Sensei Kocho

Our Golden Dragon web site is now up and running. We are working on one for the National Kenjukido Federation . https://www.goldendragon.goldendragon.com

Thank you for your interests in Kenjukido -- The Way of the Power of the Gentle Fist. Our history is much the same as any other training. First, however, let me correct a misunderstanding of what and how systems are developed. There was one comment in the string about "oh, another combination." ALL modern day systems are combinations. Why? Because the instructor passes to the student not only the techniques of the system, but his or her personal adaptations of the system. Every instructor experiments with how to make a system better. That way, martial arts continues to grow and serve the students. Kenjukido is NOT a system. The SYSTEM is Kenpo-Jujitsu, the STYLE is Kenjukido self-defense. If you are serious about martial arts, look at how systems and styles are created. In quick terms, a student learns a system up through the lower black belt ranks; creates new techniques based upon the "principles" of the system during the mid-level or master ranks (developing a style); and authenticates others in the new system once the style has stood the test of time. Kenjukido teaches much of what you see in karate and jujitsu with the applications I learned during my career in the military. I've also added what I've learned from the U.S. Army Combatives course and what I was trained in for police riot control. That training is combined with my martial arts training. I hold the following black belts: 6th Dan Yoshin-Ryu Jujitsu, 4th Dan Aiki-Jujitsu, 3rd Dan Kenpo Karate, 2nd Dan Combat Hapkido. In July 2003, I was inducted into the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame and named Jujitsu Instructor of the Year. Kenjukido is a trademarked term as is the parent school, Golden Dragon Self-Defense Academy. That means that legally nobody else can use those terms in their training or school ID without my approval. Don't let that confuse you with Golden Dragon -- there are quite a few Golden Dragon schools, Green Dragons, Black Dragons, White Dragons -- teaching practically every system you ever heard of ... including those you haven't. You can't copyright an animal or its color. My dragon artwork is, but to say the words "Golden Dragon" is not. Those are in the public domain. It's when you create the entire name of the school that you can trademark it and prevent unscrupulous people from using it. As to the Golden Dragon school, it has been closed temporarily while we realign the organization. I have black belts in Jacksonville, Beebe and Judsonia, Ark. who teach privately -- as do I in North Little Rock. I do plan on reopening with the publication of a book I am writing on Kenjukido (I am a professional writer - fiction, poetry, journalism), and we are going to a virtual school in the (hopefully) near future. I welcome any comments/questions about what we do or about martial arts history. I have a vast library including a rare book by Ed Parker, shortly after he arrived in the continental U.S. -- BEFORE he wrote his Infinite Insights editions. You may contact me at goldendragon@goldendragon.com or goldendragon@centurytel.net. Sincerely, Buddy Garrett

Thank you for your interests in Kenjukido -- The Way of the Power of the Gentle Fist. Our history is much the same as any other training. First, however, let me correct a misunderstanding of what and how systems are developed. There was one comment in the string about "oh, another combination." ALL modern day systems are combinations. Why? Because the instructor passes to the student not only the techniques of the system, but his or her personal adaptations of the system. Every instructor experiments with how to make a system better. That way, martial arts continues to grow and serve the students. Kenjukido is NOT a system. The SYSTEM is Kenpo-Jujitsu, the STYLE is Kenjukido self-defense. If you are serious about martial arts, look at how systems and styles are created. In quick terms, a student learns a system up through the lower black belt ranks; creates new techniques based upon the "principles" of the system during the mid-level or master ranks (developing a style); and authenticates others in the new system once the style has stood the test of time. Kenjukido teaches much of what you see in karate and jujitsu with the applications I learned during my career in the military. I've also added what I've learned from the U.S. Army Combatives course and what I was trained in for police riot control. That training is combined with my martial arts training. I hold the following black belts: 6th Dan Yoshin-Ryu Jujitsu, 4th Dan Aiki-Jujitsu, 3rd Dan Kenpo Karate, 2nd Dan Combat Hapkido. In July 2003, I was inducted into the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame and named Jujitsu Instructor of the Year. Kenjukido is a trademarked term as is the parent school, Golden Dragon Self-Defense Academy. That means that legally nobody else can use those terms in their training or school ID without my approval. Don't let that confuse you with Golden Dragon -- there are quite a few Golden Dragon schools, Green Dragons, Black Dragons, White Dragons -- teaching practically every system you ever heard of ... including those you haven't. You can't copyright an animal or its color. My dragon artwork is, but to say the words "Golden Dragon" is not. Those are in the public domain. It's when you create the entire name of the school that you can trademark it and prevent unscrupulous people from using it. As to the Golden Dragon school, it has been closed temporarily while we realign the organization. I have black belts in Jacksonville, Beebe and Judsonia, Ark. who teach privately -- as do I in North Little Rock. I do plan on reopening with the publication of a book I am writing on Kenjukido (I am a professional writer - fiction, poetry, journalism), and we are going to a virtual school in the (hopefully) near future. I welcome any comments/questions about what we do or about martial arts history. I have a vast library including a rare book by Ed Parker, shortly after he arrived in the continental U.S. -- BEFORE he wrote his Infinite Insights editions. You may contact me at goldendragon@goldendragon.com or goldendragon@centurytel.net. Sincerely, Buddy Garrett