Kenpo Man

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pippenstein

Guest
On Grandmaster David German

All I have to say is that I know David German personally - he is not only my martial arts instructor, but he is my sister's father. He is many things, but he is no cheat, con artist, or two-bit hustler. I repeat, I know him personally - this is not hearsay.

Yes - David German DID train under the late Ed Parker. Say what you will, but he knew Ed Parker, and he knows Kenpo, better than most of us wish we could. He has been on the cover of Black Belt and Budo magazines. His students and practitioners of his TAI style, and their students have been recognized all over the globe for their skills and have won many, many, MANY championships and awards (examples: http://www.thekaratevoice.com/halloffame/ for Dr. Christian Harfouche, and http://www.matthelms.curvedspaces.com/bio.html for Matthew Helms).

I can go on and on on that, but I doubt it would matter much: believe what you want to believe. But come meet him one day - he'll suprise you as he continues to suprise me every day I train under him.

On Kenpoman

I HAVE trained with the kenpoman. Now granted, I did not have to pay for the kenpoman itself, as I use David's. But as a training tool, it is top-notch! It's like using a wing-chun wooden dummy that "fights back" - especially the kenpowarrior (a kenpoman with two arms).

I was on it for only 10 minutes and was already instinctively reacting to the spinning arms, checking appropriately (without even thinking about it).

Do I believe it replaces a live human being, or better yet, does David German? NO NO NO. It will of course never attack you unless you attack it first, and it won't chase you around the dojo. But I'll say it again, it is a GREAT training tool, if only because it is fun to use and it does get you going fast (and I mean FAST). In my opinion, it is a great tool for SUPPLEMENTING your training, just like a wooden dummy suplements a wing-chun artist's training (though I feel it is better than a wooden dummy in that it can beat you up if you don't react fast enough!)

And heck, if any of you think you can come up with a better training tool, by all means do so. Just because one doesn't think up a training tool before someone else does, one shouldn't call said training tool and the inventor unoriginal. Sheesh!

Anyway, believe what you want. I know the man behind the myth, and he is honest and forthright, and I consider him a good friend and a superb martial artist. And I have trained with Kenpoman, and the bottom line is is that if you want a fun and fast training tool that you can beat up relentlessly (as long as you don't get too beat up yourself in the process), then Kenpoman is for you.

Oh, And By The Way

David does have pictures of Ed Parker on the Kenpoman - and Ed Parker DID strongly support the Kenpoman...

That's my two cents. Thank you.
 

Maltair

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I've recently met Mr. German and the Kenpo man. He dropped by our dojo one night and me and a couple others got to pick his brain for about an hr. Top notch. He tought a couple nights latter and I missed it. Was pretty bummed. I'm not sure if it is on loan or what not but there was a kenpo man in the dojo. Worked it for about an hr, going back and forth between it and a uki. LOVED IT! Can't wait to get on it some more.
 
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pippenstein

Guest
We did a video a while back (when I was just starting to learn under him) in which I (for the first time) get on the Kenpoman. David wanted to use me there - I had no idea I was going to be videotaped (in classic David German style he put me on the spot - BLECK) until he called me up there. Erm... very raw... :p

Anyway, he goes through and answers some of the questions people may have on kenpoman. This is raw stuff - he didn't want to edit the video at all. It's not at all "choreographed", so watching it you will see what it is really like to be on the kenpoman for the first time.

The video is FREE - all you gotta do is ask for one. Here's the website: http://www.davidgermankenpoman.com/.

I gotta say it again, though. When I go to his house just to visit my mom, David, and my brother (Eric - David's son... no, we're not blood related, but he's my brother none the less), or to actually train, I get on the Kenpoman as much as possible. It is FUN. Very very fun. David's been showing me alternatives to the normal techniques, and he's even asked me and Eric to come up with some "games" that students can "play" on it to make training even that more entertaining (which I am all about - if I can't have fun training, I won't put my heart into it). Maybe another video is in the future???

David, by the way, wants me to keep up on this page and play "official kenpoman spokesman" for him here. Send questions my way as you wish!
 

Brother John

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OK:
what materials is it made of?
When they're created, are they made to suit the specific height of the person ordering them?
Does he sell the "Kenpowarrior"?

thanks


Your Brother
John
 

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