Technical System:
Shorinji Kempo is a method of self-defense with which one can protect oneself from violence whilst minimizing or eliminating the amount of violence inflicted on an attacker. In order to allow the weaker to control the stronger without the use of excessive force or causing lasting injury, the techniques are rationally designed to exploit the principles of mechanics, physiology and psychology. Anyone, regardless of sex or age, can utilize these techniques. The syllabus of Shorinji Kempo is divided into three systems: Goho (hard system), Juho (soft system) and Seiho (healing system).
Goho (Hard System):
Goho refers to the syllabus of striking and countering techniques. Offensively, Goho refers primarily to strikes, kicks, hammers and slashes. Attacks use primarily the hands and feet but also the elbows, knees and forearms. Targets of these strikes are always weak points on the opponent's body, so as to minimize damage to an opponent. When on the defense, Goho is also the term for dodges, parries, deflections and blocks. In Shorinji Kempo, dodging plays a major role in the execution of Goho techniques, teaching one to quickly avoid an attack and create the conditions for a decisive counter-attack. Blocks are taught together with counters, and do not isolate one from the other
Juho (Soft System):
Juho concentrates on defenses against grabs to various parts of the body, where an opponent attempts either to throw their victim to the ground or destabilize them prior to launching a Goho attack. The defender learns to break the opponent's grasp by adopting a stable body position (shuho) using a brief strike to distract (atemi) and then executing an escape, take-down, joint-reverse or throw. Once pinned by such a technique, an assailant is incapacitated and unable to continue the attack. This gives the defender sufficient time to either call for assistance or escape. The overall goal of all Shorinji Kempo techniques is to subdue a violent opponent and render them incapable of doing further harm, without causing serious or lasting injury, or using inappropriate violence, in return.
Healing Techniques (Seiho):
Seiho is the name given to the healing techniques that Shorinji Kempo teaches, and is similar to Shiatsu in its use of acupressure, the use of thumbs, palms and other parts of the body to apply pressure to vital points on the body. Seiho can be used to relax muscles and joints after training as well as to treat a variety of common minor injuries which might occur during training, such as sprains and dislocations. Basic Seiho techniques include muscle relaxation and joint manipulation. At higher levels resuscitation techniques are taught. All Seiho draws on a variety of sources, mostly traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine. Many Seiho techniques use the same vital points (keimyaku hiko) as used in both Goho and Juho techniques. Shorinji Kempo uses 138 of the 708 vital points on the acupuncture meridians.
