The study of the concepts, rules, and principles of human motion as it applies to martial application.

Comments:

Kenpo is a relatively modern term describing an ancient martial art that originated in India, moved to China for a number of centuries, later moved to Hawaii, came to mainland America in the middle part of the 20th century, and is continuing to spread throughout the world.

Ed Parker, in America, dramatically revised the system in the later part of the 20th century, by adding numerous innovative categorizations, methods, theories, rules, and principles. Because of that, many Kenpo practitioners referred to modern day Kenpo as (Ed) Parker('s) Kenpo or American Kenpo, while Mr. Parker was alive. But, since his untimely death, in 1990, legal issues about the use of the Parker name have motivated many practitioners to refer to their art by the more generic term, American Kenpo - even though their training style and art retain and adhere to the fundamental methods, concepts, theories, rules, and principles laid down by Mr. Parker.

Kenpo is as much a science as it is an art. Many Kenpo practitioners consider a major part of what they do the application of kinesiology from a martial art's perspective.

Kenpo, in its entirety, encompasses physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines.

Kenpo information can be broken down into the following categories:

1)        Physical training
Self-defense (physical) - these are the destructive forces of Kenpo

Healing (spiritual) - these are the healing forces of Kenpo

2)        Mental training

a.Learning (development) - this is the major role of the student

b.Analysis and research (expansion) - this is the major role of the instructor/professor/master

Kenpo physical training is broken down into the following categories:

a.Basics

b.Forms & Sets

c.Self-defense Techniques

d.Freestyle

Derivation:

Literally translated from Chinese the words KEN = fist and PO = law. And, when placed together they become "fist law" - i.e. "law of the fist".

Synonym(s):

American Kenpo

Related Definition(s):

Basic, Category, Concept, Creed, Discipline, Form, Freestyle, Instructor, Method, Motion, Pledge, Practitioner, Principle, Rule, Student, Style, System, Theory

Related Term(s):

Accumulative Journal, Instructor's Red Notebook, Red Notebook