# What are "Kempos"



## Yeti (Feb 18, 2007)

Just wondering what "Kempos" or "Kempo Techniques" are (such as 7 Striker, Flying Dragon, Double Striker, etc.) ? Are they specific self defense techniques, more of a philosophy on "how" to address certain attacks, or something different.

If they are self defense techniques, are they all based off a right straight punch, or are they intermixed with other attacks (roundhouse punch, kicks, grabs, bear hugs, etc.)? 

Just curious. I look forward to learning from your responses.


----------



## 14 Kempo (Feb 18, 2007)

Yeti said:


> Just wondering what "Kempos" or "Kempo Techniques" are (such as 7 Striker, Flying Dragon, Double Striker, etc.) ? Are they specific self defense techniques, more of a philosophy on "how" to address certain attacks, or something different.
> 
> If they are self defense techniques, are they all based off a right straight punch, or are they intermixed with other attacks (roundhouse punch, kicks, grabs, bear hugs, etc.)?
> 
> Just curious. I look forward to learning from your responses.



Could be an interesting question, I look forward to reading the responses myself. Here is my answer ... 

Kempo techniques are any technique whatsoever that is not a DM/Combo. While DM/Combos are usually unique to a style, kempo techniques can be unique to a certain school, area, region and/or style. A kempo technique can be against any attack, punch, kick, knife, club, grab, you name it.


----------



## dragonswordkata (Feb 18, 2007)

14 Kempo said:


> Could be an interesting question, I look forward to reading the responses myself. Here is my answer ...
> 
> Kempo techniques are any technique whatsoever that is not a DM/Combo. While DM/Combos are usually unique to a style, kempo techniques can be unique to a certain school, area, region and/or style. A kempo technique can be against any attack, punch, kick, knife, club, grab, you name it.


 
I have to agree with you for the purpus/application of kempos.

We don't really have set names to any of them. I was taught that the student was allowed to make thier own name up, or use the instuctors name, for the Kempo. Since kempos in our style are not taught till middle and upper belts, when the basics should be solid, this flexibility is probably to begin injecting the individuals own artistic viewpoint into thier learning.


----------



## kidswarrior (Feb 18, 2007)

dragonswordkata said:


> I have to agree with you for the purpus/application of kempos.
> 
> We don't really have set names to any of them. I was taught that the student was allowed to make thier own name up, or use the instuctors name, for the Kempo. Since kempos in our style are not taught till middle and upper belts, when the basics should be solid, this flexibility is probably to begin injecting the individuals own artistic viewpoint into thier learning.


 
I learned numbers. Had to come up with our own nicknames to remember them. But like you said, they were more personalized from school to school, and even student to student.


----------



## almost a ghost (Feb 19, 2007)

From the kempo school I went to the definition I was given was that it was a way to practice repeatative basics without losing focus. From that definition you'd expect that each instructor would come up with ones based around what they were trying to teach for that class, but they were all pretty standardized accross the board. I even remember learning "animal" specific ones. 

Later on I learned that during a test when they asked to see a set number of kempoes you could make them up on the spot as long as you remembered what you did 5 minutes later and nobody said anything.


----------



## DavidCC (Feb 20, 2007)

is there any difference between the "kempos" and the "combos"?


----------



## Danjo (Feb 20, 2007)

DavidCC said:


> is there any difference between the "kempos" and the "combos"?


 
The way I remember it from SKK, combos/DMs were set in the general curriculum. "Kempo fist techniques" or "Kempos" were non-standardized combinations that an instructor liked and taught his or her particular students.


----------



## Joe Shuras (Feb 20, 2007)

When I started in Kempo in '74, everyone just called them punch techniques but there were a few core punch techniques that everyone seemed to have. This was probably because there was just a small group of New England schools and a few in Canada back then and Gm. Villari had black belt workouts for all his instructors on a very regular basis early on. 

