Hi! Great video discussion, very respectfully approached and delivered. I do want to respectfully address a few of the points made here. The comment regarding my saying that Kenpo techniques were not meant to be performed against trained fighters...isn't accurate. I said they were not designed to be performed in SPARRING. As in, they are not meant to be copied and pasted directly into a sparring match. That's a distinct difference. You made the comment that sequential drills that teach multiple things at a time are valid. That's EXACTLY what Kenpo techniques are. They are basically mini Kata that teach several different concepts in "sample" situations. There are specific lessons for each technique. A lot of it is academic, a lot of it is applicable. I want to address the comment about the criticism of the "What if" phase and the "why are the modified versions" not taught. You left out my point about the third and most important phase of Kenpo training, which is "formulation and freestyle". Phase 1: we learn the individual aspects the technique is teaching us. Phase 2: We learn how to address those aspects when things go wrong. Phase 3: we are at a point where we can be in any given position or situation and recognize on the fly what our options are and then apply any given specific idea we've learned from those techniques. The freestyle and formulation is where the student is able to apply the material for real. I have pulled of many fragments of techniques in sparring. Crossing Talon, Five Swords, Deflecting Hammer, Intellectual Departure, Shield and Mace, and the numerous buckles, checks, rebounding strikes, redirections, and takedowns have come in handy during sparring. They worked not as the "copied and pasted" sequence, but because I recognized specific details on the fly and was able to resort to ideas and fragments taught from the techniques. Heck, I saw just a couple of months ago in person a fellow instructor pull of "Squeezing the peach" in a sparring match, and it worked beautifully. If you don't understand how surprising that is...KZfaq that technique. They ARE taught in the modified version. Each technique has a counterpart somewhere in the systems with the "what if" answer. If all we taught was the modified version... then THAT becomes a Kenpo technique and the new "what if" would be what it played out the original way. Drawing out the curriculum and being the CrossFit of Martial arts, I'm sorry but I respectfully disagree. There IS a lot of material, and you could argue there is too much academic info, but the system is not drawn out and it takes the same amount of time to rank in Kenpo as most styles of Karate. Being able to process the academic and separate it from application falls on the instructor teaching it. I have used Kenpo techniques in sparring, and in real life, and they have worked. My instructor worked as a bouncer and used several. Many of my classmates had self defense situations where they resorted to what they learned in techniques, and they worked. While I agree and can respect many of your points, I do feel that maybe some of mine have been misinterpreted, as the video you are responding to is a 9 minute "excerpt" which was clearly marked as such in the beginning, from a 1 hour and 44 minute online discussion. I have also addressed many points in another full video "Does Kenpo Suck". (I will post link as a reply to this comment in case it's picked up by the filter). Is Kenpo for everyone? No of course not, no style is. But it absolutely has value and works for some people, it's just another way to learn martial arts. Everyone learns differently, and it's a matter of finding a way to digest material that makes sense to you. If Kenpo isn't it, then I fully respect that. But I feel that many times the criticism is targeted at specific elements without experiencing or understanding the full picture.

I know Kenpo works. I'm a 5ft short female and it has saved me, more than once. That's what counts, It worked for me!! And could many others. Take care Everyone 💖

I've worked in Law enforcement for over 20 years. I've been involved in countless uses of force going hands on. The last five have been working in one of the toughest prisons in Florida. Probably the country. We house the worst of the worst. American Kenpo techniques seem to work fine on inmates that train in all kinds of different types of systems. So based on my training and experience, Kenpo, if you actually learn it, is extremely effective.

I had to use Kenpo to defend myself seven times in the past fifty years. It was between ages 30- and 45. They all took one move and they were down. Now, I am 5'2", slim, somewhat muscular (lift weights) and small boned. Does American Kenpo workj? Absolutely! I still teach and workout in Kenpo every week. I only teach adults. Sifu Puyallup, WA

If this individual actually accumulated these ideas about kenpo while using them in fights, it would be much more believable. I've been practicing the art since 1994.So In the mean time I will continue practicing Kenpo and knowing it is most definitely an effective street fighting art.

I'm a senior kenpo blackbelt with experience in muay thai, BJJ, MMA etc and a nightclub doorman for 20 years, and I would agree Kenpo techniques dont work in their dojo form, but if you train them with the right entry, with escalating noncompliance they can be applied ,but in a taylored way. that is my experience anyway

45 years of kenpo . Not one street fight, came close but chose to de escalate or retreat. “The art of fighting without fighting” a quote from a movie that started my quest in the martial arts . I believe I can say I was confidently taught well . Thanks for the insight .

Many times, the labels we place on subjects of discussion really create a barrier to understanding. Many different approaches fall under the Kenpo label and almost none of them train in the exact same manner. Even within the more specific category of Kenpo from the lineage of SGM Ed Parker Sr. you have vast differences in the way his system was trained. I mean drastic changes in every aspect that you can, and many do, argue that the different phases were different arts, since they had different names. Old School Kenpo Karate was trained very different then the Chinese Kenpo phase and that was very different from American Kenpo and so on. Then within each of those categories you have those direct students of his who taught their own students with their own unique approaches, often blending their previous or later martial arts training into their own approach. So, when anyone comes along and slaps down the sloppy, imprecise label Kenpo and starts painting with a wide brush about its techniques as if we all train the same way or do the same techniques you have to say "knock it off" because it's laughably, ludicrous. Frank Trejo did not teach the same way that Larry Tatum does, and they came up the ranks together under the same teacher. Mike Pick did not teach 10th Special Forces Kenpo the same way that Jeff Speakman taught. Even now Jeff Speakman does not teach the same way he taught in his early years because even among a single instructor the training methodology and technical understanding can change over time. When I taught Kenpo during the war, I did not teach it the same way that I learned it from my own teacher. I have my preferences and my understanding of Kenpo demanded that my teaching fit the context and environment that the practitioners would be operating in. Don't judge ALL Kenpo on a text book layout of a Kenpo curriculum, Don't judge ALL Kenpo on training with one or two teachers, Paul Mills tested his Kenpo as a bouncer for decades and I know his approach and techniques are very different from the approach of Richard Planas. These days Martial Artists cross train and cross reference each others approaches to an even greater extent than was the case in ancient times. So of course many Kenpo instructors have compared skills with Muay Thai practitioners and Judo or Jujutsu practitioners and so on, just like the Kaju folks did in Hawaii and those who felt like they needed to adjust this or that aspect of training did so and many found no need to change their approach because they found that what they did was working fine for them. I understand the need to title KZfaq videos with controversial titles to get more views but it can also have a side effect of having so many people listen to what is being said and dismiss the Instructor as simply inexperienced. Just my two cents.

Go to Bob whites kenpo and spar them. These black belts are fast as hell and are masters at distance control, all while using point sparring techniques. If they can keep me away (I'm a boxer), I bet they can do a few of their techniques on you in a fight. They are fucking fast, kenpo looks silly, but if that gym spars alot they can make kenpo work

I was a kenpo karate student during my childhood for seven years, from the ages of five to twelve. What I learned extended far beyond fighting - we were taught about bully psychology, warning signs, how to scare off attackers, how to fall, roll, and retreat, and perhaps most importantly, how to practice self control and discipline. I do agree that it is more important to practice the moves themselves than it is to practice the techniques after reaching a certain threshold to become a better fighter. There were three times that karate techniques distinctly helped me defend myself from school bullies. Karate also helped me protect myself from altercations with men (some of whom were much stronger than me) later in life. Learning about human anatomy and psychology in medical courses further increased my understanding of karate principles. I would highly recommend the study of those topics to folks who are seeking to become more effective martial artists.

