American Kenpo Karate

[Manny]

I did some crosstraining in American Kenpo Karate (IKKA) for a year, it was very nice, I meet some great guys and I learned new stuff and liked very much. I am a orange belt and want to try it again, I added some kenpo principles and technikes to my TKD but I think kenpo can give me more.

I really like the self defense technikes but I dislike the forms or katas, maybe because I am to familiar to the Taeguks and kenpo forms seems a little weird to me, however a litte flame is inside of me, the flame of knowledge and I want to learn more about kenpo.

For one reason or another I was unable to comeback, I am a very emotional person and in some things very apasionated (like the MA) and I am currently teaching (I am a senior black belt instructor) two guys but this seeems not enough... I really miss kenpo.

I am trying to put all my schedulle (work,family,tkd) in order to try to have the time to do kenpo but it's not easy.

Don't know if I need some TKD vacation and get inside kenpo classes, one of the things to deal is my kenpo sensei closed his studio and he is teaching in high school and this summer the school close it's doors so we can't train kenpo till september.

Manny

 

[Thesemindz]

The kenpo forms are their own unique animal, and like everything else in AK, aren't particularly consistent from school to school. Some schools teach short forms that others don't. Some teach the old chinese forms (leopard, tiger/crane, two man) that others don't. Even the forms that most consider universal kenpo forms (1-6) tend to have local variances from instructor to instructor. It just isn't the same kind of monolithic approach that you see in other styles. But that's kenpo for you. Ed Parker left us a great legacy, but the emphasis on individuation you see in motion based kenpo systems leads to a lot of diversity (good thing) and a lot of bickering (bad thing).

I did a quick google search for kenpo in veracruz and it seemed like there were several places that offered some version of AK. Have you looked around locally? You might also be able to hit some local schools and just ask around, could be you have a guy in your town who knows kenpo and would work out with you but just doesn't have a store front.

Barring that, I don't usually recommend video training, but you are already an accomplished martial artist in your own right, you might get something out of checking out some of the distance programs. Chuck Sullivans IKCA,

http://www.karateconnection.com/

is supposed to be one of the best. It isn't pure AK, it's more his own unique version of kenpo, but I've only ever heard good things about it which is unusual for a video training program. Like I said, I don't recommend that approach, but all the stories I've heard about Mr. Sullivan and his IKCA students have been positive ones. At least you know he's a legit kenpo Master.

Good luck Manny. Wish we were closer, I'd be happy to train with you. Maybe I'll make a trip down south someday. Till then, happy hunting. And if you can't find the AK you want right now, maybe right now just isn't the right time. Keep training your TKD. Kenpo isn't going anywhere.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

I don't really know my Mexican geography, so i'm not sure if this is a viable suggestion or not, but there's some really good kenpo in Texas. If you could call some of those schools and set up a weekend session or something it might be worth a field trip.


-Rob

 

[Manny]

The kenpo forms are their own unique animal, and like everything else in AK, aren't particularly consistent from school to school. Some schools teach short forms that others don't. Some teach the old chinese forms (leopard, tiger/crane, two man) that others don't. Even the forms that most consider universal kenpo forms (1-6) tend to have local variances from instructor to instructor. It just isn't the same kind of monolithic approach that you see in other styles. But that's kenpo for you. Ed Parker left us a great legacy, but the emphasis on individuation you see in motion based kenpo systems leads to a lot of diversity (good thing) and a lot of bickering (bad thing).

I did a quick google search for kenpo in veracruz and it seemed like there were several places that offered some version of AK. Have you looked around locally? You might also be able to hit some local schools and just ask around, could be you have a guy in your town who knows kenpo and would work out with you but just doesn't have a store front.

Barring that, I don't usually recommend video training, but you are already an accomplished martial artist in your own right, you might get something out of checking out some of the distance programs. Chuck Sullivans IKCA,

http://www.karateconnection.com/

is supposed to be one of the best. It isn't pure AK, it's more his own unique version of kenpo, but I've only ever heard good things about it which is unusual for a video training program. Like I said, I don't recommend that approach, but all the stories I've heard about Mr. Sullivan and his IKCA students have been positive ones. At least you know he's a legit kenpo Master.

Good luck Manny. Wish we were closer, I'd be happy to train with you. Maybe I'll make a trip down south someday. Till then, happy hunting. And if you can't find the AK you want right now, maybe right now just isn't the right time. Keep training your TKD. Kenpo isn't going anywhere.


-Rob

Thank you Rob, the city were I live is the Sea Port of Veracruz that forms part of the State of Veracruz, in the state of Veracruz there are 3 or 4 kenpo karate studios one is run and owned by Master Hernan Carrasco considered the father of the Americna Kenpo karate he was student from Ed Parker, Frank Trejo and Skip Hanckok, the other two or three kenpo seseis are disiples from Hernan Carrasco.

In my citya there is only one kenpo karate sensei, Omar Rivera, direct student from Hernan Carrasco and right now Omar is below the IKKA Umbrella and Master Netza Soots disiple of Gil Velez.

My former sensei (Omar) has to close his dojo because of economics (he rented ofices where his dojo was) and he's building his own dojo next his house, for that matter he is teaching in a high school.

I hang out with Omar one in a while and are very good friends, and Iwant to retook my kenpo classes, TKD there are some days too boaring, and kenpo was very refresh to me.

Everitime I see kenpo in action really catch my eye, it's a very dinamic martial art.

Manny

 

[Touch Of Death]

Manny, Skip has plenty of vids available... in spanish even
Sean

 

[Manny]

Manny, Skip has plenty of vids available... in spanish even
Sean

Relly??? in fact Skip comes down here once a year, he comes to visit Master Hernan Carrasco sadly they give the seminars in Martinez de la Torre and thats about 4 hours from mi city.

Manny

 

[Touch Of Death]

Relly??? in fact Skip comes down here once a year, he comes to visit Master Hernan Carrasco sadly they give the seminars in Martinez de la Torre and thats about 4 hours from mi city.

Manny

Really. Check 'em out.