Here's something of interest. Nick Cerio gave me an old paperback book he published and unfortunately I can't find it now. Anyway, in it he demonstrated some kenpo techniques and one of them I instantly recognized as a punch technique I got very early on when I was a colored belt. It had only one very minor variation. Here's the technique. 

(right hand step in punch)
*Step in with the right foot with a simultaneous left hand pressing palm block and a right hand chicken wrist to the chin, spin/turn counter clockwise with a downward backfist to the groin....and now here's the slight variation..Cerio followed up the backfist with a back thrust kick to the body and Villari used a rising heel kick to the face from the uke being bent over from the backfist to the groin.*

Anyway, my point being some of these early punch techniques, weapon defenses and grabs came pretty much directly from Nick Cerio. Of course, Mr. Villari had his own creations and then, yes, the instructors were encouraged to create their own techniques also which is what kempo is all about.

Another thing, I remember being told not to take these techniques, combinations included, so seriously as some do today in all the kempo/kenpo arts. Perhaps 'seriously' is the wrong word, maybe strictly. Be flexible. I remember a private lesson with Master Art Singer when we were going over combinations. For example, #8 & #9, he was saying, Joe, this can be just fast, rapid fire low line kicks to the legs, for instance, inside of thigh or knee, outside of thigh or knee, groin, etc...to destroy your opponent's foundation. Normally they were done as (#8) an outward dragon hand block with a front ball kick to the groin into a roundhouse ball kick to the temple (w/o touching down first to work balance), cross & cover and #9, same thing only one more kick, a side kick to the ribs. another interesting note, in that Cerio paperback book I had, it showed #8 as a tournament technique. You would fake a low line front kick to the groin to get your opponent to drop his cover down and his attention then you immediately redirect the kick to the outside of his head w/ a roundhouse. This is the same thing as Bruce Lee's 'disengaging hand principle". Do a quick short speed backfist to the face, and quickly pull it back (disengage) and circle to the temple area with a vertical fist hook punch. Theory is you come in at his centerline to stun/distract and then return with the same hand at an oblique angle which he doesn't expect with a power shot and hopefully polish him off. Great technique! 

Anyway, that's how I was taught all the combinations and techniques. It really didn't matter what block was originally taught, or even the footwork or the type of attack, step in and punch, reverse or boxing punch, straight, over head, looping..... it's all dynamic-ever changing.... never static or etched in stone. You had to adapt. We were taught how to adapt the techniques for all kinds of attacks including grabs and weapon defenses, right, left handed, even defense against kicks. It was the 'idea' of the technique that was important which Mr. Parker coined "the concept" and the teaching of the technique in the 'ideal' phase so you have an understanding and a base to work with. Something else Mr. Parker coined that I picked up on about the curriculum techniques: "Kenpo is formulated as encounters occur". great advice, I think, no matter what system you're in. Although I'm not EPAK, his terminology and theories are sound and apply to all of us - Joe


----------



## LawDog (Feb 20, 2007)

Yeti,
When I first asked that same question I was given this answer,
Kenpo punch techniques - the core of our Kenpo material.
Combinations - Our Kenpo material combined.(Judo, Jujitsu & Kenpo's etc).
This answer made sense to me back then as it does now.


----------



## MeatWad2 (Feb 20, 2007)

Pro. Joe,
How is GM Fred Villari's art different from GM Nick Cerio's? What was it like to workout with GM Fred Villari and GM Nick Cerio?
Did you ever get to train with GM Ed Parker? Did Pro. Cerio ever tell you any stories about him?


----------



## Gufbal1982 (Feb 20, 2007)

The way I was told the by my instructor was that the only difference between combinations and kempos is that combo's have numbers and kempos don't.  some instructors use letters (I did at some point) and some teach with names...it's only to help the student differentiate the difference between kempos and combos.