I started training in United Studios' Kenpo (Karazenpo Go Shinjitsu) when I was 17 and it was often conveyed as patterned, step-by-step techniques in response to punch, grabs, kick attacks, et al. It often left me feeling unconfident if confronted in a real life attack situation. The training didn't begin and end there however. When was proficient enough in blocking and in basic strikes (around Purple or Blue Belt), free-style was encouraged-- freestyle and drilling-- I felt like a lot of that training increases confidence and I definitely found it and that was in the same Kenpo school. I think the way Kenpo is conveyed and passed down is the reason why it gets so much criticism. It's often taught in such a way where the techniques are the apex and the goal, not as training mechanisms. A lot of the criticism here against Kenpo (particularly against American Kenpo) is not wrong, but I feel like there's a larger picture here. Ed Parker himself has often stated that the Techniques are not the end, not the goal, but rather expressions of the principles. In other words, he didn't intend for students to perform Line A, section 1, part 2, then B, part 3 and some kind of robotic choreographed technique in response to a right or left hook or thrusting punch. He DID have them train that way, but then the training would digress into reacting to strikes with freestyle, and then unpredicted strikes in a free-style manner. When taken as a whole Kenpo has great benefits-- it's just not always taught and conveyed the way Mr. Parker originally intended. The reason why you don't see Kenpo in sparring is because it is an empty-hand method, one that is not for the combat ring and therefore not trained for wearing boxing gloves. You can't really do palm-strikes, ridge-hand strikes, hammer fists, knife-hand strikes when wearing whatever OZ. sized gloves. Kenpo is meant for the bare knuckle street confrontation and the pattern of attacks are not conducive for competitive ring combat. Also--- has anyone posed to you, or any "bro" beating the shit out of everything at an MMA school: What would YOU do if somebody bear hugs you, grab your hair, pull you from your wrist, choke you with two-hands.... ? You see what I'm getting at? Everybody's so busy dumping on Kenpo for its "unrealistic" strike defense. At least it offers responses against street attacks. Are you trained to handle 'wild' street situations for when someone chokes from the front or behind, from a grab or a headlock?? My guess is that whatever "Combat" or "MMA" gym out there, there's no handle on real world defense scenarios. And if there is-- - I'm guessing they are pulling from a Traditional system...... So here we are again back at Square One. Half of what Kenpo is training against are grabs-- hair, shirt, shoulder, wrist and grabs from behind or chokes. Much of the criticism against Kenpo is really apples to oranges

I mean, as a blanket counterpoint to your argument. The techniques are in fact meant to train muscle memory for specific motions/blocks/strikes/etc. At least in my dojo, we also consistently drill strikes, blocks, parries and more. Often sets and techniques incorporate these in some degree. In combination of the two, with frequent sparring, I find myself subconsciously blocking and striking much more efficiently because of the motions being drilled into me. And of course, full contact sparring (not necessarily point based) more and more will absolutely help you flourish in fighting. I totally respect your opinion, but calling something the "CrossFit" of something is insanely disrespectful, and I feel you didn't understand the core of what the techniques are meant to develop.

I am a 3rd Dan in IKCA Kenpo under Sifu Greg Payne. Kenpo can be more simplified than the most practiced, Ed Parker's American Kenpo. That's what IKCA Kenpo is. It is Kenpo in a more raw form. It has all the same principles and concepts of American Kenpo but does not repeat them over and over again within its techniques and form. That isn't to say that American Kenpo is wrong or bad. But yes, there's a lot of stuff drawn out. When you break the concepts into their simplest forms, it's extremely good. Similar words can be found in other responses in this thread. In addition to my Kenpo I was also taught a form of street applicable Judo. That means less throws and techniques that emphasized being on the floor for extended periods of time and relying on garments to hold. This blend of Judo fit very nicely with my Kenpo. To this day it is very useful. I worked security and bouncing and later with youth in an alternative to detention program. I've had plenty of opportunities to use and evaluate the effectiveness of my training. However, with that said, I never have been to a point where I have had to pull out my striking ability. My grappling had been enough. What has come into play were knowledge of principles of motion, autonomic responses to stimulus, and awareness honed in Kenpo training. I'm a believer in you need both striking and grappling. Need pants and long sleeves if you're in the cold. The other thing I believe as a Kenpo guy or self-defense practitioner is that body toughening, strength training is also very necessary for self-defense purposes when learning striking arts. That means developing bones to be able to hit and also be hit, muscle and aerobic fitness to have stability, stamina and the not-so-simple confidence to survive. To me, techniques mean very little if you are brittle. This applies to all arts. Your sword don't matter if you can't pick it up and swing through your targets. Osu

_Martial arts in self-defense no matter the style is about instinct reaction, where your body learns to respond to an attackers attack position, Constant repetition of your body, responding to an attackers attacks directions toward you using multiple techniques._ _Your body will autonomously respond to the repetition you’ve been practicing, the only thing you have to try not to do is think_

I agree with most everything you said. I'm not going to claim knowledge of other people that did unknown things. I'm going to tell you the one and only time I attempted to use a Kenpo technique in its entirety. I was in a bar in college and I used Five Swords on a guy that grabbed me and cocked back to throw a punch. It scared the crud out of me because I thought I killed him for a second. In other words, it worked. When I joined the military in my 20s I started training BJJ and MT. Admittedly, they are a lot more practical in terms of fighting and, unfortunately, I had opportunity to test them too frequently. However, I also found that the concepts I learned in Kenpo were practical and helpful in my study and application of other combat arts. In short, Kenpo techniques are effective against, as you said, unskilled and untrained opponents which, imo, are the vast majority of the people on this planet.

Ive just found your channel , I studied Kenpo for a few years going back to late eighties and into the nineties, I had a great teacher but haven’t practiced in years due to injuries, and two hip replacements and I always looked at it a workout and discipline, Crossfit is a good example ,street application wasnt something I was concerned with at the time, but I think any good martial artist in any style can apply some elements of they’ve learned in a simplified form to defend themselves if threatened. In my youth I bartender many places , and let’s face it most bar / street fights between people happen fast within three feet of each other in close quarters all the dojo stuff goes out the window , it’s act and react, a knee to the groin , elbow to the face or a takedown. this is a great discussion ,just curious s to what you style you advocate / teach ?

