What is American Kempo all about and can it compliment Thai Boxing?

Slihn

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Hi everyone,I am a Thai Boxer;I am relocating soon, city that I am moving to to offers American Kenpo Karate I am bascially wanting to know what that style offers.Is it filled with hundreds of forms?Does it offer free style fighting? What ranges of fighting does it cover?I have seen a few Kempo videos and I noticed that there where alot of Self Defence techniques.
Also are their punching techniques more like the tradional Karate or American boxing?Im not giving up Thai Boxing I was just wondering if it would be a good idea to bring Kenpo into my arsenal.
 

bujuts

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I depends on what you want out of your skills. Muy Thai is excellent for the ring already. You will do just ifne in that sport training Muy Thai and nothing but. Kenpo may not be for you if it does not meet your objectives. I believe its important to line those out and find a system, then a school, that will help you meet those goals.

In short, what are you looking for?

Cheers,

Steven Brown
UKF
 
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Slihn

Slihn

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bujuts said:
I depends on what you want out of your skills. Muy Thai is excellent for the ring already. You will do just ifne in that sport training Muy Thai and nothing but. Kenpo may not be for you if it does not meet your objectives. I believe its important to line those out and find a system, then a school, that will help you meet those goals.

In short, what are you looking for?

Cheers,

Steven Brown
UKF

Well personally looking for more "self defense" techniques.For example what to do in a scenrio if your grab from behind, or how to defend yourself against an attacker with a knife.

Most Muay Thai gyms do not teach "self defense techniques.I learned a few disarming techniques from Budo Taijitsu and Jujitsu but I am not able to train in those arts actively.Muay Thai is an awesome art,but I am trained on how to brutally attack another,but not how to defend(dont get me wrong there are defensive moves in Muay Thai,counter attacks,evasion,etc;but those are for fighting an attacker,not for self defense;to you unserstand what I am saying?).

Muay Thai is almost better suited for the mugger than the victim.If I wanted to attack someone a horz elbow would be an awesome weapon of choice,but if I were being mugged,it would be a bit difficult explain to the cops that ,this guy laying on the ground with a concussion and a few teeth missing just attempted to mug me.

Also Muay Thai does not teach disarming(knife,gun,stick,etc) technqiues or how to deal with weapons ,grappling attacks,or multiple attackers.Japanese (and non-sport Brazilian) Jujitsu teaches this,but I am more of a striker than a grappler.

Can American Kenpo give me this training?
 

Ray

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Slihn said:
Well personally looking for more "self defense" techniques.For example what to do in a scenrio if your grab from behind, or how to defend yourself against an attacker with a knife.
...
Also Muay Thai does not teach disarming(knife,gun,stick,etc) technqiues or how to deal with weapons ,grappling attacks,or multiple attackers.Japanese (and non-sport Brazilian) Jujitsu teaches this,but I am more of a striker than a grappler.

Can American Kenpo give me this training?
I think you'll be very happy in American Kenpo if you find a school that teaches the "whys" and principles of the techniques.
 

Hand Sword

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Any training will add to your skills if you haven't done it before. So, I say take it up. If you like self defense techniques, you'll love American Kenpo. I think Kenpo will definitely compliment your Muay Thai training.
 

Odin

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Slihn said:
Well personally looking for more "self defense" techniques.For example what to do in a scenrio if your grab from behind, or how to defend yourself against an attacker with a knife.

Most Muay Thai gyms do not teach "self defense techniques.I learned a few disarming techniques from Budo Taijitsu and Jujitsu but I am not able to train in those arts actively.Muay Thai is an awesome art,but I am trained on how to brutally attack another,but not how to defend(dont get me wrong there are defensive moves in Muay Thai,counter attacks,evasion,etc;but those are for fighting an attacker,not for self defense;to you unserstand what I am saying?).

Muay Thai is almost better suited for the mugger than the victim.If I wanted to attack someone a horz elbow would be an awesome weapon of choice,but if I were being mugged,it would be a bit difficult explain to the cops that ,this guy laying on the ground with a concussion and a few teeth missing just attempted to mug me.

Also Muay Thai does not teach disarming(knife,gun,stick,etc) technqiues or how to deal with weapons ,grappling attacks,or multiple attackers.Japanese (and non-sport Brazilian) Jujitsu teaches this,but I am more of a striker than a grappler.

Can American Kenpo give me this training?

I dont about that dude,ask your kru if he can teach you any self defence you have to remember before muay thai was a ring sport it was used in battle as method of attack after losing your weapon,there are techinques that are used for disarming attackers you proberly havent been tought them because they really have knifes in the ring!(")ask your kru to show you.

At the end of the day bro if someone is trying to attack and hurt you with reason you are perfectly liable to attack and hurt them!
 
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Slihn

Slihn

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Thanks for all of your post guys!...yeah asking my teacher to teach me a few self-defense techniques is a good idea;but for some reason ,I have always admired Kempo's fist.I also think that it would be a good idea to learn another method of fighting.Seeing battle through a new concept of combat can open up new ideals and strategies in facing an opponet.

.....one method of fighting my see or create an opening that another does not.

Thank you all for your thoughts,keep training hard!
 

MJS

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Slihn said:
Hi everyone,I am a Thai Boxer;I am relocating soon, city that I am moving to to offers American Kenpo Karate I am bascially wanting to know what that style offers.Is it filled with hundreds of forms?Does it offer free style fighting? What ranges of fighting does it cover?I have seen a few Kempo videos and I noticed that there where alot of Self Defence techniques.
Also are their punching techniques more like the tradional Karate or American boxing?Im not giving up Thai Boxing I was just wondering if it would be a good idea to bring Kenpo into my arsenal.

I'd suggest checking out some Kenpo schools in your area to see if what they offer, meets your needs. Keep in mind, that depending on the school and instructor, its possible that one school may offer something more/less than another. You may want to check out this site:

http://www.kenpo-texas.com/

This should give you a good breakdown of some of the required techniques, katas, etc.

You could also check out Larry Tatums site:

www.ltatum.com

There are some video clips of him demonstrating some Kenpo techniques.

I think that your Thai boxing would be a good compliment to Kenpo.

Mike
 

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