Most Memorable Kenpo Moments

[Michael Billings]

I am sure everyone has numerous times when they go "Ah-Ha" or "Wow" in their Kenpo careers.

How about sharing one of those moments - and rather than just thinking about an "Ah-Ha" or "Cool", or "Wow", how about an actual DEFINING MOMENT in the context of your Kenpo, as inspired by someone else?

We can all use some inspiration sometimes, and sharing that sometimes gives others a boost on in their Journey.

Thanks, -MB

[Ender]

going to the Long Beach Internationals for the first time was one of my most memorable experiences. You got to see good kenpo..and bad.

[Michael Billings]

In Chinese Kenpo, I was attending a NCKKA Kenpo Camp circa 1980 or 81. I had done Judo, Shotokan, and Taekwondo, and just a year or two before seen Brian Duffy doing a saber set at a tournament and sweeping the competition. That was why I moved from TKD to Kenpo ... Not being in a Kenpo mecca, I had very limited exposure to Kenpo and none at all to EPAK. At this camp were all sorts of classes. We were introduced to SIBOK Kelly as the Senior Advisor to the NCKKA from the IKKA. I had no idea what that meant!

I saw this truely huge and formidible mountain of a man, rip, tear, and explode in the most relaxed way I had ever seen anyone move (He was only a 7th back then .... Hah!) He did sweeps, checks, introduced buckles and sweeps I had never seen. Turned simple techniques into awesome extensions that were about the power through moving correctly. I did not even know how much I did not know. But I saw where and how I wanted to be.

It only took another 5-6 years before my teacher switched from Chinese to American Kenpo, and I have never looked back ... well maybe a little. I still like sharp, shiny blades.

[RCastillo]

When I made 1st Black in Tracy Kenpo!:asian:

[pknox]

My Kempo instructor wanted me to go with him to help out at a kids tournament. When I go to compete in a tournament of my own, a lot of times I get hung up on tiny details, and am basically running around trying to get everything together. But with the kids, it was totally different. I loved it - the kids were having such a great time, and the parents were so proud of their kids - whether they won or not. It really showed me what martial arts could do for people. I told myself that from that moment on I would stop worrying about all of the little things, and learn as much as I can, while still having as much fun as I can. I've never been the same. It's amazing what kids can teach you if you're just willing to listen.

[Michael Billings]

Great story, it is different when you are there caring for, and proud of, your Kenpo Kids. You feel their pain, share their excitement, and cushion their losses.

OSS!!!
Respects!

[pknox]

Thanks Michael. I think it will be even more fun if it's ever my own son and daughters out there. That will be pretty cool.

[satans.barber]

The first time I watched a Larry Tatum video.

I was like, ahh, so that's the difference between being shown a technique and taught a technique then....maybe I'd be a better kempoka today if I'd been taught for 6 years instead of shown for 6 years...

Ian "drunk and bitter" Atkinson

[ikenpo]

DEFINING MOMENTS

When I left the nest (moved away from Austin and the NCKKA) and started training with another Kenpo instructor. I remember gearing up and getting into a "good" fighting stance. His reply was, "ok, I haven't seen that stance in a while let's rock". Then he proceeded to school me..

Making a trip to LA and meeting Doc Chape'l (and Mr. Tatum). That connection opened my eyes.

Seeing my first video with Mr. Parker actually in action. At that point I knew there was more...

Beginning my training with Mr. Braughton (took me to another level)

Beginning my privates with Mr. Duffy (showed me just how much I really don't know)...

There are other private ones in training (some good/some bad) that have defined how I teach, treat people, train, etc....

jb:asian:

[Randy Strausbaugh]

The time in '82 when I attended a seminar featuring Professor William K.S. Chow at Ralph Castro's school in Daly City. I was so overwhelmed by being in the presence of someone who was such a large part of Kenpo history that I went through the seminar in a semi-daze. At least I didn't actually fall on something. :D

[don bohrer]

Getting knocked out during a friendly little sparring match!

That was knocked out...not up! :D

[tshadowchaser]

going to the Long Beach Internationals for the first time was one of my most memorable experiences. You got to see good kenpo..and bad.

Same here.
I was also able to meet Mr. Parker that same year Now that was a pleasure to have him take a few minutes to speak with me , a nobody in the kenpo wold.

[jfarnsworth]

Speaking with Mr. Wedlake after my 1st degree BB test on my performance during the test. :asian:

[RCastillo]

Originally posted by jbkenpo
DEFINING MOMENTS

When I left the nest (moved away from Austin and the NCKKA) and started training with another Kenpo instructor. I remember gearing up and getting into a "good" fighting stance. His reply was, "ok, I haven't seen that stance in a while let's rock". Then he proceeded to school me..

Making a trip to LA and meeting Doc Chape'l (and Mr. Tatum). That connection opened my eyes.

