There will be no disclaimer on this section due to the nature of the information covered revolving around American Kenpo Karate training.  Granted the concepts and principles will be broken down more than usual, however the tips described in this training page will be Kenpo training in it's basic form.  Some of the concepts discussed will come from SGM Ed Parker's books and reference materials, others will come from past and on-going Kenpo Karate training.  When the tips discussed are taken from SGM Parker's reference materials then the quote or concept where it can be found in the material will be placed for further study.         For the first installment on the Dragon Tales Empty-Hand Training Concepts section, there will be a discussion on the similarities between different self-defense techniques.  The first part of this discussion will be for reference later on involving a concept called "hot and cold techniques," a concept learned during personal training.  A hot technique is where you are working your self-defense technique to the inside of your opponents attack, an example of this would be Delayed Sword or Five Swords.  A cold technique is a when you are working your technique to the outside of your opponents attack, an example would be Attacking Mace or Shield and Sword.  With this concept in mind, a series of hot and cold techniques will be brought to light in this discussion that have very similar traits and movements.         Everyone, no matter what rank in Kenpo has techniques they are quite fond of and will execute at a moments notice.  However, there are others that most technicians would rather not work on or execute.  As far as hot techniques, although Five Swords and Detour From Doom are different techniques for separate attacks, yet they have very similar motion concepts.  Five Swords is for defense against a Right Roundhouse Punch, where as Detour From Doom is for defense against a Right Roundhouse Kick.  With cold techniques, although Thundering Hammers and Flashing Wings are for the same attack, they are inherently different techniques.  Both techniques are defense against a Right Step Through Punch, and utilize different natural weapons in their responses.  But, when you really examine what is happening within those two techniques, they have very similar motion traits.         Here are some distinct similarities between the techniques listed in execution and flow.  Five Swords and Detour From Doom only differ in two areas, different weapons used and defensive movements, but once you get past that they are practically twins.  The initial blocks and body position are different due to the attack:  Five Swords is a step forward with a wedge block against the punch, and Detour From Doom is a angle step with a Left Downward Block on the kick. Beyond the defensive movements and the striking movements used, the techniques have virtually the same flow and body movements.  Here's what we mean:           With Five Swords, after the block you get a Right Outward Chop, Forward Bow Left Palm/Eye Poke, Neutral Bow Right Upper Cut, Forward Bow (up the circle depending on preference) Left Outward Chop, Neutral Bow Right Inward Chop.  With Detour From Doom, with the block, you start with a Right Jab also with a Right Front Kick, Forward Bow Left Punch, Unwind to Neutral with Right Back Knuckle, Forward Bow Left Outward Chop, Neutral Right Inward Chop.  These two have the same alternating, Neutral/Forward repeating pattern over approximately 5 strikes.         With Thundering Hammers and Flashing Wings, you find more similarities under closer study.  The Right Inward Block to the outside of the arm on the two techniques serve the same purpose, and beyond that the two techniques are only separate by the height levels met with the strikes used in the techniques.  Here's what we mean:           Within Thundering Hammers after the block with the left hand, you have a Forward Bow with a low Right Inward Hammerfist, Close Kneel Left Downward Hammerfist, Wide Kneel Right Hammerfist.  After the block with the left hand on Flashing Wings, you have a Forward Bow Right Inward Elbow, Close Kneel Left Inward Chop (depending on your preference there are a couple of more shots first before the chop), Wide Kneel Right Upward Palm.  These two offer, among other things, very similar leg strikes within Kneel Stances.         Should you, while training, have problems executing certain techniques, try analyzing other techniques you have learned.  If you can execute different techniques with similar motion, try to find what is involved in the technique and transfer that knowledge over.  Generally there are speed drills inherent in every technique to aid and increase the ease in execution for the student.  Give it a try, you might find it works for you.