In Kenpo we understand and know that it is very difficult for us to use a technique that is seen in the videos, in a complete way. Your analysis missed or ignored something very important: Stage 3 of "Formulation". In Kenpo there are three well-defined stages through which the student goes through his learning. Stage 1 or embryonic stage (Ideal Situation, which is what practitioners are seen executing a complete technique with an immobile sparring), is the beginning of the training of a kenpoist. It is similar to the way a child learns to crawl, feel and grasp. The student learns to execute different foot maneuvers; stances, blocks, strikes in conjunction with standing and kicking. Here an ideal situation is simulated, although it will rarely happen like this in the lane, however it gives us an idea of ​​the different reactions of the opponent to our response to an attack. Here the student had a training base and was able to analyze an attack and a response to said situation. Stage 2 or mechanical stage (what if), is where the student learns the basic maneuvers to properly execute a self-defense or form, expanding on the fundamentals of stage one. When he combines the basics and incorporates them into self defense, he learns to move with great efficiency. In addition he learns to create and control distance, moving away or closer to an opponent. Here the student explores the "What - happens if" or "What if", the various dangerous situations and all the possibilities they contain for defense. Stage 3 or the spontaneous stage (Formulation), involves the development of an instinctive way of moving. Here in this stage the movements of the techniques learned and repeated infinitely by the student, are executed spontaneously. The student spontaneously blocks, kicks, punches, and checks in direct response to his opponent's actions. You can also spontaneously adjust or re-align the order of your techniques depending on how the attack progresses, this is a Formulation phase, in which you not only learn to analyze "what and if" but to adapt a technique during the course of an attack. For example, by inserting a technique into another, a new combination of basics is obtained, as a reaction to a certain attack. Here is a real fight in the street, where we must defend ourselves. We know that we will not execute the complete technique that we practice in the Dojo, but our movements are automatic to certain attacks and these movements are born from the 154 techniques that we have practiced for years by heart, it can be the complete technique or just the first blow of one, no it's known. What is correct is that being a flow of movements, we know how to chain and create the next attack, and the next one that will lead us to annul the opponent. In short, the development of Kenpo techniques encompasses years of training and understanding of the embryonic and mechanical phases, which gradually lead the student to the spontaneous phase. During this whole process, he will learn to move properly and manage his environment. He will also handle the concept of viewing a situation from three points of view; his own, that of the opponent and that of a third party outside the event (an observer or observer). To conclude, a good Kenpo student perfects and assimilates self-defense techniques through these phases or stages. Therefore, to analyze Kenpo only based on the observation of the execution of its 154 self-defense techniques, in Stage 1 of the "Ideal Phase", is to fall into ignorance (in the good sense of the word), or the lack of understanding of art. Greetings.

As my avatar suggests, I'm a longtime Kenpo practitioner and instructor. I've also done lots of other martial arts, including your "modern MMA" ones like BJJ, Judo, and Muay Thai. Like others have said, Kenpo techniques are training tools, like forms ("kata"). Each one is like a hypothetical "you could try this move in this situation" or "this could lead into that", similar to drills in sports. A big part of Kenpo is learning how to combine excerpts of different techniques or formulate your own on the fly, because it is expected that real attackers won't perfectly follow the script you learned in class.

It is amazing that how many times I have heard that a certain art does not work or is not effective art. People love to tell others that your art really won’t work and what they offer is better. That may not be the practice in this video. I have studied a few different martial arts in my days. I have studied over 45 years and I am willing to listen and learn up until the day I cannot train. Kenpo was my main art, then I trained in kung fu, jujitsu, boxing Shotokan karate because I wanted to be well rounded in my abilities to defend myself and my loved ones. I hear what you are saying about some of the kenpo techniques, for me they give me a foundation to choose how I will get out of a situation alive. I have used several kenpo technique’s in a fight and won And then I mixed my techniques from the other styles I learned, to stay alive. From you video I see kick boxing which I studied for a few years What happens when your in a choke hold kenpo taught me 12 different ways to get out of that situation along with the jujitsu I trained in. Every art has value it is up to the teacher and student to see what works best in any given situation. I am glad I trained in kenpo because I have a vast knowledge I can draw from as with the others I trained in. Thank you for making the video I think you should try the art first though before you criticize. Yes I know no one will stand there and allow someone to beat them senseless to finish a technique. That is common sense but truly understand the whys and the what’s Keep training and stay fit, it is getting tough out there

I am a lower rank in kenpo, but have studied several other forms of martial arts. I have used various martial arts in different live situations. It is amazing the ways a person reacts when the adrenaline kicks in. Kenpo is used as an advanced Method to Neutralize the situation. I'm not sure if you were using all of your video clips posted in your presentation as examples of what you would do in a street fight, but I'm sure that a Kenpo person at the same ability level would take out a person using style in a live situation. I would not use your style if someone attacked me on the street. I would use kenpo or krav maga.. I agree you could never use kenpo or crav maga in mma format, because they are to aggressive and can be permanent as far as the damage inflicted. It it is not designed for the ring but for the street. It is very unintelligent for you to say that an opponent will stand there while you do a set of moves on you on the streets. One strike to the groin or a backfist to the head while maintaining one's own coverage would just about do it. Obviously you have not studied the principles and techniques of Kenpo. I would make a list of them, but the list would be too long. Any 1-3 strikes in combination would immobilize or kill someone. Kenpo's intensity and combination of individual principles/ techniques can be raised or lowered to match the level of force and threat. Try it!

One of the best things about experiencing American Kenpo as taught by a talented instructor, is that you get videos such as this. American Kenpo ruly a diamond in the rough, as opposed to the countless McDojo's and corner shop 'mma' schools. The guy I know that teaches out of a garage, is a beast. The Tracy Kenpo school near our local Brookfield Zoo - an unfortunate slap-master dojo. Importantly, as with any martial art, physical ability, honest personal time spent being physically fit, is a pre-req to do well in any art. Understanding the fluidity of motion that puts a qualified kenpoist above most 1-2 stop hit karate stylists, takes a lot of discipline. For that reason alone, kenpo is just not a great art for a school that needs to make profit. Sadly.

This is my first time seeing a video from this channel. I'm an orange belt in Kenpo so this is an interesting take for me. I partially agree and disagree. I always figured the techniques are more like teaching coordination and how to flow, and that's where a Kenpo-ist might get an edge on someone who doesn't do Kenpo. Some of the techniques are responses to things that you won't have happen in a dojo or gym like someone grabbing your shirt, self defense situations. It's also as you said the techniques are broken down into smaller pieces that can be done in a real situation. My instructor will also tell me when a technique is more realistic vs less realistic, and when students of his have actually used it to defend themselves, so there are some cases of techniques being tested IRL. I do agree that some things aren't as necessary, or maybe draw out training, and I'd rather be sparring or hitting the bag. My instructor definitely emphasizes sparring though so that's good!

We had 7 Kenpo dojos within a 25 mile radius, each had Kumite on a different night. All students were allowed to go to the other dojo's Kumite night. If you wanted, you could fight every night of the week, with multiple different opponents. I liked that aspect of Kenpo in my area, plus our dojos were one price for the whole family. I don't believe any other martial art in the area had that available. One thing I will say is, when I was just a yellow-belt and at Kumite, my Brown-belt opponent (now 7th degree Black and Master of his own Dojo) showed me that striking is not everything. No matter how hard I tried, he was somewhere else every time I tried to strike him. He was very fast! You have already won, if they can't hit you.

I think Ron Van Clief said it better, martial arts suppose to free yourself, using your imagination to expand your learning. Martial art techniques work in theory, but very little in practice. When Rorion Gracie found the UFC in 1993, it was to test Gracie Jiu Jitsu at a functional level (expand the Gracie Challenge against more skilled fighters). The Gracie Challenge showed a lot of Black belts their limitations because they were stuck in a system, not freeing themselves to cross train and relearning (example: a martial art instructor wrote an article about their experience after participating in the Gracie Challenge back in the early 90's). Fred Ettish (who participated in UFC 2) was actually in a depression after finding out how limited his martial art was in a cage going against Johnny Rhodes that had a Karate background also and was an amateur boxer. Keith Hackney was a Kenpo representative in the Early UFC, but had an amateur boxing background, trained in wrestling, Tang Soo Do, and Taekwondo. He didn't limit himself to one style. I seen Kenpo instructor Larry Tatum martial art demos which techniques work in theory, but not in functional fighting. A lot of Dunning Kruger Effect (Martial Art McDojos) in the world of martial arts in terms of sticking to one system, and not freeing yourself to learning other systems.

