Does American Kenpo Suck?

Many people feel Kenpo won't work, and today we look at why they are correct...and incorrect. American Kenpo, as designed by Ed Parker, is a robust martial arts system with a hefty curriculum and unique approach to teaching self-defense. It gets its fair share of criticism for being unrealistic and employing sequences that would never work. While there is some truth to those statements, they are also inaccurate. Today we offer some understanding to the system and offer perspective to those who feel that American Kenpo sucks.

Ed Parker "Mechanic of Motion" video clip is the property of Higgins West LA Kenpo Karate:

◼️𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧! ◼
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[JamesTezar]

I started training in Kenpo on 11/22/20. I can't say if it works or not yet. I am very out of shape truck driver. Body of a god(Buda). I'm doing it to improve myself. My balance and mobility have improved greatly over the past 2 months. Earn my yellow belt yesterday. (2/9/21) im here for life.

[NCrdwlf]

I was bullied in school, small kid . My dad sent me to a Ed Parker’s dojo in Salem OR. ( this was the late 70’s) The foundations and confidence it gave me was immeasurable. They taught me how to take some really hard hits and have confidence in my skill set . A fight I got into afterword didn’t use a set combination I had been taught, but a stitched together combination of soft tissue strikes that ended the fight and ended up getting me a week of detention. Unfortunately my dad had to transfer jobs and I had to leave before I could get my green belt . Much of what you learn with kenpo early on is conceptual and that probably frustrates people looking for that let’s go to ground mma experience. It’s funny, before mma became big we were blasted for not using enough kicks, so kenpo has always had its detractors . I’ve since studied a few other styles, jujitsu and shotokan, as well as classes in the army, but feel like my kenpo foundation taught me more about controlling your battle space, strike placement, and proper reaction to threat .

[ShaunCKennedyAuthor]

I love the language analogy. When I was teaching Kung Fu, I broke down the curriculum into different portions. The first was just "Basics, " the kicks, punches, and stances. When people would criticize, I always told them that if Kung Fu was a new language, the Basics were the alphabet. Sure, you never sit down and recite the ABC's as a part of an actual conversation, but without them you're never going to write a book or even a letter.

[jankensington]

13 years after leaving my hometown kenpo dojo, in the self defense part of a judo belt test, they told me to react to attackers and include a throw; I reacted with kenpo sentences. They were like, Holy crap, we’re all friends here.

[hamisisalim]

Sensei Mr.Dan. my love for kenpo will never change people are allowed to think what they wish but I love this style...

[richardletteney]

I studied Hapkido for 13 years and was always taught to respect and learn from other styles. Ed Parkers name was spoken with major respect and reverence in our school. He was "the real deal", as my master said. Much respect to you for this honest and clarifying explanation. The American Kenpo school in my hometown is run by Master Roger Fife and I've found him to be an exemplary example of what a true martial artist should be.

[Shadowman]

"Does Kenpo suck?"

Answer: nope, I've used such methods to protect myself - no I didn't use 20 techniques, I only needed a few, sometimes only 1 technique. On/Off I grew up with real violence and I learned to enjoy it! My motto is: "adapt or die" - Kenpo/Kempo (all systems) constantly adapt.

I'm gonna tell you right now: anything can work if you have that mentality: "I'm gonna just wreck anyone who tries me" - it's really that simple.

Much respect to you Mr. Dan! 👊🥋

[MillionKnives]

I am a Kyokushin Karateka, but I am absolutely fascinated by other styles of Martial Arts. Thank you for your sincerity displaying these arts.

[thomaselmore]

From So FL. As a personal student of Mr Parker for over 10 years and as a fighting Coach along with Joe Lewis, I will say that he didn't care how great your technique demo's were. It was about your actual fighting and sparring abilities. He felt competition is what advances an art. Too many Scholars, not enough Warriors. Salute.

[christophervelez]

In all honesty that was a super cool breakdown. Coming from the BJJ world I’m not as familiar with striking but I like this idea of canceling a zone.

[Ejr]

Nice to see a video that helps give a little insight to an awesome art i studied years ago really miss it, its great to to add to your training

[zyx]

Being a Kenpo teacher myself, Most of the material and strikes used in our self-defense have been practically effective for me it’s just at the sequence and series of the flow may be different

[fourscorpio]

Great explanation of the principles of Ed Parker's Kenpo. In my style, my sensei incorporated elements of Kajukenbo to our self-defense drills. And since both Kenpo and Kajukenbo branch from the same root, I see a lot of similarities to what we used to do. Funny thing, the Kajukenbo grab arts, rotations (punch defenses), club and knife defenses that my sensei added were not part of my core style -- it was something he added on his own. But they weren't actually accurate Kajukenbo techniques -- which I discovered when researching that art on YouTube.

[robertmcdowell]

I have taught Kenpo for fifty years. I have used it several times in my life to defend myself. I have black belts in Tracy and American Kenpo. I like American Kenpo better and I teach that. Kenpo works! I am 5'2", slim and small skeletal system. I teach only fifty ground techniques that will get you off the ground right away. Do not wrestle on the ground---it's dangerous !
I only teach privately now; I never teach kids. To learn and improve and effective moves, as an instructor, only teach adults.
I am still very limber and the reason for that is because of American Kenpo self defense moves . Practice Kenpo techs and when your old, you will still be very limber and fast.
Sifu
Puyallup, WA

[drelavelle]

I’m a rookie to Kenpo. But loving it so far. Our sensei does a good job of showing us what if scenarios. I love the way you say it’s a sentence that makes sense

[Liamrunsnstuff]

I’m starting Kenpo Karate classes again this week! I’ve previously have dabbled into Kenpo but I never made it as far as a purple belt, because quite honestly I don’t think I had the motivation as a kid as much as I do now 😂. I’m super excited to start again and I definitely plan to perceiver more this time around!

[anthonywhitehead]

I remember Keith Hackney in the 2nd UFC fight were he fought Emmanuel Yarborough a 660lb sumo wrestler and his Kenpo strikes not only knocked him down and knocked his teeth out. And I believe that Royce Gracie stated that when Hackney punched him it was one of the hardest strikes he ever felt. Kenpo works..

[BrianPiper]

Great to see the clip of Mr. Mitchell in there. Trained with him for years and learned so much. Currently training BJJ to round out my ground fighting self-defense, but the principles of kenpo still apply and I still work my forms and techniques. Great content!!

[Brandon_Knight_]

I like how Kenpo encourages students to think in "what if?" scenarios. The first martial art I took didn't encourage that and I think that stunted my growth as a fighter for a while.

[martinvangenderen]

I am 50 years old and stopped Shaolin Kempo after 34 years in 2018. The sad reason is because my teacher who is my father, passed away in 2017. He was also inspired by Shorinji kempo. My father's background as being a street fighter and been a bouncer he learned us how become dynamically by moving and being attacked with only more than one punch. It is certainly effective from a self defense aspect. Repeating a lot stores the techniques unconsciously. But training for the unexpected is impossible .The best kickboxers, may thai en MMA fighters do have a traditional martial art background. One cannot distinguish the martial art styles in all style semi contact tournament. Even the shaolin kempo tournaments allow ground fights. Hundred days after my father passed away, our talented student became world champion in Lissabon in 2017 Shaolin kempo. About fourty years ago, sometimes he got called by the police that his students had to apply it. So, what do you think ? But what a disrespect a lot of BJJ students express to the traditional arts on YouTube.