Variations that Ed Parker taught

[Kenpo66]

I'm currently reading Doc Chapel's Diaries of Kenpo's Mad Scientist and he speaks several times of how Ed Parker was constantly evolving techniques. So much so, that he might teach a version and then immediately make a change. When I began my journey, I was told that Mr. Parker intentionally taught variations in different parts of the country because we was always paranoid and would be able to identify a student/lineage based on the variation. In my reading of several sources I haven't really heard this idea elsewhere, while it is plausible that he was paranoid because of bad business deals, it seems to make more sense that the variations existed because of his constant evolution of the art. Does anyone have experience on this? I'd be interested to know if the 'regional variations' idea has any basis in truth or not. Considering either reason for variations (evolution or identification) I find it laughable that anyone could claim to know the 'true', 'pure' 'whatever' version of EDKK as the founder had intended. It seems that he always considered it a work in progress.

 

[isshinryuronin18 18]

I don't know about regional differences (I much doubt it) but he would change his individual technique combinations, the core of his system, to protect his brand. This way, he could claim that his break-a-way students who started their own competing kenpo organizations were not teaching the "real" Ed Parker kenpo. This is what he told me. I don't think the general public cared one way or the other or put as much importance on this as he did.

 

[Wing Woo Gar63 25]

I don't know about regional differences (I much doubt it) but he would change his individual technique combinations, the core of his system, to protect his brand. This way, he could claim that his break-a-way students who started their own competing kenpo organizations were not teaching the "real" Ed Parker kenpo. This is what he told me. I don't think the general public cared one way or the other or put as much importance on this as he did.

Intentionally setting up schism between groups of former students so that when they determine the nature of the fraud and leave to start their own or pursue a different path he could just dismiss their critique. In this way the grift could continue regardless of whether or not claims were made. The man was a shameless bloviator and a thief of intellectual property. “Elvis” the black belt, “The secrets of Chinese Karate”, need I say more? I could certainly go on and on about the fraudulent exploits of this character, and the sycophantic followers that remain deluded.

 

[Gyakuto129 138]

‘Bloviator’…nice!

 

[Wing Woo Gar63 25]

‘Bloviator’…nice!

I was inspired by your sword target…the bloviator in chief, or Grandpa Caligula, as I like to refer to him.

 

[Gyakuto129 138]

It was bloviating par excellence today at that press conference. It is given a a very reasonable script to read from, but then it decides to ad lib and reveals what a halfwit it really is! It just repeats the same thing with ever increasingly grand adjectives. It is the dumbest simian that has ever existed

 

[isshinryuronin18 18]

Intentionally setting up schism between groups of former students so that when they determine the nature of the fraud and leave to start their own or pursue a different path he could just dismiss their critique. In this way the grift could continue regardless of whether or not claims were made. The man was a shameless bloviator and a thief of intellectual property. “Elvis” the black belt, “The secrets of Chinese Karate”, need I say more? I could certainly go on and on about the fraudulent exploits of this character, and the sycophantic followers that remain deluded.

I don't refute much of what you write here; Parker was a promoter of tournaments, his karate brand, and himself. Regardless of his "likability" index (I didn't care for him, personally) I respect his style and fighting ability. His senior belts had superior technical skill, and his inner circle were not lightweights. His overall impact on the modern MA world in the US was significant.

 

[Wing Woo Gar63 25]

I don't refute much of what you write here; Parker was a promoter of tournaments, his karate brand, and himself. Regardless of his "likability" index (I didn't care for him, personally) I respect his style and fighting ability. His senior belts had superior technical skill, and his inner circle were not lightweights. His overall impact on the modern MA world in the US was significant.

Sifu James Ibrao was one of Parker’s first black belts but left him to become a student of Sifu James Wing Woo during the time Sifu Woo was teaching Parker’s black belts. Sifu Ibrao was still coming to train with Sifu Woo 10-12 years ago. Ibraos students are our cousin school now. Most of the content in one of Parker’s early books was stolen from Woo. I don’t dispute Parker’s personal fighting ability, nor the skills of his early students. I have seen all sorts of things falsely attributed to Parker over the years. Like that he trained Lau Bun, but that never happened. Lau Bun was teaching at the Hop Sing Tong. Lau Bun referred Parker to Woo.

 

[Darren]

having been in Kenpo now for a total of 7 years, know that Mr.Parker wanted the art of Kenpo to evolve, been to 2 kenpo places, one at rick fowlers kenpo karate and James mcgar martial arts, left ricks school in 1993 that is when BJJ was becoming popular one of the people i sparred with was Allen Mohler he was also a good teacher was in his fighting class at rick flowers, he branched off started his own gym and doing very well, but both places had almost the same moves as the other, can`t complain any, as at ricks school i did get in good shape and became some what of a good fighter but in that period of time it was hard hitting and we just loved to fight and there were some very good fighter there, at james school there a few more moves to the technicians
but the forms are the same, it is a art that you modify to what you can do and we are encouraged to add our own stuff along with the moves, but id love it and have found out it is a life time of learning to it and the moves in the higher belts are based on physics like the forearm shifting from a inner block with the arm into a vertical, innerward back fist is just a set up for for the other arm to punch, it aids in the punch to have more power, as explosive as it can be one must however tone that down about in BJJ about 90%, which i am just now picking that up after 3 years(bout time).