PARKERÂ’S LOGIC
“This method of spreading his art was made possible for one simple reason: The majority of Parker’s black belts at the time were already advanced students in other arts, and they brought basic skills from their disciplines with them. They became Parker converts to his logic and reasoning approach. Even though many of their basics were different from what he wanted, they all had some measure of functional skill as a base.
For the most part, these guys were old school “street fighters,” anyway. This meant they could take care of themselves on the street, and that is what kenpo karate was supposed to be about. This diversity in basics has been played out in students ever since.”
(from Dr. Chapel's Kenpo Roots Article)
Jumping off of Dr. Chapel’s first article, do you think that Kenpo schools are lacking in teaching their student’s the basic fundamental’s? Unlike most traditional schools where you spend entire classes kicking and punching up and down the dojo and standing in horse stances for 30 minutes at a time (as was my early years experience in Shotokan and TKD), many Kenpo school’s go right into the “meat” of the system and believe you will learn proper stances/ punching/kicks as you practice your techniques and forms.
Are we being too soft on kenpo studentÂ’s? Should we focus more on basics skills before delving into the core curriculum (techniques)? Do we need to bring back the hard and sound fundamentalÂ’s of the traditional arts?
“This method of spreading his art was made possible for one simple reason: The majority of Parker’s black belts at the time were already advanced students in other arts, and they brought basic skills from their disciplines with them. They became Parker converts to his logic and reasoning approach. Even though many of their basics were different from what he wanted, they all had some measure of functional skill as a base.
For the most part, these guys were old school “street fighters,” anyway. This meant they could take care of themselves on the street, and that is what kenpo karate was supposed to be about. This diversity in basics has been played out in students ever since.”
(from Dr. Chapel's Kenpo Roots Article)
Jumping off of Dr. Chapel’s first article, do you think that Kenpo schools are lacking in teaching their student’s the basic fundamental’s? Unlike most traditional schools where you spend entire classes kicking and punching up and down the dojo and standing in horse stances for 30 minutes at a time (as was my early years experience in Shotokan and TKD), many Kenpo school’s go right into the “meat” of the system and believe you will learn proper stances/ punching/kicks as you practice your techniques and forms.
Are we being too soft on kenpo studentÂ’s? Should we focus more on basics skills before delving into the core curriculum (techniques)? Do we need to bring back the hard and sound fundamentalÂ’s of the traditional arts?
