What is Kenpo Karate?
American Kenpo traces its roots to the Chinese martial arts. Drawing from this ancient art, Mr. Ed Parker, a dynamic martial artist and brilliant innovator, constructed the system we now recognize as American Karate. Parker fiercely worked to refine and develop the art that would become AMERICAN KENPO KARATE. He analyzed each move, fascinated by the what, why and how of it all. He categorized the pros and cons of each move, always increasing his knowledge of motion and how each motion fit into the total structure of the art. He discarded arbitrary moves and sequences, seeking to refine his system to the point of total logic, consistency, and organization. He ruthlessly discarded ineffectual employment of motion which he felt could lead to unwanted problems for the practitioner. Always willing to learn, Parker selectively incorporated his students’ insights and innovations into his system. Structuring his work like a scientific discipline, Parker established the unique concepts, theorie
