Karate, Kenpo Karate, Taekwondo and more

Five Swords Self Defense Technique

April 6, 2025 by peterasoto

Five Swords Kenpo Self-Defense Technique – Step-by-Step Guide

Five Swords is one of the American Kenpo self-defense techniques I consider especially useful for understanding how blocking, checking, striking, footwork, stance transitions, and body mechanics work together. This technique is primarily designed against a right step-through roundhouse or hook punch coming toward the head or upper body.

When I teach Five Swords, I don’t want a student to simply memorize a sequence of movements. I want them to understand why they are stepping forward, why the checking hand stays active, why the stances change, where each counterstrike travels, and how one movement sets up the next.

That is what makes Five Swords valuable. I’m not just blocking a punch and then throwing several unrelated strikes. I’m entering the attack, controlling the attacker’s weapon, establishing a stronger position, and using a continuous series of defensive and offensive movements.

In this guide, I’ll show you how I perform and teach the Five Swords Kenpo self-defense technique step by step, along with the body mechanics, targets, common mistakes, training methods, and American Kenpo principles that make the technique work.

How to Perform Five Swords in American Kenpo

Five Swords at a Glance

Common curriculum placement: Orange Belt

Five Swords is commonly associated with the Orange Belt curriculum in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. The exact position of the technique can vary depending on which curriculum organization a Kenpo school follows, so I focus more on understanding the technique than memorizing its numerical position within a particular system.

What Is the Five Swords Kenpo Technique?

Five Swords is an American Kenpo self-defense technique primarily designed against a right roundhouse punch coming from the front.

One of the first things I want you to understand about Five Swords is that I am not simply backing away from the punch.

I’m entering.

That makes this technique particularly interesting because I’m moving toward the attacker while simultaneously protecting myself.

I use my initial movement to intercept the attacking arm, establish my stance, control the attacker’s position, and immediately put myself within counterstriking range.

From there, I use a rapid combination of open-hand strikes, a finger thrust, an uppercut, checking movements, and stance transitions.

The entire technique should eventually become one connected sequence.

What Attack Does Five Swords Defend Against?

I practice Five Swords primarily against a right step-through roundhouse punch, sometimes described as a right hook punch.

The attacker steps forward with the right foot while throwing the right hand in a circular path toward my head or upper body.

I make this distinction because saying that Five Swords works against a “right punch” is too vague.

A straight punch and a roundhouse punch don’t travel along the same path. My defensive angle has to make sense for the attack I’m actually receiving.

When I practice this technique with a partner, I want my partner to give me a controlled but realistic right roundhouse punch. That allows me to work on the correct distance, timing, entry, stance, and checking position.

Step 1 – I Step Into the Attack and Use an Inward Block

As the right roundhouse punch comes toward me, I step forward with my right foot into a right Neutral Bow stance.

At the same time, I execute a right inward block against the inside of the attacker’s right arm while keeping my left hand high as a check.

I can also use the position of my right knee to check or control the inside of the attacker’s right knee.

This first movement is much more than a block.

I’m accomplishing several things at approximately the same time:

When I teach this movement, one of the biggest mistakes I correct is focusing entirely on the right inward block.

I don’t want my left hand hanging beside my body.

That hand has a job.

I keep it high and use it as a positional check against the attacker’s right arm while my right hand performs the initial defense.

My stance also matters. If I step too far or too close, the rest of the technique becomes difficult to execute correctly.

Step 2 – I Deliver the Right Outward Handsword

Immediately after the inward block, I deliver a right outward handsword toward the right side of the attacker’s neck.

My left hand continues monitoring or checking the attacker’s right arm.

I don’t pull my right hand all the way back before throwing the handsword.

That would create unnecessary movement.

Instead, I use the position created by my inward block to transition directly into the handsword.

This is one of the places where I apply economy of motion.

The defensive movement prepares the offensive movement.

I want my block and handsword to feel connected rather than like two completely separate techniques.

When practicing with a partner, I always control this strike. The neck is a vulnerable area, so I either stop the strike before contact or use an appropriate training target when I want to practice power.

Step 3 – I Use the Left Five-Finger Thrust

After my right handsword, I pivot into a right Forward Bow stance while delivering a left five-finger thrust toward the attacker’s face or eye line.

At the same time, my right hand moves back toward my right hip.

This stance transition is important.

I’m not changing from a Neutral Bow to a Forward Bow just because that is how the technique was taught.

The transition changes my body alignment and allows me to use my hips and torso with the movement.

