Page 31 - Martial Science June 2017

“...This is a traditional art of course and

therefore the opposite of Kenpo but the

single dot focus of the Japanese arts

has great application in the world of

Kenpo from the perspective of power

first and speed second...”

gel supplied. This is a traditional art of course and therefore the opposite of Kenpo but the
single dot focus of the Japanese arts has great application in the world of Kenpo from the
perspective of power first and speed second. This was the common denominator I found with
Kenpo once I became a student directly under Grand Master Ed Parker. In stark contrast to
my previous Kenpo experience where speed was the objective once I studies directly from
the founder and master of the art I immediately saw the connection of my previous art and
from that point forward my execution of the art of Kenpo had that emphasis and helped to
separate me from the group of less effective practitioners who would slap themselves more
that their opponent.

was tHe transition from Japanese goJu ryu to Kenpo difficult?

At first the transition was very difficult from every point of view. The overwhelming
effectiveness and devastation of Kenpo was amazing and painful. Over time I was
able to adapt and become one of the respected Black Belts of the system at that
school at that time. What I didn’t know in those early years is the Kenpo that
was being taught at the West Los Angeles school under the management of
Larry Tatum was not the Kenpo Ed Parker wanted. So when I became a per-
sonal student of Mr. Parker it was shocking to see and feel the difference but
ultimately this Kenpo was much better for me because Parker Kenpo was a
power based system that has amazing speed to accentuate the power, no
using speed for the power source. So with Parker Kenpo the emphasis of
stances to deliver a solid base for execution was a thing I was very com-
fortable with from my training from Hanshi Angel. So from that point I
was on a trajectory to powerful and effective Kenpo.

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