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About Kenpo
The most widespread account of the origin of
Chinese Martial Arts is credited to the 28th East Indian Patriarch of
the Buddhist Faith named Tamo. He was also called Bodhidharma and was
known to the Japanese as Daruma Daishi. His arrival in China is dated
about 515-530 A.D. In addition to being credited with the development of
the Martial Arts, Tamo is also credited with developing principles for
using the Bo as a karate weapon of self-defense in 517 A.D. (Demura,
1976). Upon Tamo's arrival in China, he found that the Canton Warlords
had disarmed the general public which left them completely defenseless
against marauding bandits and other warring factions. Tamo made
extensive travels within China endeavoring to teach the Zen philosophy
i.e., that one must coexist with nature and the surrounding environment.
He promised that if the people would do so they would have a better
understanding of their individual relationship with nature. He was
basically rejected by the people initially because such a philosophy did
not seem reasonable during war time thus, he began teaching in seclusion
at the Shaolin Monastery in the Hunan Province. As a result, his Zen
doctrine became the foundation of study for Monk's within China's
religious structure.
The Shaolin Monastery is also called Shorin-ji in Japanese. Tamo was
able to get his foot in the door because the monks were constantly
harassed by bandits. He told them that peace was within each person and
not within the world. Tamo tried to teach the monks, but found that many
fell asleep during meditation. As a result, Tamo introduced exercise to
improve their fitness levels and taught the original 18 hand movements
of the martial arts for both defense and offense. Under Tamo's tutelage,
the monks became formidable opponents. To graduate from the Shaolin
Monastery, the monk had to compete to travel through, what we term in
the USKKA the "corridor of death." This was a corridor equipped with 108
dummies which were triggered into action by the body weight of the monk
as he proceeded along the corridor. Each monk could trigger up to 5
dummies at once depending on their weight. Many of the monks died in the
process and some were injured and taken to the infirmary. As accounts
relate the incidents, no one had ever lived to make it through if they
failed during the first journey. This resulted in defection of the monks
from the monastery who emigrated to southern China and Okinawa and began
the teaching the part of the full system which they liked best. Thus
some would teach straight line power movements and some would teach
circular, flowing movements, animal forms, etc. This may explain why
there is so much similarity between certain martial arts styles and why
there are so many of them. If the monk made it to the end of the
corridor, he had to lift a burning metal urn which branded a dragon on
his left forearm and a tiger on his right forearm. This should be
familiar to many readers who have watched the old "Kung Fu" series on
television in the 1970's with David Carradine. The historical setting
for the program was taken from Ed Parker's book "Secrets of Chinese
Karate" which was published in 1963. It was about 5 years after this
book was published that many other Martial Arts systems began tracing
their beginnings back to the Shaolin Monastery, no doubt a result of Ed
Parker's hard work and research which was of great benefit to Martial
Artists.
During the Yuan Dynasty (1260-1368 A.D.) there was noticeable
improvements in the Martial Arts. Chueh Yuan had increased the original
18 hand movements to 72. Chueh Yuan eventually became partners with Li
Ch'eng and Pai Yu-feng and increased the number of movements from 72 to
170. As time passed, Martial Arts training became integral to the
Chinese lifestyle because they were in a constant state of war. However,
due to its lethal qualities, the Martial Arts were taught only by select
clans who had their own master and who would teach only selected
individuals in each clan. Great pride was taken by each master in his
distinctive style. Family clans were swore never to divulge the
teachings they received from their masters.
The Ming (1368-1644 A.D.) and Ch'ing (1644-1911 A.D.) Dynasties were the
golden age of Martial Arts in China and many of the styles taught today
were founded and expanded on during this period. In 1372
Chinese-Okinawan relations were consilidated and in 1470 Sho-ha-shi
became king of Okinawa and confiscated all weapons from the people. This
forced the Okinawans to seek for other forms of self-defense. As a
result, some Okinawans emigrated to China to learn what was then called
Chinese Kenpo from top masters. As the years passed, practitioners
continued to learn and demonstrate their skills in private and the
Martial Arts improved considerably. Then in 1609, the Japanese dominated
Okinawa and Lord Shimazu removed all forms of weapons from the public at
large. Between 1609-1903 the greatest achievements were made in the
Martial Arts. As a result, a variety of styles and systems emerged. The
Okinawans had always termed the Martial Arts as "Te" which literally
means hand. During this period (1609-1903) "Karate" meaning "hands of
China" replaced the word "Te" (during the latter part of the 19th
century) until the Chinese character which denoted "hands of China" or
"China Hand" (the latter being more correct) was changed by the Japanese
to their character which meant "empty hand". This change (officially
dated to1923) angered many of the Okinawan masters who were proud of the
term designating their fighting style. They also did not wish to
dispense with their loyalty and association with China. However, there
was great pressure by the Japanese and the masters very reluctantly
accepted the new character change. The change was spearheaded by a
student of Chogun Miyagi named Nagashi Hanage of the Goju-ryu style of
karate. It was actually Chogun Miyagi himself who desired to make the
change and compelled his disciple Nagashi Hanage to pursue the change
with great vigor. While the change may have brought a deeper meaning
according to Chogun Myagi, in which spiritual overcomes the physical, it
is yet another example of how the Japanese managed to make many think
that the Art was theirs and not the Chinese from whom it descended. The
Bonzai tree is also an example because the Bonzai tree was propagated in
China long before anyone ever heard of it from Japan. This has, and
still does anger many Chinese which is especially true since the
Japanese language descended from their Chinese ancestors.
For further clarification, if the reader will observe the last two
oriental characters on the right hand side of the Parker System patch,
you will note that these are the true Chinese characters referring to
"empty" and "hand" respectively. This was done intentionally by Mr.
Parker to honor the Chinese from which our system descends. It is not a
mixture of Japanese and Chinese. This has always been a primary mistake
of many students of the Kenpo system and others. It is due primarily to
the fact that both the Chinese and Japanese character for "te" meaning
hand, are identical. This is the last character on the right hand side
of the Parker patch. Consequently, it is easy to mix the two or rather
to think they are mixed when you look at both the Chinese and Japanese
characters--the character for "kara" is different in both languages. If
one uses the word Kenpo, which took on the Japanese meaning when "kara"
was added before "te" as described above and has generally been the
accepted norm ever since, it literally means fist law. The Pinyin
pronunciation in Chinese for fist-law is "Ch'uan Fa" and is sometimes
incorrectly called "Ch'uan Shu" which is the Chinese term for Kung Fu.
Many Chinese began emigrating to the United States about 1840 and began
work as common laborers on railroad construction and digging gold mines.
The Chinese syndicates, also known as Tongs, came with otherwise
honorable Chinese people seeking a better life in the United States. The
Tongs had many internal conflicts and began to import top Martial Arts
masters from China to protect them and teach their families how to
adequately defend themselves. Kenpo was first introduced in Hawaii
during the beginning of World War II by James Masayoshi Mitose who had
learned it during his early years in Japan. As accounts dictate, Tamo
was the founder of his system; this system was called Shorinji-ryu Kenpo
by the Japanese; this is the Japanese equivalent of the Chinese "Ch'uan
Fa or Ch'uan Shu". This as you recall, coincides with what has been
passed down by ancient masters through the centuries. Because of Tamo's
contribution to Kenpo it is logical that Mitose's ancestors of the
Martial Arts refer to the term of Shorin-ji as the system of Kenpo
taught by Tamo. However, the Kenpo system which had been learned from
ancient Chinese Masters and then taught by Mitose's ancestors was
altered and extensively modified to a form and method more suitable to
Japanese understanding and culture. These modifications and extensive
changes were made by Choki Motobu who claimed to receive new revelations
regarding Kenpo and changed the name of their system to Kosho-ryu Kenpo
(Parker, 1982). When Mitose began teaching in Hawaii, he named his art
Kenpo Jiu-Jitsu. Today, many people call his art Kempo and sometimes use
the term Kempo synonomously with Kenpo, but this is in error since Kempo
is a linear system of movements much like Shotokan and while it has some
similarity to Kenpo it is both distinctively and stylishly different.
The "m" in Kempo also refers to its Okinawan origin.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Mitose was
residing in Honolulu and had to come to grips with the fact that he was
Japanese by birth, but American by citizenship. Thus, one day he asked
his students "You are strong believers in Kenpo and Buddha. If the Kenpo
founder, Buddha came to attack and conquer your country with soldiers,
what would you do? Would you take ups arms to defend your country? Or
would you assist Buddha in his design?" (Mitose, 1980). While there were
many varied answers from his students Mitose replied that: "This is our
country so it is our duty to defend and protect it and in the presence
of God we are right. So naturally we must fight against the founder
Buddha. We should take the invaders prisoner and make them realize the
wrong they have attempted to do. This is the way of the true Kenpo man
and this is the Kenpo man's duty." (Mitose, 1980). Mitose went on to
open the Official Self-Defense Club where he trained fellow servicemen
and civilians and began to expound the merits of his Japanese Kenpo. He
hoped that one day Kenpo would become Americanized.
William K.S. Chow cultivated the seeds of American Kenpo. He was
primarily a student of his father W.K.S. Chow, but also had some
training from Mitose. Chow's father was Chinese and thus, Chow learned
mostly the Chinese ancestral art of Kenpo Karate which has been passed
down from Tamo. Chow was also a streetfighter and while he learned many
circular and flowing motions from his father, he incorporated some of
the linear movements and take-downs he learned from Mitose. Seeing the
value of incorporating both systems, Chow began to modify Kenpo Karate.
Chow could see that one day, Kenpo could reach its full potential and
once its potential was reached, Kenpo would greatly exceed other
systems. Through the efforts of William K.S. Chow and Ed Parker,
American Kenpo has reached this potential. American Kenpo is the most
sophisticated and scientific Martial Art designed to cope with
confrontations on America's streets today. However, if the skill of the
Kenpo practitioner utilizing the system falls short of expectation, the
outcome would be questionable (Parker, 1982).
Edmund K. Parker began studying Kenpo with William K.S. Chow at the age
of 16 which would be about 1947. Ed Parker learned all he could from
Master Chow and studied with other well known students of Chow such as
Adriano and Joe Emperado who founded their own system call Kajukenbo
which is a blend of Kenpo, weapons, and also has influences from other
systems. Other practitioners included Bobby Lowe (representative for Mas
Oyama in Hawaii), Paul Yamaguchi, Masaichi Oshiro (representative for
Gogen Yamaguchi of the Goju-ryu style), and Manny de la Cruz. Parker
later attended Brigham Young University and at the outbreak of the
Korean War was stationed in Hawaii with the U.S. Coast Guard. This gave
him the opportunity to study further with Master Chow. Chow wanted
Parker to begin Kenpo full-time on the mainland and was prepared to move
to California when Ed Parker opened his second club. However, Chow later
declined; possibly because of his strong ties in Hawaii, Ed's formal
education which would stand him in good stead with the general public,
and possibly Chow's accent which he did not think would be of great
asset to Ed Parker's presentations. Chow saw that he could still
continue to teach Ed from Hawaii and thus, never moved to the
continental U.S. While at Brigham Young University, Ed Parker, 23 years
of age at the time, had a closed club, teaching only students of
Polynesian descent and law enforcement officers. One of the law
enforcement officers was Charles Beeder Sr. who became Ed's permanent
assistant.
After graduation from BYU, Ed Parker moved to California and opened his
second school in 1956 (ranked as a 3rd degree black belt) and also
founded the International Kenpo Karate Association the same year. He
continually advanced the Kenpo system which pleased Master Chow very
much. Ed Parker had numerous students and friends in the film industry
and went on to assist in many films as a Martial Arts technical advisor.
He can be seen in most of the "Pink Panther" movies in which he not only
did the acting, but also the fight scenes. Mr. Parker believed that the
Martial Arts did not always have to be serious, but that one should have
fun with them as well. This is evident in the "Pink Panther" film
series. He also played the bad-guy in a film entitled "The Seven" which
showed some great Kenpo moves. In 1964, Mr. Parker held his first
"Longbeach International Karate Championships" which became the largest
Martial Arts tournament in the U.S. for many years and still ranks in
the top three today. It was at this tournament that he introduced Bruce
Lee to the American Public who became enamored with him. Contradictory
to what the film "The Dragon" portrayed, Bruce Lee did not fight anyone
at the tournament, but simply gave a demonstration of his style which
has since became known as Jeet Koon-do. Mr. Parker helped Bruce Lee
obtain the role of Kato in the "Green Hornet" television series. Bruce
Lee was later to have a chance as the star in the "Kung Fu" television
series. However, it was felt by the film producers that the general
public was not yet ready for an Oriental starring actor and the part was
given to David Carridine instead. After this, Bruce Lee began making his
movies in the Orient instead of the U.S.