Seeing my first video with Mr. Parker actually in action. At that point I knew there was more...

Beginning my training with Mr. Braughton (took me to another level)

Beginning my privates with Mr. Duffy (showed me just how much I really don't know)...

There are other private ones in training (some good/some bad) that have defined how I teach, treat people, train, etc....

jb:asian:

Oh, it's on now. You said, "Some bad training." I know you been talkin' bout me. It 's Corpus vs Houston!:boxing:

[ikenpo]

Originally posted by RCastillo
Oh, it's on now. You said, "Some bad training." I know you been talkin' bout me. It 's Corpus vs Houston!:boxing:

Actually, that was a good session. Maybe not a defining moment, but my first chance to run a session away from my guys. It did teach me a lot and gave me more confidence to do it again. The one thing I did come away with was, "man, I need a TV like Richardo..." What was that thing, theater size?

I was referring to those b,s and t sessions where your **** is in the dirt and your being treated like crap and worked to death...you know that character building stuff that no body ever mentions...

jb:asian:

[Zoran]

Realizing that spending a life time training and learning is not enough and will only touch the tip of the iceberg.

Makes me hope for reincarnation. ;)

[kenpo3631]

When I saw Larry Tatum's video "Walls of Defense"...I knew I'd be doing Kenpo for the rest of my life.

[Bill Lear]

I remember the first time I saw someone teaching Ed Parker's American Kenpo System. I was walking down Green Street through Old Town Pasadena on my way to the United Artist Movie Theater on the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Delacy Avenue. It was cold outside, and I was running a little late for the show.

When I was walking up the street, I looked over my left shoulder, and through the main window of Larry Tatum's Kenpo Karate Studio (http://www.ltatum.com/school.html) I saw Rick Jeffcoat (http://www.americankenpokarate.net/nav/demos.html) teaching a private lesson to a student. At that very moment I knew that I wanted to learn American Kenpo.

I was enamored by the way Rick moved. His movements were fast and hard, yet fluid and on target. I even remember the techniques he taught that night, which were: Five Swords, Thundering Hammers, and Thrusting Salute.

When I left, my mind was running at a thousand miles an hour, with one thought burning me to my core... How could I afford sign-up? Later on that week I talked to my mom and dad, who loaned me the money to take lessons at Mr. Tatum's studio. That was ten years ago, and I've been hooked on Kenpo ever since. :asian:

[Michael Billings]

Working with Howard Silva for a year solid when he was visiting Austin and guest teaching at Brian Duffy's advanced class. Relaxed explosive power ... and he thumped also. New expressions, new ways of moving, then finally doing one technique "right", feeling it, and we were 10 minutes into class when he said STOP! THAT'S IT, REMEMBER THAT FEELING. He ended class right then, of course by then I was the only one going to his class ... and had been for months.

It re-defined me as an EPAK practitioner, instead of the Chinese Kenpoist I had been. It was one of those moments!

I am sure he does not read these boards given his raising a little girl. He is the same age as Mr. Parker, so you know he has his work cut out for him trying to keep up with his grand-daughter, whom he is raising.

Oss wherever you are sir (Placerville CA)
-MB

[Les]

Originally posted by kenpo3631
When I saw Larry Tatum's video "Walls of Defense"

My Instructor, Mr Bernie Drakes is in that one, along with a whole bunch of my Kenpo friends.

The castle where it was filmed is where I grew up.

Unfortunately I lent my copy to someone and never saw it again.

Les

[satans.barber]

What's the tape about?

Ian.

[Sergio Jódar]

When I met Mr. Tatum, and could feel his Kenpo in my own skin.

[Michael Billings]

My 1st seminar with Ed Parker.

My last seminar with Ed Parker. Fortunately we had several hours before he had to fly home and talked about the future of Kenpo, Elvis, and his life in general.
-MB

[kenpo2dabone]

I have had an uncountable number of "ah-ha's" and "wow's" in my kenpo journey. My most recent one occured this past weekend at our annual UKF Compendium. Basically, the Compendium is for solidifying the way techniques should be taught and exacuted at the embrionic level by by UKF members. However, we always seem to delve deeper than the ebrionic levels. Anyway, were working a technique called "Spreading Branches". Some my know this techniques others may not. It is for a bearhug from behing arms pinned. The question was braught up "what if he lifts you off the ground?" Mr. Pick asked me to step forward and grab him in such a way and lift off the ground. I think he chose me because I am 6 feet tall and about 250 lbs. "Mostly" muscle wink wink. Anyway, I went behind him grabbed and lifted him off the ground. He went into what we call twelve points and he dropped right of my arms with no problems exacuting the technique. Then he said "o.k do it again but this time really grab hard and don't let go." I grabbed him harder and lifted him higher. He did the same thing however, this time because of the way I lifted him up, when he dropped out of my grip he was tilted backwards. I thought to myself "Holy 'incert explitive' he's gonna fall down". But before I knew it as soon as his feet hit the ground he rotated his body and ended up on one knee grabbing my leg and smashing me in the groin. I felt the next thing about to happen was me on my flat on my back like in dance of death. He would have had no problem exacuting that technique.

