Kenpo Home Study

**Sharkonis** · Posted On: 8/14/2007 5:10pm

My first question is this, is everyone in this forum happy with Kenpo.

Second, to me it looks interesting, I have looked at some of the oppotions of homestudy

and found two, Parker and Tracy

Any recommendations ?

**cuatro76** · Posted On: 8/15/2007 12:21am

I cross train in Kenpo (primary art is Judo). My recommendation is to NOT do homestudy. Get in a Dojo and learn it in person. It all depends on where you live and what's available. Tracy and Parker are big names. go and watch a class in your area though. There are a lot of black belts under those styles and they aren't all good. Also look at other Pacific Rim martial arts and modern self defense systems.

**senseipookie** · Posted On: 8/15/2007 8:57am

First off about Kenpo - back in the 80s I studies a Shotokan/Kenpo hybrid under one of Nick Cerio's students. If done properly, it is a very good style. A little complex sometimes, but very fast and definitely worth the time. Unfortunately, Kenpo is one of the worst offenders out there for self promoted "Masters" teaching really silly **** in strip malls to throngs of 10 year old 12th degree black belts in purple satin gis. So it really depends on who you are learning from. People with direct connections to the true Kenpo guys (Cerio, Parker, Tracy, Professor Chow, etc) will give you great training, but I remember in the past seeing ads in the newspaper saying "brown belts and black belts of any style - you can own your own Kenpo Dojo!". So definitely do your homework before you sign your name.

As far as home study, I can't say enough about how bad that idea is. Unless you have LOTS of MA experience and just want to pick up a couple of techniques or concepts on the side, books and DVDs can't even come close to what you learn from a competent instructor in person. All you can do from books is copy what the camera captures (hopefully at the right angle) - they can't tell you if you are off balance, using too little or too much power, leaving openings that you can't see yourself, etc. And of course actual physical contact with a live training partner is crucial.

Just my .02, hope it helps

**Sharkonis** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 8:02pm

Originally Posted by kitterykenshin

First off about Kenpo - back in the 80s I studies a Shotokan/Kenpo hybrid under one of Nick Cerio's students. If done properly, it is a very good style. A little complex sometimes, but very fast and definitely worth the time. Unfortunately, Kenpo is one of the worst offenders out there for self promoted "Masters" teaching really silly **** in strip malls to throngs of 10 year old 12th degree black belts in purple satin gis. So it really depends on who you are learning from. People with direct connections to the true Kenpo guys (Cerio, Parker, Tracy, Professor Chow, etc) will give you great training, but I remember in the past seeing ads in the newspaper saying "brown belts and black belts of any style - you can own your own Kenpo Dojo!". So definitely do your homework before you sign your name.

As far as home study, I can't say enough about how bad that idea is. Unless you have LOTS of MA experience and just want to pick up a couple of techniques or concepts on the side, books and DVDs can't even come close to what you learn from a competent instructor in person. All you can do from books is copy what the camera captures (hopefully at the right angle) - they can't tell you if you are off balance, using too little or too much power, leaving openings that you can't see yourself, etc. And of course actual physical contact with a live training partner is crucial.

Just my .02, hope it helps

Thank You.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 8/17/2007 11:58pm

For a person learning kempo type stuff via home study without a MA background, I'd recommend Carl Cestari's striking tapes and a heavy bag. You won't be able to properly learn to defend against specific attacks like in kempo and all the choreographed techniques are no good without a partner (hell, even with a partner I don't find them very useful). Carl's stuff and a heavy bag will teach you to hit hard in effective ways, without some of the video kempo deficiencies.

**krazy kaju** · Posted On: 9/04/2007 12:45pm

You can order legit Tracy Kenpo vids online that teach you the techniques.

From what I understand, you need to buy the whole package ($600+) if you want video testing included so you can *actually* move up ranks *officially*.

In any case, from my experience the Kenpo *techniques* aren't really that innovative themselves. Like doing an arm break from a hand shake (WTF?) or finger striking the eyes while being choked. It's only usefulness is that you figure you could eye-gouge someone if you're in danger. I personally wouldn't use most of the techniques we train.