I’m a second degree black in kenpo. I agree with this video to a certain point. The technique s aren’t really useless. I actually had to use it one of my techniques in real life experience. It is called scimitar . Using the higher advanced techniques too be honest it’s not really going happen. For me kenpo is a good foundation into martial arts I my opinion. I apply kenpo and the lessons I’ve learned from friends who study boxing ,kickboxing, judo, MMA, and Taekwondo. Sparring with and doing actually full contact fights with them to learn how to apply everything in a real world situation against experience fighter. Going against a real fighter chances everything and makes you adopt immediately. The chances you being attacked by experience fighter is low. Most of the time it will be people that aren’t fighters attacking you. Muggers, drunks, people who think talk a lot but can’t back it up, idiots doing the knock out game ...etc Well at least here in south Florida. But to say I’m going to end in fight with Conor McGregor , Jon Jones, Mike Tyson that’s not going to happen.

Well said. I have to agree with a lot of your video. I spend many years in Shaolin Kempo and I have to say there was a big focus on punch techniques. Everyday we went over these techniques knowing that they would not work on the street. A couple years ago I found John Hackleman, The Pit Hawaiian Kempo and I have to say his system of Kempo is the best Kempo system I have ever seen. His system is very practical and he doesn't waist your time with silly punch techniques. He teaches you how to fight and defend yourself with very short practical techniques that work.

I'm a tae kwon do and hapkido 4th dan,went to several open tournaments where i sparred kenpo practitioners and all that fancy slapping they do in their forms was never used during the fight,so...why do they even learn those techniques if they don't use them when it matters??

look up Roger Carpenter, he was a kenpo practitioner who dominated in free sparring fight competitions.

The statements in your video are valid. I am a 4th Degree Black Belt in Kenpo with 49 years of daily training. The version of Kenpo I practice is from the James Mitose lineage through Adriano Emperado, Marino Tiwanak, Florentino Pancipanci and John Redmon. Our sequences are far less complex than those that Ed Parker created. I think a student could become overwhelmed and confused in a self defense situation if their mind is glutted with dozens of sequences. We were taught to practice formal sequences, but to also form a few of our own individual self defense techniques from those sequences and practice those until they become automatic reactions. The self defense techniques should be very simple and straight-forward because an attacker is not going to stand still for the defender to run through his sequence. They will be in constant, unpredictable motion. Our formal sequences are mostly to practice the flow of techniques, power, breathing, tempo and balance.

I did kempo for around 3 years, achieved 1st degree brown belt. And I appreciate and agree with a lot of what you said. One thing I ran into a lot was kempo/kenpo students and teachers is a strict holding to the idea that we are somehow more skilled than the average mugger which to me is foolish, the first thing you should assume in a self defense situation is that the attacker probably has had prior experience fighting (I'd imagine if you turned to mugging to make ends meet you probably grew up fighting your way to survive in rougher areas). My teacher once explained it to me that the point of kempo and styles like it are meant to focus on what he described as "chambering" and how each movement of your body should be used to set up the following strike or block (or grab). Is American kenpo and effective martial art? I would say a majority of the schools teaching it aren't, but once in a while you do find someone who goes off the kenpo dogma and teaches you something worth while.

I have to say I’m a American Kenpo practitioner myself , I understand what Mr . Dan is saying and also agree with you with most of the things you’ve said in this video. I have to what bothers me the most about kenpo is that we the basics to teach students how to use them in a way you see how boxers or mma guys train. That’s something that even my own kenpo people don’t realize. We have what it’s called freestyle techniques and it’s a shame that kenpo doesn’t utilize a lot of Mr. Parker had taught us . Parker expressed the in kenpo we have basics, self defense techniques and freestyle sparring or or fighting simulations, like I’ve seen in a Gracie jujitsu school that was once in for a short time. I believe is more about the practitioner, then the art

So I stumbled on a Kajukenbo channel, that you were on and I saw in the comments you linked here. Those videos were a couple years old, so after watching your newest videos, do you not teach Kajukenbo anymore?

10 years learning Kenpo with a 3rd degree black belt. One aspect of the martial art that doesn't get the respect it deserves is the philosophical aspect. I was taught to avoid conflict whenever possible. I got into 7 conflicts on the street that escalated into a fist fight. Each time, I ran away as fast as I could. I always got away because I did sprints almost every day. I never got to use my Kenpo, but I like to think that it would have come in handy if I wasn't able to run away.

I just watched a video of Elvis doing a kenpo demonstration. Some one said this is proof Elvis was a black belt. Some one else said the Elvis demonstration was an embarrassment. I landed on this video to learn more about kenpo. After watching this video, I am convinced kenpo is an ineffective martial art form. This video was well done and explained "WHY" kenpo is "NOT" effective for self-defense. Thanks and looking forward to watching your other videos. Cheers!

I trained kenpo during my teenage years and earned a black belt in the system, I can 100% confirm what you expressed in the video. The kenpo techinques are completely unrealistic and don´t teach you actual fighting, I ended up switching to BJJ which I have been training for about 5 years (BJJ blue belt currently), even as a 2 stripe white belt I had already learned much more about actual fighting than in my years in kenpo.

I'm a 2nd Dan in Kenpo, I went a much different way after that . There are certain things I still LOVE about Kenpo and even use . My take is first, it's not so much that it's to use against untrained people as it is to be used within a certain window of time. BEFORE things turn into a squared off fight . You go from 0 to 100 and and apply constant pressure so the attacker never gets a chance to recover . I think thats a solid concept for any style. Second , I find it a fascinating way to pass on an art , by teaching formalized techniques . As an amateur historian I would love to know where some of them really come from, and stuff like that . I look at Kenpo like this now: It's a library full of short stories that I can pull off a shelf , have a read , and see if theres a concept or moral there that I can apply to my everyday practice. But thats because of all that I learned AFTER I took Kenpo . I'm not bound to the movements at all now because I'm not seeking rank. All I care about is the reaction they can cause against my opponent . It would be fun to take 5 different martial artists and teach them the same technique then have them break it down it do it their own way . My biggest complaint besides a lot of the independent arm movements and overly complicated footwork was the lack of repetitive drills like you see in many other arts . For me those are what help me actually apply what I do in free form . But then I've only trained in one Kenpo style at 1 school so I'm far from an expert on how it's done elsewhere.

There are many great lessons to be learned with kenpo..flow, chambering your blocks/hits...move to strike ratios..endless variations...ect...but I added Wetzel silat training and some reality training and found that my Parker kenpo changed for the better...kenpos stances are too wide and the footwork is to clunky and lessen the techniques..i use kenpo hands with compressed silat/ Kung fu footwork for the springy leg energy and leg sectoring..which then u would kinda be looking at kuntao I guess...I think it's all about blending...being about to show different aspects...for me it's kenpo hands, Kung fu striking, aikido joint manipulation, silat footwork and takedown, sweeps, selective kicking, close quarter knees and elbow technique...ect....not staying so loyal to one system to where your locked in(a lot of kenpo kinda promotes that tbh)..ultimately I think kenpo needs to be modernized and trimmed up to be a leaner and meaner system. But really, cross training in the arts is where it's at..imo

I think that the solution to the problems you mentioned is well directed sparring sessions, Mr. Raney had us do a lot of sparring, and it helped me (even though I was trying not to notice it ) to see how effective Kenpo Karate can be in a real fight.