Shortly before his death, William K.S. Chow promoted Edmund K. Parker to
the rank of 10th degree black belt. Ed Parker was the only student Chow
ever promoted to 10th degree rank, despite what others claim. This was
done not only because of Mr. Parker's skill in the Art, but because of
the many innovations and advancements Parker had made to the system with
Master Chow's approval. Mr. Parker was the first to open a commercial
karate studio in the U.S., the first to conduct a karate class on a
college campus, the first faculty member to teach karate on the college
campus, the first authentic karate technical advisor for T.V. and film,
the first to publish a rule booklet on free-style competition, the first
to teach karate to law enforcement officers, and many other firsts. He
was truly, and has been recognized as such, the Father of American
Karate. As Parker "Americanized" (as Chow had envisioned) and further
developed the Kenpo system, he developed specific requirements for each
rank over a period of about 15 years. He was initially opposed to a belt
ranking system since many of the Chinese systems only had a rope for a
novice and a black belt for the advanced student. However, as the needs
of each group such as law enforcement compared to the average citizen
were more keenly recognized, Mr. Parker introduced a belt ranking system
to go along with his requirements. The colors are yellow, orange,
purple, blue, green, brown, and black. In the Parker Kenpo system there
are three levels of brown: 3rd, 2nd, and 1st which is next in rank to
1st degree black belt. The colors signify proficiency, achievement, and
authority. This belt ranking system has become widely used by most major
Martial Arts systems in the U.S. today. Others have claimed to come up
with many of Mr. Parker's ideas first, but their claims have absolutely
no credibility according to historical accounts and published records.
Mr. Parker is without question the most innovative Martial Artist that
has ever lived. He has often been referred to as a "genius of motion"
and was called by many throughout the world as "Mr. Karate".
One of Mr. Parkers first students was Chuck Sullivan (Mr. Sullivan was
the 4th person to gain a black belt in the IKKA under Parker's tutelage
in 1961) who is a Master in his own right. Mr. Sullivan along with Vic
Le Roux (ranked by Mr. Parker as 7th and 5th degree black belts
respectively) have founded an organization called the International
Karate Connection. Mr. Sullivan knew Grand Master Parker very well,
perhaps better than any other since they remained long time friends
until Grand Master Parker's death, but the memories live still. Other
long-time, early students of Mr. Parker include Frank Trejo, Joe Palanzo
, Bob White , Richard "Huk" Planas, Stephen M. Snelson, Larry Tatum, Jay
T. Will, Lee Wedlake Jr., Robert Perry, Mike Pick, and many others. For
the interested reader, a complete family tree is given with the first
volume of the Infinite Insights Series. Other students of recognition
which Mr. Parker taught were Jeff Speakman,, Steve Sanders, Sterling
Peacock, Mim Grunwald, Ron Chapel, Roy MacDonald, Mohammed Tabatabai
(not listed on the tree, but ranked as 5th degree by Mr. Parker), Brian
Adams, Brian Hawkins, Harry Hutchings, Arturo Petit, and many others.
Al and Jim Tracy (two other Parker students) began taking Kenpo from Mr.
Parker in about 1958 and left his tutelage about 1961 to open their own
school. Since that time they have created the Tracy Kenpo system with
headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. The Tracy system is essentially the
only other Kenpo system with any recognition and is considered a minor
system in comparison to the Parker System (which was extensively
innovated by Parker with Chow's approval) through Master William K.S.
Chow. At the time they broke off, Parker was making significant changes
(again, with Master Chow's approval) in the Parker Kenpo System which,
because they left after only a few years tutelage, never benefitted
from. The Tracy system taught many of the principles learned from Mr.
Parker during its early years. However, it now teaches only minimal
ideas and concepts learned from Mr. Parker. The Tracy's developed their
own system as an original branch from Parker, but began to mix the
Japanese ancestral teachings of Mitose which did not impress Mr. Parker
(see the following paragraphs). On November 18, 1990 they closed out
their "old" Tracy System and terminated all roots and ties to both Ed
Parker and William K.S. Chow (Tracy, 1993). During this time, Al Tracy
promoted Ray Arquilla to 8th degree black belt, the last to be promoted
in the "old" Tracy sytem. Directly after this, Ray Arquilla (who worked
as a prison guard in Folsom Prison and who had supposedly been promoted
to Master #3 in March 1981 by Mitose while Mitose was incarcerated),
immediately promoted Al Tracy to 10th degree black belt. This promotion
supposedly gives the Tracy's legal, legitimate succession through the
Mitose clan on the Japanese side (Tracy, 1993). It is claimed that Ray
Arquilla's rank from Mitose as Master #3 was in the Kosho Shorei system.
