The only constant is that of change...

[Sifu DangeRuss]

DangeRuss Kenpo

Kenpo was meant to be a "Living Art". This means that is was never meant to be static nor traditional. If you view the progression of students who studied directly under Mr Parker, you'll find a wide range of interpretations or evolution of his own teachings over the years. The mark of a true teacher is to be able to take the information or techniques given to him, and not only pass those on, but if possible to take the lessons a step further. If we as a people didn't continue to change, grow and develope...we'd all be sitting in candlelight scratching our thoughts on papyrus reeds instead of exchanging our ideas via the internet.

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Sifu DangeRuss
Kenpo was meant to be a "Living Art". This means that is was never meant to be static nor traditional.

Does everyone agree with this, or do some think it should remain as it was when Mr. Parker died?

(As an aside, I was watching Revenge of the Pink Panther on tape this evening and enjoyed watching the multi-person fight scene. It's the only time I've ever seen Mr. Parker in motion.)

 

[MartialArtsGuy]

Hello Sifu DangeRuss

Im curious, could you please elaborate. Im interested to know how you help your students to change, grow, and develope.

Some people physically change the curriculum of the system every so many years in an attempt to keep up with the times.

Others feel progression happens conceptually, and that the mind set changes, grows, and developes to meet modern challenges, and govern the body accordingly.

This second group may see the curriculum almost as training wheels on a bike. Something to get you started and give you a solid base, but the changing, growing, and developing is the responsibility of the individual martial artist and based on his/her interpretation of reality.

There are many other perspectives and interpretations as well. I like to collect everyones 2 cents. Some day i might be rich, or just have alot of pennies. Either way it will be fun and interesting.

 

[Greggers69]

I agree with Sifu Dangrus. I believe that most of Mr. Parkers students went there own way and started there own schools and associations with their own strengths. So if you close your minds to your own style of kenpo your closing your mind to kenpo. Your instructor may not agree, but he may let you make your own decision. And there are some associations such as akki, that is still changing techs. To do away with unecessary movements and make you that much faster, which is Mr. Mills strength. (his speed) thank you :asian:

 

[Kalicombat]

The way I have come to understand it is that if you are interested in Ed Parker's American Kenpo, and all that it has to offer, as outlined by the Genius of Motion, Senior Grandmaster Edmund K. Parker, the base curriculum, including all techs, sets, forms, pledges, belt sayings, terminology, training drills, extensions, traditions, and protocols, are all the Beginning. It is the base of knowledge that is necessary to take the art to the next level. Once a practitioner has acquired the vast amount of knowledge that the base curriculum encompasses, you are skilled enough, and have learned the tools required to personalize the art of EPAK. At this point you have every weapon at your disposal in the event an altercation should take place. You can deal with said altercation quickly, effectively, and spontaneously, with out dredging through your consious mind to find the exact response to any scenario. It has been ingrained into your subconsious, through the years of tireless effort, thousands of repetitions, graphting, borrowing, variable expansion, etc... However, to learn half the system, and then try to exclude the rest as a form of personalization is not appropriate in my opinion. Once a person has earned the right to be called instructor, and through his or her experiences, they can add material to help express to their students, what they personally have come to understand EPAK as meaning to them. It is not a quick process, and the base curriculum is a must to do ones students justice. These statements only pertain to those instructors teaching, and those students interested in exploring the art of ED PARKER's AMERICAN KENPO.
People Like Mr. Paul Mills have changed the system somewhat, but have done so from the educated perspective of someone that has gone through the entire system. Doc Chapel has taken the entire system, and geared it towards emphasizing other apsects, in this case, SUB- LEVEL 4, that he has been exposed to. They have taken the base curriculum, processed it, and done with it what they feel appropriate. Mr Conatser has taken the system to a new level through innovative methodolgy, a keen knack for communicating the information to students and igniting a passion with in the student. Others like Mr. Pick have taken a particular part of the system and expanded upon it, in his case the knife work. Mr. White has taken tournament fighting to a higher level. Mr Tatum has made the art accessible through his classic series of videos. Mr. Planas has been refered to the encyclopedia of motion. It has been suggested that his instruction and execution of the forms are near perfect. All the men and women that we refer to as SENIORS have taken the art to a higher level. The mere fact that they have personalized it is not the end goal, as that should be the goal of all EPAK practitioners. The thing that seperates all the seniors that I have been exposed to, aside from the fact that they are first generation students, is the fact that they have all moved forward with conveying the system, with their personal interpretations and strengths and have added to the system. In the case of Mr.'s Sullivan and LeRoux, also both first generation students, they have chosen to take the system and break it down to what they have decided is the least common denominator. The least amount of material that they feel they can pass along to their students that incorporate all the principles and concepts of EPAK. They do not claim to teach EPAK, and regardless of anyones personal opinion, they do not teach EPAK. THey teach their version of what they have deemed important enough.
The one thing that is a constant through all of the people I have mentioned, and all the seniors, and many other instuctors out there is that they have learned the ENTIRE system of EPAK. To me, that is a prerequisite to extract all possible benefit from ED PARKER'S AMERICAN KENPO. Is it possible to be effective at defending ones self without learning all the material, of course it is. Can a person be successful in tournament competition without learning the entire system, also, of couse they can. However, if one is to claim that they study EPAK, then there are no short cuts, there are no quick remedies. Nor should there be. Its like being a Marine. You can only claim the title if you put in the work. You cant go to Air Force boot camp, and pin on the Marine Corps eagle-globe-and-anchor. You cant earn a blackbelt in TKD and wrap that belt around an EPAK uniform. For me, I have my blackbelts in three other systems, and they are all legitimate, and mean alot ot me. When I earn my EPAK blackbelt, through putting in the work, then, I too can claim the title of ED PARKER'S AMERICAN KENPO BLACKBELT.