There is a million different styles of Kenpo. Some are just hand techniques. Some are very legitimate kickboxing styles. You need to train in everything to get a good understanding of everything, really

Studied Kajukenbo under a teacher who was also a musician. He would often say that scales and theory are vital, but that isn't where the music is.

Ed Parker, much like the Gracies with BJJ, developed his style by taking it to the streets and pressure testing it for real. Since his passing I'm sure some Kenpo school have suffered from McDojo infection but calling it the CrossFit of MA is incredible ignorant and disrespectful. I've seen Kenpo work for real, no it didn't take 15 strikes to do it but that's all part of learning flow and coordination. much like in certain Chinese and Filipino arts.

I've done Security for many years. My art is Kajukenbo. I've seen kenpo guys that were good and bad in various situations. At the end of the day it's not about the art at all, the only way to learn how to fight is by fighting.

It might of been just me, but when I trained for 2 years and ended on blue belt training, my instructor used different variations of sparring. One method was called the 1-2-3 method, where I would do 3 offensive moves, and they would react with 3 blocks simultaneously. Then what ever position we landed in we would freeze in. From there we would switch and then they would do 3 offensive moves well I would block all 3. He said the idea was to start training the brain to think quicker and ahead of time for your next 3 moves and from there you would mix portions of one technique with another all depending on the position the other would be in. Since in real life people won't always swing how you want when you hit them and all. I didn't realize this wasn't a normal approach from traditional dojo's when it came to training with Kenpo(I was trained by someone who obtained their black belt through one on one classes)

As a student of Kenpo on and off for almost 30 years I can understand this point of view. I have always looked at techniques at lower belt levels as actual self-defense technique someone grabs your shoulders from behind you instinctively move a certain way. I also think it teaches you body mechanics how body parts move or doesn't move and how to move somebody. I work in a job where you have to put hands on people, some of the body mechanics I've learned in Kenpo work. Now I have to admit I have never performed Dance of Death out in the field, but basic arm bars and shoulder locks, yes. My problem came when I got up past green belt, I felt like some of the techniques were getting flashier for the sake of being flashy. Twist stances = Nope. Middle knuckle punches, why not just punch. Or some crazy reverse crescent kick to the kidney when a much simpler and more effective kick to opponents knee would suffice, it just doesn't look as cool. I have also taught people self defense basic strikes and was blown away on how many grown adults could not make a proper fist and throw punch using their body. SO any martial art that gets you moving and learning the basics is great. IF a technique gets you moving I think your ahead of the guy who just freezes up.

Fact is with Kenpo they say their techniques teach you how to deal with every attack but they don’t not at all….there’s so many vital moves they don’t teach you how to defend against. Leg kicks very basic no defence for them and it’s not even hard a basic Muay Thai check, elbows again no defence from that close range same with knees those are very basic attacks any thug can do yet Kenpo this big bad ultimate self defence art has nothing to stop them. Another one head butts or clinch defence. Not silly bear hugs but the proper Muay Thai clinch again no defence and then of course there’s the whole ground game so yeah for these reasons a basic mma fighter will destroy most Kenpo guys because a lot of their best stuff Kenpo can’t defend against

Kenpo techniques are not Kenpo, they are examples of it, and not always the best examples. Good instructors know this, but there are LOTS that say “the techniques work as taught”.

I’m an ex boxer and coach also a kempo practitioner of many years so allow me to say that kempo or kenpo either and boxing techniques have worked very well for me working as a security specialist on the streets as an effective street self defense period!!!!! I owe my very life to kempo and my k9

The problem with determining if they work against a sparring opponent is each technique in a series requires a result in order for the next move to make sense. If the first strike to the chin, for instance, fails to tilt the head, the follow up move would make sense an you would need to change. In sparring, you would not hit your partner for real in order to get the autonomic response. The real point of practicing the chain of techniques is to train your body to use endless variety in angles and techniques until your attacker is finished. In reality, if the first move is successful, the follow up moves won’t be req

First note: there is different types of kenpo . Kenpo karate is one of the most effective material arts because of its aggressiveness IN fighting, not all kenpo but at least the kenpo karate I do, is named on of the most agressive. “Be there first and last to move” you go into the fight and you will be the orn who has the last move (winning obviously) I’m a top student and a school champion for a reason, I’ve gone against many different dojo’s and different types of material art. I’ve never lost to any different material arts except another kenpo student. I’m not going to be specific because I don’t want a whole arguement in my comments. But most really suck now days which make people underestimate material arts. Yes of course our master has us doing the same thing over n over to get better at it, why? Because disciple is a huge part with it, it’s not the biggest, the biggest is to harm your enemy and we always do, but disciple is needed. I’ve used it against many random kids, 3 At once even, 2 grown men, those in real life situations and ofc many tournament matches. Don’t underestimate it if you don’t know it well.

I've done Kenpo for a number of years and I think it's a good style for teaching basic fundamentals such as fluidity and controlling an opponents movements. That said if I were to be in a fight I'd fall back on a style such as Boxing for it's relative simplicity. But that's just me.

I agree with you on that brother. The kenpo punch counters I learned in Kajukenbo didn't have 12 punches to 1 but I still feel that they are not practical. 3 strikes to 1 seems a bit more practical then 12. But set drills like those make peoples mind clouded with thoughts when the focus should be on reacting to what your opponent gives you. I remember trying to pull off punching defense #6 and getting parts of it like maybe 1 out of 4 times when sparring because you can't predict your opponents strikes. The punch coutners are a little better then doing solo kata forms but are still crap. Like you said it's better to Isolate the technique, add to the single technique with a few more building a combo then flow drill it. The focus should be on free flowing combos of Jujitsu & Kickboxing after you have learned the basic single techniques. I like how you said sparring drills and lots of them. We got to cut the crap and learn the basics.