I don’t want to throw the left-hand technique using only my shoulder and arm.

I want my lower body, hips, torso, and hand working together.

When I practice the five-finger thrust with another person, I never actually strike the eyes. I stop the technique before making contact.

I can practice the line, speed, distance, and mechanics without injuring my training partner.

Step 4 – I Deliver the Right Uppercut

From my Forward Bow, I rotate back into a right Neutral Bow stance while delivering a right uppercut toward the attacker’s solar plexus or upper abdominal area.

My left hand stays in a checking or guarding position.

This is one of my favorite parts of Five Swords for demonstrating how stance transitions contribute to striking power.

I don’t want the uppercut coming only from my right arm.

As I rotate back toward the Neutral Bow, I use that rotational movement to help drive the uppercut.

My hips, torso, stance, and fist should work together.

This creates a much stronger movement than simply standing still and trying to punch harder with my arm.

I also keep my base underneath me. I don’t lean excessively into the uppercut or sacrifice my balance just to reach the target.

Step 5 – I Reposition and Attack From Another Angle

After the uppercut, I reposition my left foot counterclockwise while moving into the appropriate Forward Bow position.

From here, I deliver my next left-hand counterstrike.

In the version I teach, I can use a left outward/downward handsword toward the left side of the attacker’s neck while keeping my right hand involved as a positional check.

Students may encounter a slightly different version of this part of Five Swords.

Some versions use a left heel-palm toward the jaw instead of the left handsword.

I don’t consider that a reason to mix different versions randomly.

If you’re learning Five Swords from an instructor, follow the version your instructor teaches and learn it correctly.

What matters to me is that you also understand the principles behind the movement: position, angle, checking, body alignment, target selection, and continuous motion.

Step 6 – I Finish With the Right Handsword

After the left-hand counter, I use my left hand to maintain positional control while transitioning back toward a right Neutral Bow.

I then deliver a right inward/downward overhead handsword toward the rear or side of the attacker’s neck.

My left hand continues to serve a purpose rather than simply dropping.

I don’t make a huge windup before delivering the right handsword.

If I pull my arm excessively backward, I create unnecessary movement and give the attacker more time to react.

I want the right hand to travel efficiently into the target while my stance transition supports the strike.

As with the previous neck strike, I control this movement during partner training.

Step 7 – I Cover Out

I don’t consider Five Swords complete immediately after the final handsword.

I still need to disengage safely.

After completing the sequence, I use the appropriate front crossover and cover out to create distance while maintaining awareness of the attacker.

I don’t turn my back carelessly.

I want to remain balanced and prepared until I’ve established a safer distance.

This is an important habit.

In self-defense training, I don’t want to condition myself to mentally switch off immediately after my final counterstrike.

I finish the technique, create distance, maintain awareness, and remain ready to move again if necessary.

Why I Step Into the Punch in Five Swords

One of the most important characteristics of Five Swords is the forward entry.

My natural reaction to a punch might be to move backward, but moving backward isn’t always my best option.

If I continue retreating, I may allow the attacker to maintain momentum and continue attacking.

Five Swords teaches me another possibility.

I move into the attack at an advantageous angle while intercepting the punch.

I’m not blindly charging forward.

My step, stance, inward block, checking hand, and body position have to work together.

The objective is to change my relationship to the incoming punch.

Once I’m inside the effective path of the roundhouse punch, I’m also close enough to begin my counterattack.

That’s why I consider the footwork just as important as the hand techniques.

If my feet put me in the wrong place, even excellent hand techniques become much less effective.

How I Use Checking Throughout Five Swords

Checking is one of the most important concepts I emphasize when teaching American Kenpo.

Five Swords gives me several opportunities to demonstrate it.

When one hand is attacking, I don’t want the other hand doing nothing.

I use my free hand to monitor the attacker, control an available weapon, protect an opening, or prepare my next movement.

This is particularly important after the initial inward block.

My left hand helps monitor the attacker’s right arm while my right hand transitions into the handsword.

As the sequence continues, the responsibilities of my hands change, but I still want both hands involved.

A good question I tell students to ask themselves is:

What is my other hand doing right now?

If the answer is “nothing,” I usually want to examine the movement again.

How I Generate Power With the Stance Transitions

Five Swords isn’t an arm-only technique.

My stances are constantly contributing to my movements.

The sequence takes me through transitions involving the Neutral Bow and Forward Bow, and I use those changes to redirect my body mass and create rotational power.

