was able to attend a clinic with his senior student John Kerker at a clinic in Chicopee, Mass. For the next decade every year I drove 3 hours from NH to Chicopee, to then spend 3 hours at clinics with John, to then always drive 3 hours home to spend Halloween night with my own family. Later that night I would write up my notes from those clinics. I learned so much from John.

Following are part of my notes from 2010. The section on the principles John Kerker was describing. As Sherman always told me the principles behind the applications were the most important part of the  clinics. John learned them the hard way from Sherman.

They are so important

Saturday October 23, 2010
Clarence Whitley’s dojo in Chicopee, Massachusetts
A clinic with John Kerker

The training was more focused on development of a series of underlying principles of kata application study.

John, a senior student of Sherman Harrill, explained how he was taught:

 
“Not being able to make anything work against Harrill sensei, the level of ability was so large. Being dropped on every square inch of their dojo dozens of times.”

This is very similar to my own training with Charles Murray. As a brown belt I was unable to even touch him one time while sparring but at anytime he could explode over me without effort on his part.  You are pushing forward but you don’t see it at the same time.


I’m first going to list the underlying principles I observed.

Use of side stepping for avoidance (a common theme for the day’s work) and actually a principle we use in the study of Ghost Techniques.  (John even mentioned this one time.)

His principle instructor is the Makiwara.

Execution of a technique for defense at exactly the speed you practice the kata.

Ever technique use from a kata must work whatever the attack that is presented. Whether right punch or grab, left punch or grab, or kick there is no reason to adapt a defense against an attack. Just use the kata technique interior or exterior  to fit the available targets.

A very clear distinction was made between working with an application of a kata series and how you would work a defense if your family was threatened. John works. If a series has 5 techniques John trains so any of those techniques can end an attack. Practice to build skills and understanding is not a restraining action on what you must do. In truth the first response can end the attack.  

This explains something I’ve been wondering about for 15 years. It’s very logical and answers questions I’ve had.

 
John demonstrated the Isshinryu seizing art, which comes directly from the vertical fist.  He was taught to use the makiwara, but rather than strike to press and hold the fist there. The actual grab is very simple it’s a vertical grab of say the forearm or biceps after a side block. You’re grabbing the skin to crush it.  You’re not grabbing the arm but a vertical piece of flesh. Or you can grab the chest, or the throat (using the thumb going in as a strike before the grab and crush).

Note: this is very similar to the use of the N. Eagle Claw, which incorporates some similar grab/crush techniques. The slight difference for the throat grab is when the hand is going it, the web/index finger strikes into the trachea to compress it, and the grab is formed when the hand comes out. The fingers grab behind the muscles on the neck’s sides during the retreating hand.

After initial technique application study, the attacks to work against should be double strikes. The application should control the first strike so completely it is impossible to deliver the 2nd strike, or the technique should soundly control both the strikes.
 
How to measure the distance of an attack.
Finger tip to hip – long distance
Finger tip to elbow – middle distance
Bent Wrist to elbow – close distance

Discussion about the plus and minus values of exterior versus interior line of defense.

Exterior line of defense moves you away from the attacker’s other hand making it almost impossible for that to score or you, but you also have less targets, instead more large muscle and body mass to work through.

Interior line of defense moves you into the range of the attacker’s other hand, but by moving on the inside you’re closing on the attack. This allows more vital targets to strike, getting a bigger response.

Exterior or Interior line of defense both work.  Harrill Sensei preferred the inside line of defense because of target availability.

Make note of all the different force multipliers being used in these techniques.

These principles work across all technique applications.