The entire purpose of Kenpo‘s techniques are to teach a set of principles. Controlling the distance, angle, spatial relation are some of the first concepts. Additionally, the techniques are designed to instill one’s coordination enough to defend and counter attack, thereby seizing control of the situation as it unfolds. Every technique has an entry, a follow up, and finishing moves or takedowns in some cases and every Kenpo student understands that the technique is designed to teach how to flow through these different phases of a self-defense situation smoothly without stopping, without hesitation and without allowing the opponent to regain the advantage. Furthermore, the techniques do teach multiple defenses of the same attack but since it is never taught that one must use a technique as it is taught but simply understand the principles that it teaches as well as build the coordination of flowing from one move to the other next without pause or hesitation therefore increasing speed, we are able to gain and retain the advantage open to the point of takedown but that the way we practice it doesn’t necessarily mean any real world situation will unfold exactly as any technique is taught. One may do the entry from one technique but because of the attacker reacting to particular strikes or counter strikes differently, skills learned across an entire scope of techniques simply allow one to flow with what is happening in the moment. The way we get around Hicks Law, which is the principle where in too many choices creates inaction is that the techniques are drilled to the point of being almost subconscious reactions infused with muscle memory. When you take in to consideration that Kenpo has plenty of various drills used to build spontaneity and that we also practice grafting where in you use completely spontaneous reactions working from the principles taught from techniques without actually using a full technique in its ideal phase, you begin to produce a martial artist that can operate benefiting from all the principles and concepts Kenpo has the offer without the restrictions of trying to move within established routines. Essentially, our techniques, sets and forms are a vehicle or the essence of the art is learned and practiced to get the student to a destination but Kenpo in its purest form is an always will be an instantaneous and spontaneous reaction to a threat we’re in the students movements and counters are instinctive yet appropriate for the unique threat they are being presented with at the time they’re attacked. By comparison there are martial arts out there that expect their self defense techniques, which may be less complex than ours, be used as is from start to finish. That is not the purpose of our techniques. Our techniques are a teaching tool and the only Kenpo artists that truly need to memorize all of them are the ones who want to turn around and teach the art as they were taught. To be a skilled practitioner, one only memorize the techniques they’re going to be tested on and then typically forgets the specifics of the technique until it comes around again but learns everything it has to offer and principles and concepts. Another way at looking at the way I Kenpo technique unfolds is that many of the more advanced principles and concepts are the way that these techniques are designed to control an opponent. It’s not just a barrage of speed striking but each and every target and follow up target have a degree of specificity as that each target and strike creates a reaction in the opponent which feeds the next action of the Kenpo artist. Many have described Kenpo as controlling the opponent in away somewhere that jujitsu does but utilizing strikes instead of grappling.

If you were to modify Kenpo techniques so they were more directly applicable to fighting, does it more closely resemble another martial art now?

I'd like to see a KZfaq video of this guy vs Mr Dan . I'm sure his perspective would be changed.

I studied Kempo in New Zealand and Australia from the 80s to early 2000s, at a school which incorporated early Parker Kenpo techniques. They were far simpler than what you see now, in most instances a block/check/joint manipulstion/throw and one or two strikes. A lot of them like x-block come from old JuJitsu self defence techniques, others from applying karate basics and kata like Naihenchi/Tekki Shodan. It is unsuprising since Parker credited James Mitose with introducing them in Hawaii in "Infinite Insights into Kenpo 1" and we now know that it is likely that he learned from Motobu Choki, who used similar techniques in his Kenpo. You can see a lot of the techniques in photos in the later volumes of the Infinite Insights series. Five swords was the only exception, a block and six strikes. It was a good way to practice the body movements for a rapid flurry of effective techniques as targets present. I find the techniques coming out in sparring at the Krav Maga school I most recently trained at. I did a session with Speakman and got the impression that he may be responsible for introducing a lot of the complexity. He did however emphasise that he considered the techniques exercises in movement and he also highlighted the need for good basics from stance, to encourage power. In doing so he related that Parker had taken him and three other senior students aside befire he died, and instructed them to reemphisise stances. Apparently he was concerned that to many instructors were teaching speed at all cost, which had resulted in techniques that are almost meaningless. All in all the 80s era Kempo thst I learned has served me well, I can match it in sparring with the senior students in other schools that I have trained with and have self defence solutions for most unarmed standing attacks. I have successfully defended myself on a couple of occasions, so I know it works. Krav has given me far better weapons defences and groundwork though, but you dont get the same cultivation of power that you get in Kempo and other Karate schools.

When I started American Kenpo in 1984 my instructor, a Vietnam combat vet, told me he was not going to teach me how to fight but teach me how not to fight. Different intent and mindset then that of someone who is training to fight. I asked Mr. Parker about the martial art of Kenpo. He told me Kenpo is not a martial art. Kenpo is a means of self defense. Larry Tatum mentioned something to the effect that he could train someone to defend themselves within a couple or few weeks. As mentioned by one of the commenters, there are other benefits beyond just "fighting". My instructor wouldn't just take changes that Parker would pass along through the schools until he had pressure tested it. I notice a like practice with my current balintawak instructor, a Spec. Ops combat vet. Like my Kenpo training, the pressure testing happens in class when we feel it. Interesting perspectives you have though. I feel it's good to learn from others who are experienced outside our own bubble of knowledge. Thank you I know that my Kenpo training has helped me avoid physical confrontations. Being that I have minimal physical confrontational experience I wanted to find people in Kenpo who have used it in confrontations to hear what they had to say, not someone critiquing from watching videos. There are police officers, including an undercover narcotics officer, US Boarder Patrol agent, Army combat vets, and US Marine combat vets who all mention how Kenpo saved their lives. One pretty consistent mention though was that they needed to adapt their Kenpo for the circumstances, which we learn to do in our training. Adapt for what the situation dictates. A police officer's mission is obviously different from a military combat soldier. An example for civilians compared to a police officer's mission is the civilian tries to avoid the threat. If that doesn't or isn't going to work, stop the threat and escape if safe to do so. Secure the assailant if necessary and safe. Typically a police officer engages the threat to subdue if necessary. Their rules for engagement are different then a civilians. This means the Kenpo practitioner needs to adjust to the mission or situation as is the case for any type of life protector skill training. Thanks for supporting and engaging in discussion on this topic.

Ed Parker student Steve Golden, one of the “kempo defectors” who left him for Bruce Lee, made a comparison of the arts I’m probably mangling, lol, but made sense to me. He said where JKD was about figuring out simple answers to whatever problems presented themselves in a combat situation, kenpo was about memorizing a detailed answer to every possible combat problem. He was very diplomatic by not saying one way was better than another, just different, but I know which one I’D pick, lol.

Well I suggest that our techniques are not meant to be used exactly as taught but they are designed to give us options to adjust if in a fight. Yes many of our techniques are complicated and require repetitious practice to master. But the idea is to practice over and over to condition a reflex reaction for defense or attack from various angles and situations.

Kenpo’s lineage is a descendant of Lua-Kajukenbo- Sayoc Kali (Dan Inosanto descendant) and all these Are templates. Parker addressed this with flow. “Be like water my friend, is like the cup and water becomes the cup. Be water my friend. “ It’s like shadow boxing. Done regularly in Boxing Kick boxing Muay Thai. It is to create muscle memory. Multiple strikes to try and overload the opponent and to not allow them to respond.

Having practiced Kenpo mixed martial arts in my 20’s in the nineties, I can say even when learning them back then I realized the full techniques would not work in real life. But pulling off 1-3 moves can be possible. Many of the single moves are designed to destroy an opponent’s arm or other vital areas. Its stance work has saved me many times falling and even dominating a mosh pit in my youth. It’s a great foundation.