For example, when I pivot from the Forward Bow back toward the Neutral Bow while throwing the right uppercut, the body rotation contributes to the strike.

I think of the body as one connected system.

When all of those elements work together, I don’t have to depend exclusively on muscular arm strength.

This is why I practice Five Swords slowly before I practice it quickly.

If my stance mechanics are wrong at slow speed, moving faster usually doesn’t fix them.

How I Apply Economy of Motion

Economy of motion is another major lesson I take from Five Swords.

I don’t want to make unnecessary movements.

After my inward block, my right hand is already in a position where it can transition toward the handsword.

After one hand attacks, its position can help prepare another action.

My stance transition can simultaneously create a new angle and contribute power to the next strike.

I don’t want Five Swords to look like this:

Block.

Stop.

Strike.

Stop.

Turn.

Stop.

Strike again.

When I’m first learning the technique, I may separate the movements so I can understand them.

Once I know them, however, I begin connecting everything.

Eventually, I want Five Swords to feel like one continuous response.

How I Use Height, Width, and Depth in Five Swords

Another way I study Five Swords is by looking at the attacker’s height, width, and depth.

Instead of thinking only about individual targets, I look at what each movement does to the attacker’s overall structure.

My initial entry changes the attacker’s ability to continue using the original punch effectively.

When I study the technique this way, I ask myself:

Those questions help me understand the technique rather than simply memorize it.

Primary Targets I Study in Five Swords

Depending on the version of Five Swords I’m practicing, I work with several theoretical targets throughout the sequence.

These can include:

I treat these as self-defense targets, not targets that I strike with full power during partner practice.

If I’m practicing an eye-level finger thrust, I stop before contact.

If I’m practicing a neck strike, I control it.

If I want to develop actual striking power, I use appropriate pads or training equipment.

Being able to control a strike is part of developing skill.

Common Five Swords Mistakes I Correct

Stepping too far: If I take an oversized step, I can compromise my stance, balance, and distance. I want my entry to place me close enough to counter without crowding myself.

Thinking only about the inward block: My first movement involves much more than my right arm. I pay attention to my step, stance, checking hand, knee position, distance, and angle.

Dropping the checking hand: I keep my non-striking hand active. I don’t let it hang beside my body while the other hand works.

Pulling the handsword too far back: I avoid excessive chambering. My previous movement should help prepare the next one.

Using only my arms: I connect my strikes to my stance transitions and body rotation.

Pausing after every movement: I learn each movement separately, but eventually I connect them into one continuous sequence.

Trying to move fast too early: I would rather perform Five Swords slowly with correct mechanics than quickly with poor structure.

Ignoring distance: I pay attention to whether my weapons could realistically reach their intended targets from my position.

Losing my balance: I don’t sacrifice my base just to reach a target.

Forgetting the cover out: I finish the entire technique and regain a defensively responsible position.

How I Recommend Practicing Five Swords

I don’t recommend learning Five Swords by immediately trying to perform the entire technique at maximum speed.

I build it progressively.

First, I practice the footwork.

Next, I add the hands slowly.

Then I add a training partner.

After that, I connect the movements.

Then I work on speed.

Finally, I introduce controlled variations.

Five Swords Variations in American Kenpo

If you have seen Five Swords performed by different American Kenpo instructors, you may have noticed that the sequences aren’t always identical.

I’ve seen variations in stepping angles, targets, curriculum placement, and some of the later strikes.

For example, one version may use a left handsword during the later portion of the technique while another may use a heel-palm.

There are also different ways American Kenpo schools organize their belt curriculum.

I don’t automatically assume that a different version is wrong.

Kenpo has been taught through different curriculum structures and instructor lineages.

What I recommend is simple: learn the version required by your instructor and perform that version consistently.

At the same time, understand the principles underneath the choreography.

The exact hand weapon may vary, but concepts such as checking, positioning, angle, timing, stance transitions, economy of motion, and body mechanics remain extremely important.

Why the Technique Is Called Five Swords

The name Five Swords comes from the handsword concept associated with the original development of the technique.

Earlier interpretations of the sequence used handsword-type weapons extensively. As the technique evolved, some of the specific strikes changed while the Five Swords name remained.

I find the traditional Kenpo technique names useful because they give students a way to identify and remember complex self-defense sequences.

But I don’t want a student to know only the name.

I want them to understand what the technique is teaching.

Why I Consider Five Swords Important in American Kenpo

I don’t look at Five Swords as simply another Orange Belt technique that has to be memorized for promotion.

