Styles of Kempo/Kenpo

[delta1]

Welcome, aefibird.

[delta1]

...if i do kempo, muay thai and tae kwon do, will any of those martial arts interfer with each other. ex. are kempo stances a lot different than taekwondo, and is the phiosophy different?

 

i do muay thai pretty informally, ... i just pick up moves and add them to my arsenal of tkd techniques.

 

Depends on your experience and abilities to work with principles instead of rote memorization. One of the things the Parker based Kenpo systems will do for you is greatly improve ypour ability to extract and use principles, and thus help you to integrate different styles/systems effectively.

 

I've worked with TKD quite a bit, and one of the things I like to do is take their One Steps and Kenpoize them. Basically, I look at what the One Step is teaching, as well as the possible applications. Then I modify the stances, footwork, strikes and checks to fit Kenpo principles. The results are amazingly effective! And, when I cross reference them back to AK, I find the moves are in my system already. But doing this helps me to gain a different perspective on the move. I did work some with one instructor who teaches Kenpo as a base, TKD for long range, and another art (I forget which) for close in work. He thinks I'm a little off doing TKD for close in. What I did was good, but he says he doesn't see the point in reworking TKD for close in when it's already there in Kenpo and in other systems. OF course, I countered with 'why teach other systems to enhance other ranges when Kenpo already works at all ranges?' It's all what you like, what you can and do make of it.

 

A lot of Muay Thai can be easily integrated with Kenpo as well, though I don't have much experience there. I did recently work a little with a MMA fighter who does IKCA Kenpo, Muay Thai, and grappling. He is able to combine them very effectively (even though he says he's usually punch drunk- a common problem for those crazy buggers ).

 

If you are interested, PM me and I'll try to get you some information on some of these groups, or on groups in your area if you have questions about them.

[Red J]

...and one of the things I like to do is take their One Steps and Kenpoize them. Basically, I look at what the One Step is teaching, as well as the possible applications. Then I modify the stances, footwork, strikes and checks to fit Kenpo principles. The results are amazingly effective! And, when I cross reference them back to AK, I find the moves are in my system already. But doing this helps me to gain a different perspective on the move.

 

This is sounding familiar. I do this as well from general concepts and put them together to do combinations or "kempos". Then l refine and adapt for a variety of situations.

 

Could this be the start for the Kenpo/Kempo section at KF?

[delta1]

I immagine a lot more people in a lot of styles are doing something like this these days, Red. Those that aren't are missing out. Especially in the Kenpo/Kempo styles, since they are so adaptable. I like that term, "kempos". Think I'll use it ( I plagerise more than just techs, and really have no shame about it ). Did you come up with that, or should I credit someone else with it?

[yireses]

Hi!! Where does your Shaolin Kempo come from?

 

1. Ed Parker

 

2. Christopher N. Geary's

 

3. Fred Villari's

 

4. Thomas R. Ingargiola

 

5. Master Cal Carozzi

 

6. Willam Chow

 

7. James Mitose

 

8. Master Joseph Dodaro

[Red J]

My kempo comes from the Pesare - Cerio - Villari lineage.

 

Delta, the term "kempos" I picked up at my dojo. While we have set combinations to learn, a "kempo" is the term used for a self defense manuever that you come up with. For example, the instructor may say "Come up with a kempo that you could use against a front punch. Now modify that series to defend against a hook punch." Etc.... They usually are 2 (basic) to 7 (advanced) techniques, in kempo fashion, strung together to take care of a situation and their variations.

[aefibird]

Sounds good.

 

I bet that's interesting to do, especially to create one set for a particular situation, and then use if to work against another.

[delta1]

aefibird, you should try it. It's a lot of fun, and helps get you thinking about applications. Most moves have more than one app, sometimes with a little modification they have unlimmited applications. It also gets you going on combinations and helps with flow.

 

Lots of variations to the drill. The TKD school I used to be with would have students string one steps together to make techniques similar to AK. You can also do one where you throw an assault, your partner counters, you counter his counter, and ... . Take your moves and alter them to deal with as many situations you can think of. Take someone elses movesand modify them to fit your style.

 

Really, you already do something like this with your katas when you break them down in layers to extract applications from them. This is sort of like the reverse process, taking base moves and building applications, and looking at the principles and concepts in what you are doing. This is the primary method of learning in Taiji, where every movement in the form has infinite applications. And, if you break the movements down, components also have infinate apps and can be recombined to do amazing things. But, if you look at the form as just a choreagraphed fight, you'd better hope your opponent learned the same dance.

 

Even if you are learning a martial art for self improvement and exercise, this kind of thing exercises the mind and developes critical thinking skills, so you get a more holistic workout.

 

Try it. I bet you like it.

[ShirKhan]

Kenpo is really flexible, and it seems there are new Kenpo substyles or people's personal styles of Kenpo coming up all the time. I think probably because the basic principles lend themselves so well to personal invention and also combination with other styles.

 

I started in Ed Parker Kenpo and in later years got interested in Black Tiger KF, and for the past few years I've been tearing apart Kenpo techniques and turning them into a Kenpo/Black Tiger fusion just in the course of my personal practice, and several people have said I am starting my own style...! If so, it's a personal style.

[KempoTiger]

My kempo comes from the Pesare - Cerio - Villari lineage.

 

Delta, the term "kempos" I picked up at my dojo. While we have set combinations to learn, a "kempo" is the term used for a self defense manuever that you come up with. For example, the instructor may say "Come up with a kempo that you could use against a front punch. Now modify that series to defend against a hook punch." Etc.... They usually are 2 (basic) to 7 (advanced) techniques, in kempo fashion, strung together to take care of a situation and their variations.

 

Ha! My Master trained under Cerio. I am in the White Tiger system of Kempo in NY, under Master Rich Fescina.

 

But there seems to be some misunderstanding on the previous post there..

Hi!! Where does your Shaolin Kempo come from?

 

1. Ed Parker

 

2. Christopher N. Geary's

 

3. Fred Villari's

 

4. Thomas R. Ingargiola

 

5. Master Cal Carozzi

 

6. Willam Chow

 

7. James Mitose

 

8. Master Joseph Dodaro

 

Chow I believe originated what most of us call "Kempo" in Hawaii with Mitose, and trained the likes of Ed Parker, Emperado, and the like. They in turn trained Cerio, Villari and a few others, who came back to the US to open their own schools. That's at least the way I learned it