Uh...you said Kenpo techniques are "defined as a long sequence of techniques" . That's not a definition. That's a description. Also, your argument re martial artists being skilled amateurs is false. When we say martial arts are for dealing with ruffians...we aren't talking about either martial artists or Pro fighters. We are talking about people who've never trained a day in their lives ..the majority of people. You can't randomly create a definition and say, "Oh Kenpo doesn't address the definition..I just created... therefore it doesn't work." That's not fair ...it's intellectually dishonest. Also talking about sequence and asking if a sequence will apply in a real situation is kinda unfair. I can put together a sequence in any activity as a training excercise...people have direct experience with things like that in science labs in school. A physics lab is sequence of tasks that is put together to impart knowledge of and practice in the application of physics principles. Now, when we apply physics in our daily lives will we do everything as we did in that lab? Probably not. We'd probably apply individual techniques from that sequence. The ones that best apply to the situation or the ones we understand the best It's unfair to suggest that a sequence doesn't work because a person doesn't apply the sequence as is. I might watch someone shadow box and decide to copy them to better appreciate shadow boxing . But if I step in a ring there's no way that I'll use that sequence as is...in the way that it was done....I'll most likely pick things from the sequence that applied...maybe I'll be slipping punches ..or maybe I'll work my jab. But there's no way that I'll do the entire sequence blindly to a live opponent. The sequence is just a textbook and I take what I need from it..when I need it. Another thing you're missing is that the techniques in sequence probably aren't meant to apply to long range fighting. Lots, most techniques done in Karate/Kung Fu forms are meant to be done in grappling style combat . So if you're going to apply them to long range combat ....some modification is necessary. Also ...when we learn boxing... we'll learn jabs...hooks.. whatever...we may find that the way we punch in practice might be a little different from the way we apply the technique..nothing wrong with that. I think that's normal...we adjust to situations.

Man I really appreciate the discussion and points you covered so clearly in this vid. Thank you so much for sharing such a valuable perspective on this branch of martial arts. I trained as a kenpo martial artist for over 4 years and loved my instructor. These points all ring true to a degree and are fascinating to ponder.

As for forms in the kenpo system. Forms are choreographed dance like routines that have offensive and defensive postures that can be practiced alone or with a partner. Choreographed says it all.

Kenpo works for me. Yes I have scars.

As a Kenpo black belt, this makes so much sense, I really love how educated and articulated your ideas are on this! Made me think outside the box!

It is funny though how quickly a sparring session gets paused after someone takes a kick to the balls or a limb gets hyperextended.

How does the kenpo differ in kajukenbo? Is it not taught with set techniques?

The dojo where I trained Kenpo 5.0 is with drills, kata's, forms, combat models, conditioning and sparring. The sparring was fullcontact though but not full force ofcourse more like 70 % but sometimes harder though. 😉 5.0 stands for the times the kenpo evolved because of the different styles of fighting. Kenpo 5.0 will learn you how to fight standing and how to fight on the ground with bjj. There are many types of kenpo. Jeff Speakman the guy in the video is more badass than he looks. He always said: To hear is to doubt, to see is to be decieved but to feel is to believe .

Most people spend time talking about the techniques, to me ultimately it comes down to timing.

The argument that Kenpo/Kung Fu/Krav/Wing Chun/ etc. doesn't work aways breaks down in the simple defining of sparring versus real world defense. There are a ton of black belts that are great point fighters that have never fought a real street fight. Things on the street happen so fast and with such random violence that it can take even the most trained dojo fighter by surprise. Simple grappling moves along with boxing/kick boxing is the best combo out there to prepare for a real fight. Most of the rest is just patty-cake for points.

Kenpo, TKD, boxing, bjj as well as Japanese jujitsu , Judo, Aikido. It all works. How you practice is the question. You can water down any art. And you can make any art street efficient if you train it that way.

The base forms and movements relate to situations and thus the kata is not used in full or many times even in part but in an actual altercation only the base forms, blocking strikes and holds are effective. Really it's just wether you're actually sparring or just doing kata. A yellow belt who spars every day is a better fighter than a black belt that only perfects kata.

The opening of this alone shows a complete ignorance of Kenpo. Frank Trejo had real world experience as well as an extensive ring resume. I have been in several real world situations as part of my on and off line of work. It works, but just like all other arts, including the flavor of the month everyone says is invincible, there are good and bad schools. Kenpo is taught like a language. If you don't train it that way you're no better than a 9 yo blah blah blah black belt. At least Master Ken is funny.

Stephen Thompson uses Kenpo skills in his fights in MMA. He moves with displacements of Kenpo.

My definiition of a Parker Kenpo technique: A series of moves against a specific line or lines of attack to illustrate one or more principles of motion. I agree w ArtofOneDojo that they can also be thought of as katas. The idea for me is to drill the moves until the become extemporaneous. Because of the complexity of the concepts it takes some time, but once understood these concepts can be applied to any martial art, which I did during the 1990's when I spent much time giving Kenpo seminars to various schools of other systems. Like some others sharing their experience here, my own includes security work, bouncing in a bar, MMA competition, law enforcement, and military. In each of these instances applying and teaching the principles of motion found in Kenpo was met with much success. When I saw my first Kenpo class with Huk Planas I'd already spent 15 years studying threee different styles of martial arts. This background allowed me to appreciate the sophistication of the Kenpo system all the more and I remember thinking this is what I've been looking for. I have gone on to study other systems including BJJ and Kali, but always find that incorporating the principles of Kenpo shores up any gaps. I once asked Dan Inosanto in 1988 which martial art he thought was the best and his response was basically the one that worked best for the individual. I think this is a truism. Enjoy the Journey...

I got my black in kenpo it’s not a perfect martial art there’s definitely things that would never work and I agree with some things you said however I have learned a lot of things that would work from kenpo and if I had to go back in time and learn it all over again I still would there’s lots of valid things in it you just have to have a filter and decide what you like and what works for you that’s how my instructor explained it to me

He's thinking too hard about this. I'm a black belt in Kenpo and the technique is meant to be an exercise, not meant for a street fight. It's meant to give you an idea of what you can/should do if you're in a scenario.

When picking apart a specific style that you don't practice you risk sounding foolish. It is never the style, it is the fighter.

Been doing Kenpo for 15 years, am a 2nd degree black belt, instructor, and student. It’s important to remember the techniques are the founding blocks. U will never use them piece for piece like u said. However in order to throw a punch u need to know how. The journey to black belt in making those founding blocks. It’s my belief that I really didn’t start to learn Kenpo until I reached my black belt, when I had those blocks to work off of. At my studio, the black belts will practice but we will do it spontaneously, u have to think on ur feet, maybe they do throw multiple attacks and u have to act on it. The techniques are the founding blocks that will help u understand the art, u use those blocks to further ur learning and become better

Alot of it can work if it's pressure tested. Hesitation becomes a learned response when you're being hit in the face. Thing is when you spar full contact people tend to think you have to go all in. You don't sparing at 50 to 60 percent power is more than enough. Especially when you shouldn't be trying to put everthing into an attack you're unsure will land. Spar more. Use what works lose what doesn't and done be afraid to get beaten, That's a good lesson on it's own.

I hold the rank of 5th Dan in Kenpo. I agree with what you are saying, there are other more realistic ways of training. What I teach is Kickboxing and practical self-defense, and I added a belt ranking system: White, Yellow, Green, Brown, Black. I call it Freestyle Kickboxing.

Yes Kenpo works, but it’s only once piece of the pie. Kenpo is literally the Krav Maga of traditional martial arts, meaning it was created for use in war. And yes you can use it against trained fighters. But Kenpo still has its holes like every art. I have been a student of the Tracy system of Kenpo since the 90’s. I have used this art throughout my life in altercations. Always works just as it was intended to.

