American Kenpo

Also known as	Kenpo Karate, Ed Parker Kenpo, Ed Parker Kenpo Karate, American-style Karate[1]
Focus	Hybrid[2]
Country of origin	United States
Creator	Ed Parker[1]
Famous practitioners	Travis Fulton Ed Parker Jr. Benny Urquidez Forest Whitaker Elvis Presley[1] Christian Slater Dick Dale Joe Hyams Mark Arnott Jeff Speakman Stephen Thompson Thomas Ian Griffith[3] William Shatner
Parenthood	Kosho Shorei Ryu Kenpo,[1] Kara-Ho Kenpo,[1] Boxing,[1] Judo[1]
Descendant arts	Tracy Kenpo, American OkinawaTe, Kajukenbo
Olympic sport	No
Official website	International Kenpo Karate Association

American Kenpo Karate (/ˈkɛnpoʊ/), also known as American Kenpo or Ed Parker’s Kenpo Karate, is a martial art system developed and codified by Ed Parker in the United States during the mid-20th century.^[4][5] Parker organized a structured curriculum of striking techniques, forms, and self-defense methods that became widely taught through schools in the United States and internationally. The system is characterized by its emphasis on rapid striking combinations, self-defense techniques, and an evolving instructional framework.

The term kenpō (拳法), also romanized as kempō, is an English romanization of the Japanese reading of the Chinese characters (拳法), meaning “fist method” or “boxing method.” The same characters are read "kuen fat" in Cantonese and "quánfǎ" in Mandarin Chinese. In modern Chinese usage, (拳法) refers broadly to methods or techniques of boxing/striking and is regarded as a category of martial art rather than the name of a specific style.^[6] Similarly, in Japanese, kenpō historically referred any Chinese-derived boxing systems but, in contemporary Japanese, may in some contexts be used more broadly to refer to striking-based martial arts in general.^[7] The term appears in the names of several modern systems, including American Kenpo and Shorinji Kempo.

American Kenpo today lacks a standardized curricula across schools, due to various reasons:^[8]

• Parker's art evolved over time, so his students learned a different curriculum depending on when they studied with him.
• Many instructors left Parker before his later updates to the system.
• After Parker's death, various instructors changed the way the art was taught.

Parker did not name a successor as Senior Grandmaster of the IKKA.^[9] He instead entrusted his senior students to continue his teachings in their own ways, leading to the creation of several distinct derivative styles.^[10][11]

I come to you with only karate [meaning empty hands]. I have no weapons, but should I be forced to defend myself, my principles, or my honor, should it be a matter of life or death, of right or wrong, then here are my weapons -- karate, my empty hands.

Although each American Kenpo school differs in content and methodology, many basic principles, concepts, and theories remain the same. Some common elements are:

• "Marriage of Gravity" — Students are taught to settle their body weight to increase striking force.^[12]: 5
• Every block is a strike; every strike is a block — Blocks are meant to be directed and forceful enough to injure an opponent, decreasing their ability to continue an attack. Strikes counter an opponent's movement, reducing their ability to mount an attack.
• Point of origin — Any natural weapon is moved directly from where it originates, rather than cocking it before deploying it. This helps to eliminate the telegraphing of moves.
• Economy of motion — Practitioners should choose the best available target, choose the best available weapon, and choose the best open angle in the least amount of time to get the desired result.
• Personalization — Once students learn the lesson embodied in the "ideal phase" of the technique, they should search for an aspect tailored to their needs and strengths.

By the time of his death in December 1990, Parker had created eleven forms, three short and eight long.^{[citation needed]} He also created 154 named ideal phase technique sequences with 96 extensions, taught in three stages: Ideal Phase, What-if Phase, and Formulation Phase.^{[citation needed]}

The IKKA logo was designed by Dave Parker, Ed Parker's brother, in 1958. The design is meant to symbolically represent the art's modernized form while simultaneously acknowledging the roots of American Kenpo in traditional Chinese and Japanese martial arts.^[12]: 122

Tiger

The tiger represents the early stage of training through bravery, power, and physical strength. In this early stage, it is important to work on the basics (e.g., the horse stance) to prepare the body for later advancement.

Dragon

The dragon represents the later stage of a martial artist's training through quintessence, fluidity, agility, and spiritual strength. It is placed above the tiger on the crest to symbolize the importance of mental and spiritual strength over physical strength, implying that martial artists must have a good conscience to guide their actions.

Circle

The circle represents continuity.

Dividing lines

The lines within the circle represent the original methods of attack first learned by ancient practitioners of Chinese martial arts, as well as the pathways through which an object could travel.

Colors

The colors represent levels of proficiency within the art, alluding to the colored belt ranking system: white for the beginning stages, black for the expert stages, and red for professorship.

Chinese characters

The choice of Chinese characters acknowledges the art's Eastern roots. The characters on the right translate to "Law of the Fist" (拳法, for Kenpo) and "Tang/Chinese Hand" (唐手, for Karate). The characters on the left translate to "Spirit of the Dragon and the Tiger."

Shape

The logo's shape represents a house with an axe shape on the bottom. The walls and roof are curved to keep evil from intruding. The axe is a solemn reminder that should a martial artist tarnish the reputation of the organization, they will be "cut off" completely.^[12]: 122

American Kenpo Belts^[13]

White
Yellow
Orange
Purple
Blue
Green
Brown (3 degrees)
Black (10 degrees)

American Kenpo has a graded colored belt system consisting of white, yellow, orange, purple, blue, green, 1st- through 3rd-degree brown, and 1st- through 10th-degree black.^[13] Different Kenpo organizations and schools may have other belt systems.^{[citation needed]}

The black belt ranks are indicated by half-inch red 'tips' up to the 4th degree and a 5-inch 'block' for the 5th. After that, additional half-inch stripes are added up to the 9th degree. For 10th degree black belt, two 5-inch 'blocks' separated by a half-inch space are used. In some styles, an increasing number of stripes on both sides of the belt can indicate black belt ranks.^{[citation needed]}

Depending on the school, there are different requirements per belt. Parker's IKKA schools used a 24-techniques-per-belt syllabus, but some schools today have adopted a 16–20–24 technique syllabus as their standard. The 24-24-24 and 16–20–24 technique syllabuses contain the same techniques, but the latter groups them differently, with fewer techniques at lower belt levels and more total belt levels.^{[citation needed]}

In addition to self-defense techniques, Parker set specific criteria for proficiency at each level. The requirements include basics categorized by stances, blocks, parries, punches, strikes, finger techniques, kicks, and foot maneuvers. They also include specialized moves and methods, such as joint dislocations, chokes, take-downs, throws, and other grappling components.^{[citation needed]}

Beyond proficiency, a student's character and attitude can be analyzed as a significant consideration in the promotion to a new rank. Promotion after a third-degree black belt has more to do with contributions made back to the art, such as teaching and other great works of exploration. For example, a third-degree black belt who further explores defending against a knife and brings that knowledge back may be promoted for his excellent contributions.^[12]: 122

• Kenpō

• KenpoTech.Net—A site dedicated to preserving Ed Parker's American Kenpo Karate. Includes full details on techniques, forms, sets & more.