marlon
Master Black Belt
I am astounded at the level of quality in the instruction that I am now receiving. I've had some very good instructors in the past but my current sifu stands on a level above them all. He is a rare level of teacher, and there's just five of us studying with him in his back yard in the middle of the night.
Practicing kenpo without a solid foundation can give effective results, but it's much much more dependent on physical strength and athleticism, something that not everyone can count on. Let's be honest: it's not that difficult to punch someone and hurt them, foundation or no, esp. if someone has a strong arm and shoulder. But we are working to develop something better than that, a higher level of true skill that isn't reliant on brute strength or raw athleticism.
I never met Mr. Parker, I know a lot of people who knew him held him in high esteem. I've heard others who knew him who did not hold his skills in such high esteem. If he understood these issues it seems to me that the lessons failed to reach his students in many cases.
Again, I am not an AK practitioner, however, I can say that there are some have this knowledge and attribute GM Parker as the source...who knows in the end. i was not there. There can be no high level skill without the training you pointed out. None
Respectfully,
Marlon