# How did black gi's become standard for kenpo?



## JohnPeace

I'm new to EPAK and have been asking why kenpo students wear a black gi rather than the white worn by most traditional systems.  Some instructors tell me that Mr. Parker started the practice with his instructors wearing black, then later his black belts, then later brown belts, but the trail of information seems to end there regarding how it became standard for most EPAK/AKTS students at all belt levels.  Anyone know who/when/why?  Thanks, JP


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## girlbug2

I can tell you what my sensei told me. He said that in the martial arts, white symbolizes a pure style, aka traditional. Black symbolizes something that has been mixed. Another interpretation of those colors is that white means soft/weak and black means hard/powerful.

In Hwa Rang do, white on the top and black pants symbolizes for instance that the style is weak on upper body but powerful on lower body, the legs. That's a style that is very heavy on kicking.

So regarding the American Kenpo gis, the reason we wore black was to symbolize that AK is an "outlaw" style for not being traditional or "pure". 

Of course, I would like to also believe that it means that we are really hard badasses


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## JohnPeace

Thanks girlbug2.  I received a similar response to my question offline, that black symbolizes both a hybrid art and also that AK is the most combat-related art compared to others that have a greater degree of sport content.  In short, kenpo guys/gals are hardcore warriors.   jp
________________________________________________

"Hit me once and I will walk away, hit me twice and you won't." jp


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## John Bishop

In the tradition kenpo schools of Mitose and Chow, instructors wore black and students wore white.  Both Adriano Emperado and Ed Parker came from the Chow school and carried on that tradition at first.  
In 1955 Kajukenbo went black for all practitioners.  In Hawaii there are basically two MA groups, those in white (Japanese/Okinawan/Korean) and those in black (Kajukenbo/kenpo).  
Some EPAK schools are all black, and some still keep the kenpo tradition of black for instructors, and white for students.  It probably depends on the instructor or organization.
Most of the east coast Kempo groups descended from Kajukenbo/Karazenpo and wear black.
And then there are the people who wear all colors of the rainbow.


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## marlon

Yeah, i do not care much for the 'all colours of the rainbow' i can not imagine myself in a red, blue or electric purple gi.  Our tradition (if we have been around long enough to call it that ) is beginners wear white and then at purple belt (intermediate level) the student is permitted to wear a black gi but no one is forced to do so.  Instructors are the only ones permitted to mix thier gi's usually white on top and black on the bottom...no meaning has ever been attached to it though, except to say that our foundation is kempo flow and style (black) and we must always hold the basics foremost (the white top)

respectfully,
Marlon


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## stickarts

marlon said:


> Yeah, i do not care much for the 'all colours of the rainbow' i can not imagine myself in a red, blue or electric purple gi. Our tradition (if we have been around long enough to call it that ) is beginners wear white and then at purple belt (intermediate level) the student is permitted to wear a black gi but no one is forced to do so. Instructors are the only ones permitted to mix thier gi's usually white on top and black on the bottom...no meaning has ever been attached to it though, except to say that our foundation is kempo flow and style (black) and we must always hold the basics foremost (the white top)
> 
> respectfully,
> Marlon


 
We use colors the same way at the same levels. Although instructors may also wear a red top.


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## Twin Fist

marlon said:


> Yeah, i do not care much for the 'all colours of the rainbow' i can not imagine myself in a red, blue or electric purple gi.  Our tradition (if we have been around long enough to call it that ) is beginners wear white and then at purple belt (intermediate level) the student is permitted to wear a black gi but no one is forced to do so.  Instructors are the only ones permitted to mix thier gi's usually white on top and black on the bottom...no meaning has ever been attached to it though, except to say that our foundation is kempo flow and style (black) and we must always hold the basics foremost (the white top)
> 
> respectfully,
> Marlon



Marlon,
I have never heard this, but i like it.

In my school, i went with black gi's for everyone. My reasoning? to honor the Kenpo in my system. 

But then, i am an oddball about uniforms anyway. I wear a black gi with red sleeves sometimes and i think tops tucked into pants looks nice.


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## Sukerkin

So, black means 'hybrid' and white means 'weak'?  

