Long form one holds a very special place in the American Kenpo system. Why, one might ask? It isn't a very pretty form. Nor is it a very complex form. Its not even a very famous form, like say, Long Form Four. So what makes Long Form One so special? A number of factors. First, it's the first form in the system that SGM Parker actually created from scratch. Second. it is the first long form of the system. And as such, it lays out a number of guidelines to which all the other long forms of the system adhere. And thirdly, since it was created in the very early stages of American Kenpo's formulation, it can be used as a tool to help peer into the analytical mind of SGM Parker near the beginning of his illustrious career.
This book will explore all of these aspects of Long Form One, and more. It's goal is to not only help the reader get a complete understanding of Long Form One and its place in the American Kenpo system, but also to aid in understanding the analytical mind of SGM Parker.
Long Form One, as we practice it today, is not executed exactly as it was at the form's inception. SGM Parker incorporated small changes and enhancements to the form over time, but these changes stopped by the end of the 1960's. Although SGM Parker tried not make permanent changes to any of the forms that were already released to the general student population - in the early years, this was not always possible. This is because SGM Parker was teaching at the same time he was developing American Kenpo. As such, it is possible to still find some of his elder students (and their students) who have legitimate differences of execution from what is now considered the standard of execution. This book will not attempt to invalidate those differences, but instead not include them in the analysis of the form. What will be included is the final revision of the form as SGM Parker left it at the time of his death.