The defining moment for me was this. Here is a man who is 55 years old and can still move and addapt himself to a givin situation and maintain complete domination of his attacker. It was the clearest demonstration I have ever seen of adapting a technique as the action unfolds and does not unfold idealistically. It was absolutely amazing. I can't wait to see it on video becasue the camera was rolling and due to fact that I was the one being demenstrated on I could not see the intricacies of the action take place.


Salute,
Mike Miller UKF

[Kroy]

It was when I saw "The Perfect Weapon" with Speakman. I was studying another art at the time and new that it was the direction I had to take.

[Michael Billings]

I got a call the day it happened.

There was an immediate sense of loss and a feeling of immense saddness. I had seen him the month before and visited for a couple of hours before his plane flew out. All the memories of all the seminars, watching the superbowl, the conversations ... became much more important to me.

Looking back I see the event as a defining moment, it motivated me, as a 2nd Black, which I tested for with him (not as his student ... I don't want to be misleading), to re-commit myself to completing the transition to EPAK and to have all my material, on the 24 technique charts done, so I could be a Head Instructor he would be proud of. I had to ensure that I not only learned the material, but continued my shift, to moving like SGM Parker, to the best of my ability.

I have come a long way, try to share some of these memories and feelings with my students, to keep the Kenpo he did and shared, alive, as he would have liked it.

You never got a better compliment than hearing "you moved well" regarding a technique or form, when it came from him.

Left over Right,
-MB

[cdhall]

Originally posted by Kroy
It was when I saw "The Perfect Weapon" with Speakman. I was studying another art at the time and new that it was the direction I had to take.

OK, this was an awesome Kenpo day for me. I think it was 1991 a few months after the Perfect Weapon had been out. You said "saw The Perfect Weapon with Speakman" and that reminded me of this.

I had recently transferred to Mr. Duffy's studio in Austin from about 80 miles away in San Antonio and I still lived in San Antonio. This must have been around September, I can look it up later.

Mr. Duffy had a seminar with Jeff Speakman that day. I ran up there to get to the seminar but I was late, so I thought I'd just say "sorry" and just go home. Mr. LaBounty was teaching a seminar at my previous school later that afternoon in San Antonio and I was also committed to go to it.

So I get there late and Mr. Duffy says, get dressed and line up, they may have been running a bit behind. So I jumped into class, it was PACKED and I had a partner from a non-Kenpo style I think. It was an awesome class. Afterwards, Mr. Duffy cut me into the autograph line and said "Could you sign this for him now, he has to get to San Antonio to see Mr. LaBounty at his seminar." Mr. Speakman said "Tell him I said Hi." And I rushed off to San Antonio. I had just about Exactly enough time to get there when it started.

I get there and Mr. LaBounty teaches some of the same themes that Mr. Speakman taught. I even wrote an article for the NCKKA newsletter about this. It was pretty amazing. Then afterward I rushed home, changed, went to see Mr. LaBounty at someone's house later but I got there very late because I had a Kenpo buddy call me on the phone and debrief me.

I get to the "party" and Mr. LaBounty leaves or we are dismissed or whatever and I realize I have about 1 hour to catch the midnight show of the Perfect Weapon which I had not yet seen. I called my sister and told her what was up and we met at the theater and saw The Perfect Weapon at either 10:30 or midnight as I recall.

When it is over I'm the last one out after the credits with my sister and she is blown away that I had just worked out with Mr. Speakman and been his dummy in a seminar, 100 miles away, 10 hours ago and are cutting up and on the way out the usher is sweeping up and says goodnight or something and I say. "I just worked out with that guy this morning."

And he probably thought I was hitting on him or something, but saying that was so cool. Standing in the movie theater after watching the Perfect Weapon and thinking about just having worked out with Mr. Speakman (as a dummy) in his seminar and rushing to Mr. LaBounty's seminar, then rushing to the party, then getting my sister (who was one of my best friends anyway) and rushing over to see the movie and getting it all done in one day.

That was a very cool Kenpo Moment. But it lasted about 12 hours.
:)

[Kroy]

That's a fantastic story.:D

[cdhall]

Thanks Kroy.

To quote two of my favorite Kenpo guys:

"No Problem."

And of course:

"Thank you, thank you very much."
:)

[Michael Billings]

I have not heard you tell that one.

-MB

[cdhall]

I found that article on Saturday by the way, but it is not quite as good as my recollection here so I don't think I'll post it by itself. If I remember, the seminars were in June 1991 so I was a Green Belt at both of them. That explains my memory of wearing a white gi. :eek: