Hey Mate! What's Yer Kenpo Style?

erhaps you recall that grand bit of dialogue from Enter the Dragon where the bad guy asks 'What's yer style' of Bruce Lee? As over the top as that question appears, it points to the differences of arts and systems, and how confusing such a thing as lineage can be. In no art is this as true as in the martial art of Chinese Kenpo Karate.


There are people who think Ed Parker created the style of Kenpo, but he actually only popularized it. And, to be truthful, he more than likely added to the confusion of that art. He created five different versions, and he drew from Karate and Kung Fu and whatever happened to be in his thoughts that day.

Kenpo got its start in the island of Japan. There is some confusion as to the correct spelling of the word, some people saying Kenpo, and some saying Kempo. Kenpo usually refers to martial arts having roots in China, and Kempo refers to the more Japanese oriented styles.

There is confusion in this matter as there is not agreement. Further, there is not always common history. That said, Kenpo, although commonly understood to mean 'Fist Law,' is actually 'Quanfa,' which means Kung Fu.

The main types of the Kenpo in the USA come from James Mitose. Master Mitose is sometimes a controversial teacher, for he was tried and convicted of murder and extortion. He served his time in Folsom Prison.

Mr. Mitose taught William Chow, who taught Ed Parker. Mr. Parker, as has been described, popularized the art of Kenpo. Students of Mr. Chow include Adriano Emperado, Ralph Castro, Sam Kuaho, and others.

Names of the arts taught by these people (and others) include Shaolin Kenpo, Kajukenpo, American Kenpo, Kara-Ho Kempo, and many other systems. There are a legion of secondary students who were taught by these people. Kenpo has also continued to grow conceptually, drawing from many other arts for forms, applications, and so on.

Though Kenpo grew fast, and though the lineage is sometimes confused, as is the art itself, there is much value in it. Many people get their start in the convenient 'Strip Mall Dojos,' and then branch out. Still, to define the true kenpo, and to list the roots and influences can be a daunting task.

Matrix Kung Fu...Monkey Boxing, simplifies and condenses Chinese Kenpo Karate. Head over to Monster Martial Arts and make sure you pick up a free book while you're there.