Kenpo Karate

	Kenpo Karate - innovative martial art

Karate & Taekwondo are traditional martial arts that instil discipline, respect, focus, and other character-building, traditional values, as well as teaching the student the fundamental blocking and striking techniques of self-protection.

Kenpo is one of the more innovative systems of the Martial Arts practiced primarily in Hawaii and the Americas. Ken means fist and po means law thus, the translation is 'Law of the Fist'.

Like most Okinawan fighting arts, Kenpo Karate can trace its roots back to the Shaolin monks of China. Master "To-De" Sakugawa (1733-1815) from Shuri, the ancient capital of Okinawa, travelled to China in the 18th century to train with the Chuan Fa masters (Chuan Fa is what Chinese Kung Fu was called at that time). On his return to Okinawa he developed what became known as Shuri Te, from which Kenpo was later born.

The spark that made Kenpo Karate as recognizable and widely practiced as it is today happened in the mid-1940's during a meeting in Hawaii. A man named Frank Chow was explaining to a few of his fellow church members how he had single-handedly beaten the town bully. It was said that the bully was "big and as solid as granite" One of the young men in the group, Edmund Kealoha Parker, 16 at the time, was sceptical yet intrigued by Chow's story. Because Chow was so small in stature, Parker doubted that the story was true. It seemed an impossible task for Chow to beat such a big, ferocious person.

William Chow was the Senior Instructor in Honolulu. With mixed emotions Parker went to visit his future teacher. William Chow was conducting a Kenpo class with several students at the time. Parker was very impressed with what he saw in the class.

In 1951, Parker was drafted into the Korean War. It seemed to be fate that Parker was stationed back in his home state of Hawaii with the U.S. Coast Guard. This was the perfect opportunity for him to practice with William Chow on a full time basis.

In his later years at university Parker formed an exclusive club for Kenpo students. Only those from Hawaii were permitted to receive his teachings. This was a necessary activity for Parker because it helped him to stay on top of his training as well as to think up a number of innovative concepts. He "soon learned how to use master key movements handed to him by Chow as educational stepping stones to reach higher levels of Kenpo."

Parkers classes caught the attention of Utah County Lawmen. Before he knew it, Parker was teaching the art of self-defence to City Police, Highway Patrolmen, Fish and Game Wardens, and Sheriff's Deputies.

In 1956, Parker moved to California and opened his first Karate Studio. When one of his business neighbours saw the newly painted sign he asked, "Is Karate a Mexican dish?".

While renovating his new school, Parker met a man named Terry Robinson. Through Robinson, Parker began teaching a number of TV and movie personalities the art of Kenpo. Because many of the people that he taught at the health club were producers and directors Parker was able to introduce Martial Arts to the TV and movie industries.

Ed Parker later became a tournament promoter. At one of his early tournaments, Bruce Lee first came into the view of the general public. Ed Parker was also active as a movie actor, stunt coordinator, author and instructor to many famous Hollywood actors. Among his most famous students where Elvis Presley, Larry Hartsell, Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, Warren Beatty, Audie Murphy and Dan Inosanto.

Until his death on December 15th, 1990, Parker taught Kenpo at a number of seminars nationwide and wrote numerous books. His passing was due to a sudden heart attack in a Honolulu airport. It was a know fact that he always had heart problems and that he never really paid any attention to them.

Though the man has passed on, the spirit of his teachings still live on.

	Which martial arts disciplines will you learn with UK Black Belt Schools?
	UK Black Belt Schools incorporates a combination of techniques found in four effective disciplines: Karate, Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing to provide students with a realistic personal-protection system for a modern world. Click on any one of them for more information. By combining these realistic and effective systems of the martial arts a student will be better able to defend themselves in any situation they may conceivably find themselves. Where most systems of martial arts focus mainly on one area of technique, our mixed martial arts approach allows us to train a well rounded student of self-protection.