Kempo
Kempo
Kempo is a generic Japanese term that refers to several martial art styles and may even refer to martial arts in general. Kanji character Kem means ?fist? and ?po? means ?law? so Kempo can be translated as ?the law of the fist?. This is also the Japanese translation of Mandarin Chinese term Quanfa (or Ch'uan Fa) meaning ?Fist Law? and points to its Chinese origins.
There are a large number of styles of ?Kempo?. Each Kempo style has its own name and techniques sometimes related to each other, sometimes derived from separate martial arts. Generally they have a comprehensive unarmed and armed self defense system. They also stress personal development, physical health, and spiritual growth, to varying degrees.
Words Kempo and Kenpo refer to the same thing. The English word ?Kenpo? was originally a printer?s error in a martial art book by James Mitose but subsequently some schools deriving from Mitose?s students Edmund Parker and William Chow continued to use the term Kenpo. As such at present both forms of the word are acceptable.
Styles and classifications Most though not all Kempo styles especially in the West trace their lineage to the style of Hawaiian Japanese James Mitose called Kosho Ryu Kempo
Some of the more common Kempo styles are, Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo, Chinese Kara Ho Kempo Karate, Shaolin Kempo Karate, American Kenpo Karate, Nick Cerio's Kenpo, White Tiger Kenpo Karate, Kajukenbo, Go Shin Jitsu - Kai Chinese Kempo, American Shaolin Kenpo, Nippon Kempo , Raven Kenpo Jujitsu, Koga Ha Kosho-Shorei Ryu Kempo, Kiyojute Ryu Kempo Bugei, Yoshin Kempo, and many others too numerous to name here.
Words like Karate, Jujutsu, Chinese, and Shaolin, among others, are used to classify various styles of Kempo based on some shared characteristics.
Jujutsu Kempo refers to Kosho Ryu Kempo (Kempo system of James Mitose) or it refers to some other Kempo system that combines Kempo with Jujutsu.
Kempo Karate and Kenpo Karate have come to broadly identify two different lineage of Kempo. Kempo Karate styles usually can trace their origins to styles of William Chow and have Shaolin martial art influence in them. Kenpo Karate styles trace their lineage to Ed Parker and are often referred to as American Kenpo.
American Kempo refers generally to styles that derive from Ed Parker?s mature style of Kempo
Chinese Kempo refers to basically the Kempo Karate styles that stress their Chinese influences. However it may merely refer to the fact hat Kempo was of ultimately Chinese in origin.
Shaolin Kempo These are styles that have a syllabus that includes Shaolin Kung Fu Animal styles.
It must be noted that same style may be described by several of the above terms.
Techniques Unlike mostly linear Karate techniques, Kempo lays stress on both linear and circular techniques for strikes, blocks and other movements. Western Kempo styles include more grappling and throwing techniques than Karate. Both Karate and Kenpo use similar Kata or prearranged sequence of movements for demonstrating, training and interpreting techniques.
American Kempo involves multiple fast strikes than Okinawan Kempo. Strikes are sequentially prearranged based on the fact that opponents will react predictably to the previous strike. Due this prearranged sequence of multiple strikes Kempo techniques are sometimes considered to be over killing.
Kempo also has feet techniques that are characterized by swiftness and efficiency of movement. As such they tend to lack a certain gracefulness.
Kempo training methods are generally incorporated from Karate training methods to shorten the learning time for students. So while some Kung Fu forms may take decades to master, Kempo black belt may be obtained after about five years of training depending on the school of Kempo. However other styles and students prefer to follow the training methods used in Chinese martial arts when learning Kempo