I spent 5 years or so as an assistant instructor in a major Kenpo school. I will say that learning kenpo was amazing and it has served me well in a few minor scuffles against trained and untrained fighters. The trained fighter is a long story but in short was an ego driven want to be ufc fighter and we ended up sparring. He was much larger and stronger but he had crap footwork and I ended up choking the guy out ( I was 120lbs and 5'6 he was around 5'10 and plenty of muscle) and the other was just a brief bar brawl where my footwork again came in handy and got me out of a few guys trying to jump me. That said, I have never felt fully confident as someone who could fight. We endlessly learned and drilled and even did sparring but I feel a well trained fighter in jiu-jitsu would probably hand my ass to me. Not to say Kenpo couldn't be effective but man, they really spend too much time with the art and not enough time teaching you how to actually fight. Sorry this was long winded, just on my 10 minute break. P.S. I think it was Chuck Liddel or something like that who was a UFC champ who trained in Kenpo as well other arts so.. it clearly has merrit, if even as a supplemental skill, I would think?

I've always thought that doing 4 or 5 strikes was done so that I would not get in the bad habit of just stopping after the first counter strike.

I believe also that it depends on the individual. My friend practices Tiger kung fu, Wushu and Feng Shou (Hans of the wind). He had about 10 street fights and fights in pubs and fights in the ring an he has never lost. He did extract portion of katas and use that in fights and it worked. But we trained for survival and not sport. We spar, do wights, bag work and train in self defense and we hot and get hit.

Your cross training reference is MORE than adequate. You're CORRECT. EXACTLY CORRECT but I learned to use our choreographed techniques as a WELL to draw water from not a blueprint. Incidentally GSP, Chuck Liddell, Ron Vanclief, Benny Urquidez and Steve Muhammad are Kempo jutsu trained as was Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto. YOU MAKE WHATEVER TF YOU do effective or not styles and systems don't mean shit. A punch is a punch a kick is a kick irregardless and in the BEST Kempo jutsu schools you WILL BLEED. I don't GAF what someone else who NEVER used Kempo jutsu SD to literally save their ASS your opinion means NOTHING to me. ALL genuine article martial arts and sciences have merit and VALUE. 🙏🏼🐉🐅

I did Kenpo for a while in my teenage years (which was in the 90s). I have never needed to fight, and don't plan to. What I learned in kenpo I still think about today. The way my brain thinks about movement in general was altered. It's like with every movement I see this geometric process. Even doing non fighting things like opening doors or picking things up, I still think about how efficient my movement was. It's like it's built in and I wouldn't have it any other way. My instructor taught me that a real expert in kenpo, or any martial art (the dragon) fears what it can do, which is why we walk away. Jail is a pretty good deterrent too. One time a guy named John Sepulveda came by. He was like a 6th degree black belt or something. I never really knew if the kenpo super fast strikes actually hurt or not. He wasn't exactly totally in shape, but he moved like the flash and all the hits hurt when he demonstrated on me. He was probably holding back too since I was like 16. But it was like I didn't even see him move and I was already hit 3 times. If you can explode like that and move with that kind of speed and accuracy I'm sure you could do some instant damage.

Thanks for this thorough and informative video. People might disagree with your conclusions (I don’t) but no can reasonably disagree with your reasoned and systematic analysis.

It's a brave video you have made. But, I agree with you. I have trained in Wing Chun, Muay Thai and Goju Ru Karate. Over a 15 year period . To be fair I never really " mastered " any of those. I learned a few techniques and did some sparring. But, in the back of my mind was, if I come up against a Big experienced boxer, I'm screwed. Now I am 50years old in good shape, and training with a real boxer one on one. I have learned more from this guy in such a short time, it's amazing. I would strongly recommend BJJ too as ground fighting is essential to know. Just my opinion and experience. I don't mean to disturb anyone.

How come most KENPO practicioners are MOSTLY ALL FAT BELLIED especially the advanced Blackbelts?

i agree with you partially ,all styles ,regardless of sport or self defense or combat arts ,how you train the style is important ,kempo can work ,but perhaps some have not trained to apply it ,then there are those that have . Even in boxing ,you can go to a boxing gym ,train ,bag work ,pad work ,speed bag,but never really spar ,no difference, both can get power ,speed ,conditioning ,but never apply it . its never a style its always the induvial .

lol, love the Bujinkan choreography comment. I've been in the Bujinkan 20+ years and I agree, most of it has become conceptual training and larping now. People used to be expected to go apply it in a lively form on their own but nobody does. Such a shame because there is some fantastic stuff in the system.

I agree with you. The problem is that in many martial arts there are instructors who seem realistic but actually respond with at least 2 moves on one of the opponent's. This is already unrealistic.

If you don't mind me asking, what is your background? Are you an MMA coach (This question is addressed to the person who made this video)?

This is only the third video I've watched by Combat Self Defense. All of the videos referred I watched to "Kenpo" and how it does/doesn't work. I think - THINK - you maybe are referring to American Kenpo? I say that because there is a discussion about techniques being 7-10 strikes/moves long and perhaps even being a standardized curricula, like "Kenpo technique 37" or something. I have studied Okinawa Kenpo for 15 years. Eleven years under one Sensei with a Grand Master, and 4 years under another Sensei, with a different Grand Master, They were very similar styles. It's just that Grand Master 1 and Grand Master 2 both happened to be students under Shiguru Nakimura and each started their own school. In both styles of Okinawa Kenpo I practiced, there is not a "preset" of techniques that are 7-10 movements. In fact, many of the self defense techniques are only 2-4 strikes; ocasionally 5. And from many MMA and Boxing matches I have watched, a 2-5 strike combo is not unrealistic - jab, jab, cross, uppercut. Also, in Okinawa Kenpo, there is not a plethora of different stances. Some of the examples shown in the video have the instructor going through 3-5 stances while doing their 7-10 strikes. I was always taught that you would move into a stance while doing your block/evade, and then do your strikes. Maybe - MAYBE - you might finish by stepping into the opponent with a final punch or cross thus having a second stance in your clash. If by "Kenpo" you are referring to American Kenpo and a style in which there are an inordinate number of strikes and kicks to a solitary punch, then I agree. That is a horrible way of learning self defense or fighting. But, I just think you might want to be clear about it being American Kenpo; as Okinawa Kenpo does not resemble in any way the thing you most protest about "Kenpo".

Question: Kenpo vs Kenpo... who would win? Answer: None. Both are waiting for the other to start so they can perform five swords, or raining claw, or shielding hammer...

Training in Kenpo ? Is mainly for Self Defense .. Could be as little as, maintaining distance ? Or striking someone in the leg ? Cross out n cover ?

I think that some look at a Karate technique too legalisticly and don't allow any room for modification. For instance I once had a sparring match with a kid named Jaime ( pronounced high-meh ), he attacked me with a barrage of ridge hand strikes ( they looked like round house punches one usually sees in a street fight) which I blocked with modified outward extended blocks . His arms were in so much pain that it really slowed him down for the rest of that session. By "modified" I mean instead of circling my arms in front of each other to perform these blocks, I just threw them out there from the on guard position.

I have a 3rd degree black belt in Kenpo, and I agree with everything you have said. I also train in BJJ. Kenpo has served me well in terms of reaction time, confidence, and situational control. Against untrained opponents, I wouldn't need anything else but Kenpo. The moment they are trained, my BJJ training comes into play.

_Martial arts is about instinct reaction, where your body learns to respond to an attackers attack position, Constant repetition of your body, responding to an attackers attacks directions toward you using multiple techniques._ _Your body will autonomously respond to the repetition you’ve been practicing, the only thing you have to try not to do is think_