As always, these are my opinions, as I see the topic.

Gary Catherman

 

[ProfessorKenpo]

Originally posted by Sifu DangeRuss
DangeRuss Kenpo

Kenpo was meant to be a "Living Art". This means that is was never meant to be static nor traditional. If you view the progression of students who studied directly under Mr Parker, you'll find a wide range of interpretations or evolution of his own teachings over the years. The mark of a true teacher is to be able to take the information or techniques given to him, and not only pass those on, but if possible to take the lessons a step further. If we as a people didn't continue to change, grow and develope...we'd all be sitting in candlelight scratching our thoughts on papyrus reeds instead of exchanging our ideas via the internet.

We have always expanded our need, the mother of invention, to meet the times we live in, but not everyone has does so from an educated viewpoint. If you look at our cipherable medium in which we communicate it really has changed that much over time, it's just gotten better. We've all put pen to paper, as our forefathers before us, before that, coal to rock, all mediums in which to express our ideas. We've always had the ability of speech, it was putting it into a recognizeable pattern that each of us could understand, learn and eventually teach to our prodgeny so others would understand our thoughts. The hearing impaired and deaf have created sign communication to relate their thoughts, but the hearing can still understand if they know the language. The idea of communication hasn't changed much over the last few thousand years, we've just improved how we do it to make our thoughts available to millions as opposed to a few. If we were to radically alter our bodies so that we didn't communicate in what we consider the standard fashion, we would still find a way to convey our thoughts. Telepathic communication is still a fantasy for some of us, but we might evolve to a point where it may become our primary thought conveyance. Until then, we're stuck here for awhile so I'm enjoying the ride. Kenpo has been here for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Mr. Parker took what was existing and made it his own and passed it down to his students with the idea they could improve upon his thoughts, but not all understood exactly what he was thinking and gave it their own interpretation of the material. It's up to us to judge what's good and bad for our own personal needs. Some got it, others never will.

Have a great Kenpo day

Clyde

 

[Elfan]

When I am gone, I hope that people won't try to traditionalize my Art. I want you to always remember that Kenpo will always be the Art of Perpetual Change. If you remember this, then the Art will never become obsolete because it will change with the times. While the ignorant refuse to study and the intelligent never stop, we should always be mindful of the fact that our reward in life is proportionate with the contributions we make. A true Martial Artist is not one who fears change, but one who causes it to happen. To live is to change, and to obtain perfection is to have changed often. Progress is a necessity that is a part of nature. While it is true that casting the old aside is not necessary in order to obtain something new, we should study old theories not as a means of discrediting them, but to see if they can be modified to improve our present conditions. A word of advice, The humble man makes room for progress; the proud man believes he is already there.

Ed Parker, shortly before he passed away.