The name itself appears to be a mixture of the Kosho-ryu (Old Pine Tree
Style) and the style of Shorin-ji Kenpo which the Mistose clan
originally learned from Chinese masters (as passed down from Tamo) and
later extensively modified and renamed Kosho-ryu. The rank Al Tracy
received is not recognized as rank in the Parker system and is in no way
affiliated with the Parker system or what it teaches. It is interesting
to note that while the Tracy System claims to teach the original
concepts of Grand Master William K.S. Chow, that they have completely
and officially cut all ties to both Chow and his most recognized
disciple Ed Parker (Tracy, 1993) to whom Chow passed the mantle of
authority. Thus, the concepts which Parker and Chow sought so diligently
to combine for over 80 years--the circular and linear--were very easily
discarded.
It is commonly believed that many of the students who left Mr. Parker to
brave the world on their own did so in great bitterness. However, it is
simply analagous to a parent and child. The child grows up doing
everything the parent instructs them to do, but the day comes when the
child must develop and grow on his own. This is what Mr. Parker
anticipated and what has generally happened with many of his advanced
students. Chuck Sullivan, Joe Palanzo, Stephen Snelson, Huk Planas, and
Larry Tatum are good examples of this. The starting of their separate
organizations in no way diminishes the Parker system or the authority to
promote. Remember the old adage, "emulation is the sincerest form of
flattery". Within the Parker System, Ed Parker gave the authority to
promote to two belt levels below a chief instructors rank. For example,
if instructor A is 6th degree, then he/she may promote student B to 4th
degree before a 3-5 member panel of advanced ranked black belts.
Consequently, as some have suggested, the Parker system is not dead but
will live on because the Masters in the system have authority to promote
and expand the art. Also, organizations or masters of other systems can
separately or band together and with their combined rank, promote
another to grandmaster or 10th degree black belt. This in no way
diminishes the rank, but makes it more recognizable because the
promotion is under the auspices and authority of a board of governors or
council of instructors. In established systems, the Grand Master will
not likely promote any disciple to 10th degree black belt who does not
present his/her-self before a board or council of recognized, advanced
ranked masters and other black belts for the purpose of a test
questioning the experience, knowledge, and physical teaching ability and
application skills of the individual. This gives credibility to any such
promotion and has always been the way with the Martial Arts.
The Parker System has expanded to many countries around the world, but
as Mr. Parker suggested himself, it is not mere numbers that are
important, it is the conscientious and sincere instructors and students
which are wanted; those who thirst for knowledge in a truly unique
martial art. There have been many myths and untruths espoused about Mr.
Parker and the Parker system. His relationship to Chow and Mitose, etc.
Mr. Parker was the only student which William K.S. Chow ever promoted to
10th degree black belt in Kenpo (despite claims by others). Legally and
in simplistic terms, one can say that Mr. Parker simply failed to
protect himself--it's rather ironic. Regardless of this, Mr. Parker was
recognized throughout the world in the Martial Arts community and by
most Martial Arts masters as a Grand Master because of his significant
contributions to the Martial Arts in America, his unrefuted proficiency
and skill, and his extensive improvements and innovations of the Kenpo
Karate taught to him by Master Chow. This fulfilled Chow's own vision of
Kenpo to such an extent that Master Chow was both eager and excited to
promote a student who had achieved higher recognized merits in the
Martial Arts than Master Chow had ever expected. Mr. Parker was the
"Father" of American Kenpo Karate, is the undisputed "Father" of
American Karate, and an innovative genius. To obtain the achievements
Mr. Parker obtained took over 40 years of hard work; he was truly a
first class pioneer of American Karate. Contrary to widely held
accounts, Mr. Parker was never a student of James Mitose. Here are Mr.
Parker's own words regarding the subject. "Contrary to some of the
claims that have been made in publications, I was never a student of
James M. Mitose. However, he did visit me at my home and Kenpo School in
Pasadena, California during the early 1970's. His visits extended over a
five month period. Each time I saw him, he was dressed as an ordained
minister. Many of our conversations lasted hours on end, touching upon
an array of topics as well as his proposed money raising projects. He
was knowledgeable about the evolution of Kenpo, revealing many
interesting historical facts. On occasion, he would take off his shoes,
walk on the mat area (of my Pasadena School), demonstrate self-defense
techniques and discuss Kenpo principles with some of my Black Belt
students; namely, Tom Kelly, Richard "Huk" Planas, Bob Perry, and Mike
Pick. I noticed , after Mitose demonstrated techniques, that my students
would look at me hoping to detect from my facial expressions some
reaction confirming or condemning Mitose's performance. As I gazed into
their faces, I could detect telltale expressions of bewilderment and
disappointment. Many of Mitose's moves leaned heavily toward impractical
methods of application. They seemed to lack continuity and forethought
and left him dangerously exposed. My disappointment was heightened when
I witnessed an almost total void of circular movements which Chow had so
emphatically stressed in his teachings. During the months that followed,
many other unanswered questions surfaced. Why had the Mitose (Kosho)
Clan so drastically deviated from the original teachings of Tamo
(Daruma) and his Chinese disciples in the frequent use of circular
movements? Circular moves had certainly been a vital part of the
original system that added to the totality of movement. I could not
understand why the Mitose Clan, who had so proudly traced their roots to
Tamo (Daruma) were willing to discard and abort circular disciplines as
well as other rudiments of motion. I support the Mitose (Kosho) Clans's
desire to change the Art to suit the needs of the Japanese people during
that period of history, but why did the Clan employ moves that were
predominantly linear in context? Circular moves, used within the
framework of reason (logic) undisputedly balances the blend of motion
which, when given time, inevitably leads to useful and practical
movements. Lacking this ingredient would be comparable to replacing
round tires for square ones on an automobile. Thanks to William Chow and
his father, the crucial link has been restored as well as preserved.
