Shotokan or American Kenpo?

[Karatedrifter7]

Here's a question that isint at all controversial. What do you think there are more of in the USA right now? Shotokan or American Kenpo schools?

Dave

 

[stoneheart]

Good question. Believe it or not, I'll say American Kenpo. I live in Austin, Texas myself, a decent sized city. We have 2 Shotokan dojos: 1 run out of a community center and 1 that is part of a chiropractic clinic. There are 4 American Kenpo dojos, one run by Mr. Brian Duffy, a direct student of Ed Parker's.

I could be totally off base, but I think Japanese karate in general is much less popular than the various Hawaiian systems in Texas (Amerian kenpo, kajukenbo, etc) and obviously taekwondo and tang soo do lap pretty much any other style in terms of enrollment.

 

[michaeledward]

I think that whatever is taught in many martial arts schools, the curricula have become so confused that distinctions among styles have become meaningless.

School owners are trying many different things to keep their revenue stream going. Blending of new material into other systems is a necessity in many schools.

Although, I know almost nothing about Shotokan, but in American Kenpo, I see many variations within the system (as I understand it), and many other schools offering BJJ, Judo, Tai Chi and MMA.

With so much combining of styles, are such distinctions relevant?

 

[seninoniwashi]

Here's a question that isint at all controversial. What do you think there are more of in the USA right now? Shotokan or American Kenpo schools?

Dave

I would say American Kenpo however that's JUST limited to my area of the Northwestern states of Idaho and Washington. Shotokan is almost unheard of in Idaho. Goju-ryu karate is popular in Washington but I have seen and heard of many more Kenpo dojos. I have also heard a great deal of Kenpo in California as well.

Anyone else out there from any of the Northwestern states that can concur or debate?

 

[stoneheart]

I think that whatever is taught in many martial arts schools, the curricula have become so confused that distinctions among styles have become meaningless.

It's not meaningless in my practice. I do Okinawan Goju-Ryu as my main style and the training methods while common enough among other Okinawan systems are hardly the stuff of generic karate. Emphasis on kata applications, hojo undo, sanchin training, rich kobudo... etc.

I certainly don't walk into the average strip mall dojo and expect to see them doing what I'm doing. It's too unpopular. I think style and system is very important if practiced correctly. A goju person should NOT look like a taekwondo person who in turn should NOT look like a wing chun player.

 

[chinto]

I would say American Kenpo however that's JUST limited to my area of the Northwestern states of Idaho and Washington. Shotokan is almost unheard of in Idaho. Goju-ryu karate is popular in Washington but I have seen and heard of many more Kenpo dojos. I have also heard a great deal of Kenpo in California as well.

Anyone else out there from any of the Northwestern states that can concur or debate?

well there are 2 dojo's that teach basicly the parker system of kempo here, but I do not study Kempo.

I study an okinawan traditional style myself. I would sugest the dojo I am a student in and a local dojo that teaches akijujitsu/aikido as an amalgum for some one who is serious about self defence myself. the local kodikan juditsu/aikijujitsu dojo would be a second choice after the first too.... to actualy about a tie. but we train old school and not really for turnement ...you could do turnement but you would really have to ask what the rule are as we do not train with any turnement rules in mind except for the kids class for safety reasons.

 

[Karatedrifter7]

Here's an interesting thing though. Go into any chain bookstore i.e. Barnes and Noble, Borders and you'll see a variety of different maritial art books, Wrestiling ,UFC and also Karate. If one examine's the Karate book 9-10 its from a Shotokan practioner. However I havent found any books on American Kenpo, in either one of these bookstores.

 

[baughman]

Were I live in Cincinnati and midwest area in general. There is almost no American Kenpo. I would love to train American Kenpo but the nearest Dojo is 2 hrs away in Columbus. Alot of Tracys but not what i am looking for. There are 5 Shotokan Dojos in Cinci tho.

 

[Brian S]

There are two kempo schools and one shotokan school in mya area of the state.