A Brief History of Kenpo

The following is what Grand Master Spry believes to be the true History of Kenpo.

Kenpo is a mixture of five cultures:

  • Chinese
  • Japanese
  • Okinawan
  • Hawaiian
  • American

Kenpo has its founding roots stretch back to 520 BC. The person who was a catalyst of Kenpo was a prince and warrior of southern India called Bodhidharma, also known as Tamo. It is estimated that in 520 BC, Tamo entered China and travelled to the province of Hunan where he entered the Shaolin temple and began a martial arts legacy.

Once he reached the Shaolin temple he found the monks to be in poor condition physically and mentally do to the excessive amount of time spent in meditation and doing very little else. Tamo began to instruct the monks in the art of the 18 hands of Lo Han. These techniques, which are the foundation for almost all martial arts today where never intended to be used as a method of fighting but where an exercise routine in which the monks could attain enlightenment while at the same time preserve their health.

Several decades after the death of Tamo, The Shaolin Temple came under attack (one of many attacks that would occur until the early twentieth century, these attacks came from bandits as well as the Chinese Emperor's army). During one of these invasions, a monk attacked several of the outlaws with an array of hand and foot techniques, killing some and driving off the remaining attackers. The other monks where so impressed by the display that they requested the monk to instruct them in this martial style as a means of protection. In later documents this fighting art was recorded as Chuan Fa or Fist Method.

Over the next several centuries the history of Chuan Fa and its evolution to Kenpo is clouded and it is difficult to gain an accurate account. What is known is that the art of Chuan Fa remained and is still practiced in China, but its teachings also found its way to the Islands of Okinawa as well as Japan. In both places, the art was referred to as Kenpo or "Law of the fist".

Unfortunately, the evolution of Kenpo in Japan is just as clouded and mysterious. However, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, Kenpo was brought from China to Kyushu, Japan. This art evolved through many years into its current form which is referred to as Kosho Ryu Kenpo, or Old Pine Tree school and it is from here that most modern forms of Kenpo are derived.

In 1916 at the age of five, James Mitose was sent to Kyushu from his homeland in Hawaii for schooling in his family's art of self-defence called Kosho ryu Kenpo. For fifteen years he studied this art which was a direct descendent of the original Chuan Fa. After completing his training in Japan, Mitose returned to Hawaii and in 1936 opened the "Official Self-Defense" club in Honolulu. It was here that the five major Kenpo influences; (Thomas Young, William Chow, Edmund Howe, Arthur Keawe and Paul Yamaguchi) would study and bring Kenpo to the world.
William K.S. Chow is perhaps most responsible for bringing Kenpo to the general public. Chow studied Kenpo under Mitose for several years and previously had studied his family’s art of Kung Fu. Chow combined, like many Kenpo masters before him the arts of Kosho ryu Kenpo and his family Kung fu to form a new art which would eventually be referred to as Kara-Ho Kenpo. Chow attracted a number of students to his own teachings and opened a dojo of his own at a local YMCA. To make a distinct variation from Mitose's Kenpo, Chow referred to his art as Kenpo Karate. Throughout the next few decades Chow made many innovations to the system including the use of circular techniques of his Kung Fu, as well as various kata or forms based on the primary linear and circular techniques of his art.
One of Chows up and coming students was a Hawaiian native named Edmund Parker. Ed Parker was the last significant figure in the current tale of modern Kenpo unleashing it to the world as well as propelling it into his current form. In 1954 Edmund Parker earned his black belt in Kara-Ho Kenpo and two years later became a household name, teaching his art to the likes of Elvis Presley and Steve McQueen. Ed Parker further refined and defined the techniques of Kara-ho Kenpo till he perfected his American Kenpo Karate system. Ed Parker is often referred to as the father of American Kenpo.

From here, Kenpo and its other forms take many twists and turns, constantly evolving into new states of being and the history of Kenpo continues to be written to this day by its new Grand Masters like Steve Spry.

What is American Kenpo?

American Kenpo Karate - meaning "Law of the Fist" - trains and teaches you to think. Through the knowledge learned, you will be able to apply your self-defence skills, hands, feet, elbows, knees, etc. to defend yourself at a moment’s notice.

The essence of American Kenpo Karate is an empty hand style of self-defence. It is a modern system of self-defence for survival. American Kenpo Karate is most noted for its emphasis on street self-defence. You learn street self-defense, both defensive and offensive, for street survival.

Grand Master Spry's American Kenpo is a combination of several Hawaiian and Polynesian martial arts studied and learned from their Masters. Grand Master Spry has great respect and love (Aloha) for the Hawaiian people, their culture and their Martial arts.

The Hawaiian martial arts lay the foundation of Grand Master Spry's American Kenpo Karate System which is a combination of:

  • Kenpo
  • Lua
  • Lima-Lama
  • Jujitsu
  • Aikido

These Hawaiian, Polynesian martial arts have been passed from father to son for generations in the spirit of Aloha, love and respect, and protect with Mana (power).

This is American Kenpo Today

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