They have been responsible for circular movements having again found
their rightful place in the Kenpo system. Naturally, it is how you apply
circular movements in todays environment that will render the true
validity of their significance and importance. Now that circular
movements have been brought back into perspective, regardless of modern
innovations to make them practical, we can truthfully say that American
Kenpo salutes China as its original and prime source of ascendancy.
However, while respect and credit will always be accorded China, we are
not obligated nor compelled to be subservient to them." (Parker, 1982).
Thus, one may see that Ed Parker was never a student of James Mitose.
Mr. Parker was to be disappointed several years after this incident in
his studio. Mr. Mitose was arrested for conspiracy to committ murder and
subsequently died in a California prison. This caused grave distress to
Mr. Parker because it did not fit the definition of the "Kenpo Man" as
given by Mr. Mitose (Mitose, 1980) and was quite out of character; it
had brought shame to the art. It saddened Mr. Parker to see a master in
such a predicament. There are accounts of students who learned from Mr.
Mitose while he was in prison, but according to Mr. Parker, many would
not desire to be associated with any Martial Arts master who had so
shamed the art as it would greatly decrease the validity of claims of
rank, ethics, and morality of the individual practitioner. How can one
trust the message if one can not trust the messenger?
From Parker's own comments, one can ascertain that the Chinese ancestry
and not the Japanese ancestry is the more important of the two because
in Parker's system a circular movement becomes a linear move and at the
same time, a linear move becomes a circular motion so that the system
fully incorporates both types. Remember that the Japanese version of
Kenpo taught by Mitose was void of circular motion. Mr. Parker was a
legend in the Martial Arts and has made a lasting impact on the Martial
Arts in America. He has many widely recognized students and some that
are very skilled, but not as well known. A good example of one of these
is Mr. Gil Hibben. Gil developed his black belt thesis on knife fighting
using Kenpo tactics. It was his thesis that led to the development of
Long Form VIII (the double dagger form) which uses two knives in mock
combat. Mr. Hibben's work is well known to any who have seen the
"Rambo", "Deep Space Nine", or recent "Star Trek" films. Gil is the
craftsman and Kenpo Black Belt who made the knives and edged weapons for
these films. Thus, there are worthy and respected black belts in all
walks of life who practice and teach the Parker Kenpo System. For a
complete history of the Ed Parker Kenpo System, the reader is referred
to the books--"Secrets of Chinese Karate" and "Volume 1: Infinite
Insights into Kenpo: Mental Stimulation" by Ed Parker.
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References Cited & Selected Readings Section
Demura, F. 1976. Bo: Karate Weapon of Self-Defense.
Mitose, J.M. 1980. What is Self-Defense? California State University.
Parker, E. 1963. Secrets of Chinese Karate.
Parker, E. 1975. Ed Parker's Guide to the Nunchaku.
Parker, E. 1982. Infinite Insights into Kenpo--Volume 1: Mental
Stimulation.
Parker, E. 1983. Infinite Insights into Kenpo--Volume 2: Physical
Analyzation I.
Parker, E. 1985. Infinite Insights into Kenpo--Volume 3: Physical
Analyzation II.
Parker, E. 1986. Infinite Insights into Kenpo--Volume 4: Mental &
Physical Constituents.
Parker, E. 1987. Infinite Insights into Kenpo--Volume 5: Mental &
Physical Applications.
Tracy, A. 1993. Collectors Edition: Catalog of Products and Services.
Lexington, Kentucky.
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