Defining Kenpo

Everyone has some idea of what martial arts are. You probably have an interest, or you wouldn't have found this blog. The art I do and teach is American Kenpo. It's well know on the coasts, but not well known here in the midwest.

Essentially, it is a comprehensive martial art that focuses on practical, effective self-defense. It is best known for the use of pre-defined combos in response to particular attacks -- self-defense techniques. These combos are lesson plans, used to teach the principles and application of the art. It has forms, sets, and sparring as well.

Ed Parker, Sr. founded American Kenpo. The roots of the art go back to the kenpo practiced in Hawaii, particularly that of Mr. Parker's primary teacher, Professor "Thunderbolt" Chow, as well as kung-fu systems by folks like Ark Yuey Wong, Lao Bun, "Tiny" Lefiti, and Jimmy Wing Woo. But, he trained with and taught many martial arts greats, and stands as one of the most influential martial artists in the U.S.

This, hopefully, gives a context for my comments. Martial arts are hands-on, interactive, and done with specific practical goals in mind, like building realistic self-defense skills. In short, MA instruction incorporates the ideas of constructivist theory. This kind of training can happen in any martial art, depending on the instructor and methods, and so the comments I make about kenpo can apply just as well to most other arts.

Here's a link to a mojor kenpo page: www.kenponet.com
More to come.

Salute!
SGB