On the other hand, if you can find a school near you, they might spar and train a lot in an alive manner. At least that's how the only two Tracy schools here in Michigan do it.

**Christian_** · Posted On: 9/05/2007 3:07pm

Originally Posted by Sharkonis

My first question is this, is everyone in this forum happy with Kenpo.

Second, to me it looks interesting, I have looked at some of the oppotions of homestudy

and found two, Parker and Tracy

Any recommendations ?

Having taken Ed Parker's American Kenpo for an entire year, moving all the way up to Purple Belt, and meeting Jeff Speakman twice, the Grandmaster guy Mike Pick once, and I could've met Bill Wallace (I took seminars with theese guys), and having trained under a 7th degree, I feel I'm more than qualified to tell you that Kenpo, in all its forms, Chinese, Tracy, Parker, Japanese, is TRASH! Please don't even try Ke?po. You can read some of what I, KempoFist, and others have said. See if you can find something locally that works, Kickboxing (not TKD Cardio Kickboxing), Boxing, Wrestling, BJJ, or Muay Thai.

And secondly, I wouldn't even consider learning XMA from videos.

**krazy kaju** · Posted On: 9/05/2007 8:25pm

Originally Posted by Christian_

Having taken Ed Parker's American Kenpo for an entire year, moving all the way up to Purple Belt, and meeting Jeff Speakman twice, the Grandmaster guy Mike Pick once, and I could've met Bill Wallace (I took seminars with theese guys), and having trained under a 7th degree, I feel I'm more than qualified to tell you that Kenpo, in all its forms, Chinese, Tracy, Parker, Japanese, is TRASH! Please don't even try Ke?po. You can read some of what I, KempoFist, and others have said. See if you can find something locally that works, Kickboxing (not TKD Cardio Kickboxing), Boxing, Wrestling, BJJ, or Muay Thai.

And secondly, I wouldn't even consider learning XMA from videos.

Last time I checked, it's not the Martial Art you train but the level of aliveness you train it with.

I know from experience that the only two legitimate Tracy Kenpo schools in Michigan train with a good level of aliveness. The bigger and more established one trains with an extremely high level of aliveness, includes grappling into its curriculum, and even has an amateur MMA team. The other, smaller, dojo trains with a somewhat decent level of aliveness, with bagwork and mittwork being the emphasis in group training. Unfortunately, no full-contact sparring is included in the second, smaller school, as the school is quite new and cannot afford all the regular kickboxing sparring body protection for all their students.

I think most people realize, however, that the 'forms' of Kenpo aren't actually good self defense techniques. The 'forms' or 'techniques' are really just annoyances that you have to go through to move up ranks (lol).

BTW, HAWAIIAN KEMPO and KAJUKENBO.

If you want to say that ALL styles of kempo/kenpo are "trash," I suggest you take that up with John Hackleman and Chuck Liddell.

P.S. I don't think I ever saw KempoFist saying that kempo/kenpo is "trash," as you put it. He simply stated that the majority of kempo/kenpo schools train in a manner that does not use "aliveness" in its curriculum.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 9/06/2007 1:49am

Originally Posted by Christian_

Having taken Ed Parker's American Kenpo for an entire year, moving all the way up to Purple Belt, and meeting Jeff Speakman twice, the Grandmaster guy Mike Pick once, and I could've met Bill Wallace (I took seminars with theese guys), and having trained under a 7th degree, I feel I'm more than qualified to tell you that Kenpo, in all its forms, Chinese, Tracy, Parker, Japanese, is TRASH! Please don't even try Ke?po. You can read some of what I, KempoFist, and others have said. See if you can find something locally that works, Kickboxing (not TKD Cardio Kickboxing), Boxing, Wrestling, BJJ, or Muay Thai.

Wow, an entire year of American kempo. Clearly you are qualified to comment on ALL forms of kempo besides the one you studied.