----------



## dragonswordkata (Feb 20, 2007)

lol, I just taught my students a kempo lastnight that I learned about 12 years ago around christmas time. You step in left into a deep 1/2 moon stance and do a back two knuckle with right to the temple , then roll right hand counter clockwise into a hammer strike to ribs, finaly do a right rolling ridge hand to groin. 
The name was Jingle bells. The kids thought it was cute and chistmassy, the adults really liked the name.


----------



## Gufbal1982 (Feb 20, 2007)

dragonswordkata said:


> lol, I just taught my students a kempo lastnight that I learned about 12 years ago around christmas time. You step in left into a deep 1/2 moon stance and do a back two knuckle with right to the temple , then roll right hand counter clockwise into a hammer strike to ribs, finaly do a right rolling ridge hand to groin.
> The name was Jingle bells. The kids thought it was cute and chistmassy, the adults really liked the name.



Lol!  Guess you "ring their bell" with that technique, so to speak


----------



## Joe Shuras (Feb 21, 2007)

Gufbal1982 said:


> The way I was told the by my instructor was that the only difference between combinations and kempos is that combo's have numbers and kempos don't. some instructors use letters (I did at some point) and some teach with names...it's only to help the student differentiate the difference between kempos and combos.


 
That sounds about right to me


----------



## Joe Shuras (Feb 21, 2007)

MeatWad2 said:


> Pro. Joe,
> How is GM Fred Villari's art different from GM Nick Cerio's? What was it like to workout with GM Fred Villari and GM Nick Cerio?
> Did you ever get to train with GM Ed Parker? Did Pro. Cerio ever tell you any stories about him?


 
It's different yet it's alike. I didn't have trouble picking it up at all after studying SKK. He took some of the original SKK/Karazenpo forms and made them more complex. The bunkai (application) of the forms was stressed. He used a lot of the footwork and some signature moves he learned from Prof. Chow. His (NCK) system has very circular nucleus, SKK up to around Black Belt was a little more linear and karate-like in my opinion. and then later became more circular and softer. He used more of a balance between the vertical fist and horizontal fist. You could see his love of Shotokan in his system yet he still maintained continuous motion and a nice kung fu flow. He taught one traditional Sil Lum Pai Kung Fu form also - Lin Wane Kuen - "Continuous & Returning Fist" (it's literal translation is 'rings linked together' like 'chain punching' in ther Okinawan arts) but Sil lum Pai used 'Continuos & returning fist.

I actually was taught more by Professor Cerio because I was a private student. In SKK, my main instructor was Hanshi Craig Seavey and later, when Craig relocated to the west coast for a while, I was under Master John Fritz. I did train under Gm. Villari, however, in the periodic Black Belt workouts. I think Fred Villari moved more with a silky, flowing movement, like a kung fu guy but still had the power and Nick Cerio moved more like a powerful Okinawan karate guy but still had the flow, I don't know, just my opinion. I think they both complimented each other. However, I could definitely see the Cerio in Villari though.

My wife and I were suppose to meet up with Mr. Parker at a seminar in Rhode Island when we were studying under Prof. Cerio and something in the family came up and we missed it the last minute. Very disappointing, we did wish to meet him. They did have a bit of a falling out but I know from a mutual friend of the two, Don Benedetto (owner of Ninja World in Warwick, R.I., nice guy!) that despite some differences they both had a helluva lot of respect for each other. Don told Kathy and I once that when he was at a tournament, he was talking with ed Parker and nick Cerio wlaked by. Mr. Parker pointed to him and stated: "You see that man over there?" "We may not be speaking right now but he's the most dangerous man I ever met." Yes, it's a bold statement but I'm only quoting what I was told and I wasn't the only one Don told this to - Joe


----------



## MeatWad2 (Feb 21, 2007)

Thanks sir.
Nice to know history and where we came from.


----------



## Joe Shuras (Feb 21, 2007)

MeatWad2 said:


> Thanks sir.
> Nice to know history and where we came from.


 
You're welcome, sir, agreed.


----------

