bigboywasim

Can you punch to the face in Kenpo? I heard Kenpo is know for its hand strikes and has knee and elbow strikes like in MT. Can some of you guys give me some info? Thank You.

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aseepish

In American Kenpo you can - my old class used to train full-contact (for those who wanted) under sanshou rules. Otherwise it was touch-contact to the head, medium contact to the body point sparring.

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"It was about that time I realized that searching was my symbol, the emblem of those who go out at night with nothing in mind, the motives of a destroyer of compasses." -Cortázar

grappler-jordan

My first MA was American Kenpo, we also trained full contact for those who wanted to. It is a decent striking art and established a good foundation for me to build on but I would recommend MT to someone who is looking to improve striking....

bigboywasim

Thank you for the response my friend. Well if you look at my profile I have done MT, Boxing, BJJ, Wrestling and Judo. I am currently learning Kali. The lead instructor at that place teaches Kali, Kenpo and JJJ in his classes. It is an all in one class. The lead instructor has a really good background in both traditional and modern martial arts.

I just have started to go there mainly for the Kali. We are going to start sparring this Friday. That is why I asked the question. I want to get at least light to medium contact. I have asked my instructor this question and he said we will train full-contact kenpo as well. So that is good. We also do a lot of bag work and drills.

I really like the self-defense aspect of the classes. There is also a lot of discipline and respect at that place, one of the reasons why I wanted to learn traditional marital arts.

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aseepish

To the idiot who neg-repped me with the message "try training in something that isn't a sport": Grow up.

Kenpo was also my first style of martial arts. I trained from 1994 to 1997, and stopped as a purple-belt, ready to test for blue. I agree that it gave me a good foundation to explore other arts. JKDC, Muay Thai, BJJ, Wing Chun, etc. I had to unlearn a whole lot of bad habits, but a lot of Kenpo's concepts fit in very well with what else I've since studied.

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"It was about that time I realized that searching was my symbol, the emblem of those who go out at night with nothing in mind, the motives of a destroyer of compasses." -Cortázar

grappler-jordan

Yeah they did the same to me, lame...

Anyways... Wasim, my friend. Would your school happen to be affiliated or your instructor friends with Grand Master Parker Linekin from San Diego? That was where I studied Kenpo for a while and an affiliated instructor who's name I can't remember used to come down from Sacremento and cross-train with us in BJJ, Judo and Jiu-Jitsu. Maybe just coincidence, but just thought I would ask....

bigboywasim

My instructor's name is Hollis. I believe he did train in San Diego. He probably is the same guy. He does have a grappling background in all of those arts. He trained in the Filipinense as well. He is an eighth degree balckbelt in Arnis.

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Tom Yum

Yes on all of the things you've mentioned.

Kenpo fighters can generate a lot of power from a short distance; they work with circular strikes, power generated by the legs and hips (just like boxers) except the strikes are open handed.

From what I remember, its also about economy of motion. Attack the closest target, only grab a limb if its given to you; strikes become blocks etc. Not a bad art to study.

grappler-jordan

Exactly what it is about, "Every block is a strike, every strike is a block." Alot of the strikes are open handed, and are about hitting vital areas. Economy of motion is key as well, collapsing blows, etc. Also you will learn and employ take downs and submissions with almost all of your sd techniques... All around I think it is an enjoyable art.