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Posted

I think you'll find that Kenpo moves a lot better than Shotokan, but also that it will help you to modify your other systems to move more effectively also. If you want to improve your Kenpo, I suggest Taiji. Not only improves your flow, but gives you a whole new way to look at your techniques. Mr. Parker studied Taiji, in addition to many other arts. I think that's where many of his philosophies and applications came from.

Freedom isn't free!

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Posted
Well they are pronounced the same "kempo". I don't know the translation rules but it is accepted that either an "N" or "M" will suffice. Literally translated it means "Fist Law" or "Law of the Fist". The major American kenpo/kempo systems can trace their lineages to Hawaii to William K. S. Chow (Kara-Ho Kempo). From him we get American Kenpo, Kajukenbo, Shaolin Kempo, Shaolin Kenpo, Tracy Kenpo and many more.

 

Check out this link for a more detailed perspective.

 

http://www.urbin.net/EWW/MA/KF/

 

Its more detailed than that-

 

What is the difference between Kenpo and Kempo?

Posted

47mm, it's simple. Technically, they are the same. But most of the Japanese and Okinawan systems use the 'm', while most Hawaiian and Parker based systems use the 'n'. It's just a convention, not a rule.

Freedom isn't free!

Posted

Hmnnnn. So the change of the "m" or the "n" did not result in the change of the system?

 

Look at Jiu Jitsu...that is also spelled Ju Jitsu.

Posted

Not to confuse you more but some groups splintered from kenpo and use kempo and vice-versa.

 

To me it's like color = colour. What's the difference when you are painting unless you enjoy getting hung up on semantics, which is where the m/n debate seems to go from time to time in the kempo/kenpo world. I say train hard no matter what you call it.

I had to lose my mind to come to my senses.

Posted
A rose by any other name is still a rose?

 

We don't usually smell that good!

Freedom isn't free!

Posted
It was given the moniker "Karate" so people would have a basic idea that Kenpo was a fighting art. In truth it isnt Karate at all. Its a hybrid fighting art based on scientific principles, specifically the study of motion. Its incredibly brutal and effective in real world scenarios. Blinding hand speed, locks, joint manipulation, grappling, throws, etc are all common to Kenpo. I took "Karate" for 6 months, and this is not Karate. :)

 

Just so you know, all the things you mentioned are a big part of true traditional te and toute (later renamed karate). The karate that you are deprecating is a shallow modern version of the original. Styles extremely close to the original are still being taught today and can be found. You just have to have a discriminating eye. Obviously, what you saw was not karate.

 

As for the name kenpo itself, it is now (and always has been) used in as broad of a context as karate is nowadays. Kenpo is simply a generic term for fist fighting, which includes all the hand techniques you mentioned. It was used that way in old times in Japan and is still used that way, although karate is more readily identifiable in the minds of most Japanese. Kenpo does tend to have more connotations of Chinese systems in the minds of the Japanese though.

Martial Arts Blog:http://bujutsublogger.blogspot.com/

Posted
It was given the moniker "Karate" so people would have a basic idea that Kenpo was a fighting art. In truth it isnt Karate at all. Its a hybrid fighting art based on scientific principles, specifically the study of motion. Its incredibly brutal and effective in real world scenarios. Blinding hand speed, locks, joint manipulation, grappling, throws, etc are all common to Kenpo. I took "Karate" for 6 months, and this is not Karate. :)

 

Just so you know, all the things you mentioned are a big part of true traditional te and toute (later renamed karate). The karate that you are deprecating is a shallow modern version of the original. Styles extremely close to the original are still being taught today and can be found. You just have to have a discriminating eye. Obviously, what you saw was not karate.

 

As for the name kenpo itself, it is now (and always has been) used in as broad of a context as karate is nowadays. Kenpo is simply a generic term for fist fighting, which includes all the hand techniques you mentioned. It was used that way in old times in Japan and is still used that way, although karate is more readily identifiable in the minds of most Japanese. Kenpo does tend to have more connotations of Chinese systems in the minds of the Japanese though.

 

Agreed in large portion

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Back to the Planas thing for a brief bit...

 

I had a private lesson with him a few months ago, and to be honest, the guy scared the crap out of me. I respect him, but am not very fond of him. Sure knows a ton of stuff, though...he's my teacher's teacher.

American Kenpo Karate- First Degree Black Belt

"He who hesitates, meditates in a horizontal position."

Ed Parker

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