Most importantly, Five Swords teaches me to think beyond individual techniques.

Instead of seeing a block, a handsword, a finger thrust, an uppercut, and another handsword, I see one connected response.

That is where the technique becomes much more valuable.

Frequently Asked Questions About Five Swords Kenpo

What is Five Swords in Kenpo?

Five Swords is an American Kenpo self-defense technique I use primarily against a right step-through roundhouse or hook punch. The sequence combines an inward defense, checking movements, handswords, a five-finger thrust, an uppercut, stance transitions, and a cover out.

What attack is Five Swords designed to defend against?

I practice Five Swords primarily against a right step-through roundhouse punch coming from the front. You may also hear this attack described as a right hook punch.

What belt is Five Swords in American Kenpo?

I commonly associate Five Swords with the American Kenpo Orange Belt curriculum. The exact numerical position can differ depending on how a particular school or organization structures its curriculum.

Why is it called Five Swords?

The Five Swords name comes from an earlier version of the technique in which the striking sequence relied heavily on handsword-type weapons. Some of the weapons changed as versions of the technique developed, but the traditional name remained.

What stance do I use in Five Swords?

I primarily work between a right Neutral Bow and right Forward Bow during Five Swords. These stance transitions help me maintain position and generate rotational power for different strikes.

Why do I step forward instead of backward?

I step forward because Five Swords teaches me to enter the roundhouse punch and move into a position where I can control the attack and counter immediately. I’m not charging directly into the punch. I’m coordinating my entry with my inward block, checking hand, stance, and angle.

Why is the checking hand important in Five Swords?

I use the checking hand to monitor and control potential weapons while protecting openings created by my own counterattacks. I don’t want my free hand hanging uselessly beside my body.

Should I perform Five Swords as fast as possible?

No. I learn the movements slowly first. I establish my footwork, stance transitions, checking positions, striking paths, and distance before increasing speed. Once the mechanics are correct, speed becomes much easier to develop.

Are there different versions of Five Swords?

Yes. I’ve seen variations between American Kenpo curricula and instructor lineages. Some versions change the stepping angle or use a different hand weapon during part of the sequence. I recommend learning one version consistently while understanding the principles shared by the variations.

Is Five Swords only useful for belt testing?

No. I consider the principles more valuable than the belt requirement. Five Swords gives me a way to practice entering an attack, checking, stance transitions, torque, economy of motion, target sequencing, and continuous counterattack.

Is Five Swords part of an American Kenpo form?

Yes. Five Swords is also represented within the American Kenpo form curriculum, including Long Form 4. I find this useful because it shows how individual self-defense techniques connect to the broader Kenpo system.

Can beginners practice Five Swords?

Yes, but I recommend learning it under proper instruction and practicing slowly. The technique contains several movements aimed at vulnerable anatomical targets, so partner control is essential. I simulate those targets and use appropriate training equipment when I want to develop striking power.

My Final Recommendations for Five Swords

When I practice Five Swords, I don’t chase speed first.

I start with position.

I make sure I understand the incoming right roundhouse punch. I establish the correct entry. I build a solid Neutral Bow. I coordinate my inward block with my checking hand. Then I add each counterstrike while paying attention to my stance transitions and body mechanics.

Once those individual pieces are correct, I connect them.

That’s when Five Swords starts becoming more than a memorized Kenpo sequence.

My feet establish my position. My stance gives me a base. My hips and torso help generate power. My checking hand controls potential threats. My striking hand attacks the available target. Then those responsibilities change as I move through the technique.

Everything should have a purpose.

I also recommend practicing both sides conceptually even if your curriculum requires Five Swords primarily from one side. Understanding how the principles work is more valuable to me than being able to repeat choreography without understanding it.

Most importantly, I practice with control.

The eyes, neck, jaw, and other vulnerable targets used in Five Swords aren’t areas I strike with power on a training partner. I develop accuracy through controlled partner practice and develop power using appropriate training equipment.

Five Swords is one of those American Kenpo techniques that becomes more valuable the deeper I study it. At first, it can look like a series of blocks and strikes. Once I understand it better, I see the larger lessons: angle of entry, checking, stance transitions, torque, economy of motion, positional control, target sequencing, balance, and continuous motion.

Those are the principles I want to take from Five Swords and apply throughout my American Kenpo training.

Kenpo Karate Techniques

Follow our Social Media!

Join us on Facebook Watch us on YouTube