I must get my time machine and travel back six centuries to tell the founder of iai about that particular morsel.  Perhaps, Gichin Funakoshi would be interested too? :lol:

I have to confess ignorance of the details of the lineage of kenpo so I can't judge the rationale or significance given to colours.  It is interesting to read the interpretations given above - can someone give me a thumbnail of kenpo's development (don't be afraid to say "research it yourself, lazybones" ).

If the root is Japanese tho', then I could pass on a little about what 'colour' means in that culture - of course, being Japanese, it's not as straightforward as we'd like it to be, being heavily dependant on context.


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## arnisador

JohnPeace said:


> that AK is the most combat-related art compared to others that have a greater degree of sport content.  In short, kenpo guys/gals are hardcore warriors.



How convenient of karateka/judoka/etc. to wear white so as to help indicate the superiority of kenpo!


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## girlbug2

Sukerkin said:


> So, black means 'hybrid' and white means 'weak'?
> 
> .


 
Tsk tsk, you can't really mix the interpretations. It's either Hard/soft Or it's hybrid/pure. Officially, AK is a hybrid, thus the black. Many other styles are pure, thus the white.

OTOH another interpretation of the colors could come from the yin/yang concept. Styles that wear white could be drawing upon the interpretation of yang (white), which is the stronger of the two.

Clearly, whoever decided that AK should wear all black gis did not do so in the vein of the yin/yang interpretation.

But this is all just what I've been told -- I've never done the actual research myself.


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## IWishToLearn

As I've been told by SGM Chuck Sullivan and by Doc Chap'el, the switch to black was merely a practicality choice. Black uniforms don't show dirt if you lean up against the wall.


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## kenpofighter

Well, I could not find what I was looking for online so I will have to tell you the best I can remember.  What I have read was that a white gi use to be fairly easy to come by, but a black one was not. A black gi stood for bruising. And for whatever reason Ed Parker wanted to stand out, be different or whatever, so, he wanted to have his students wear a black gi.

When a student first started he got a white gi because who knew how long he would stick with it. You see a black gi would have to be made person for person they did not come in bulk. So the student was given a white gi first then after about a blue belt (ruffly two year) he was able to have a black gi made. 

I also hear that out in CA students were not allowed to wear a black gi in tournaments (because of it's meaning).


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## jks9199

IWishToLearn said:


> As I've been told by SGM Chuck Sullivan and by Doc Chap'el, the switch to black was merely a practicality choice. Black uniforms don't show dirt if you lean up against the wall.


And maybe helped you stand out from the crowd a little!


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## John Bishop

Well, like a lot of things in Kajukenbo, there's no big tradition or deep hidden meaning to our use of black gi's.  Sijo Emperado simply wanted Kajukenbo practitioners to be unique in their uniform, in a place and time when everyone wore white.  When you saw those guys in black, you knew they were Kajukenbo.  At least in the 50's and 60's you did.  
Now days black is pretty common in just about any style.


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## Sigung86

IWishToLearn said:


> As I've been told by SGM Chuck Sullivan and by Doc Chap'el, the switch to black was merely a practicality choice. Black uniforms don't show dirt if you lean up against the wall.




This makes as much sense, if not more, than some of the other fru-fru explanations about hard, and soft, etc. etc.  I've heard this also from Doc, and some other, different sources.  

Suffice it to say, I think anyway, that most of the early folks, who were spreading the system, were practical folks, and not given to the religious/philosophical proclivities (With one notable exception). :angel:


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## IWishToLearn

jks9199 said:


> And maybe helped you stand out from the crowd a little!


I dunno, I wasn't there.


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## Blindside

JohnPeace said:


> I'm new to EPAK and have been asking why kenpo students wear a black gi rather than the white worn by most traditional systems. Some instructors tell me that Mr. Parker started the practice with his instructors wearing black, then later his black belts, then later brown belts, but the trail of information seems to end there regarding how it became standard for most EPAK/AKTS students at all belt levels. Anyone know who/when/why? Thanks, JP


 
Black is slimming, have you seen most kenpo seniors?


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## Big Pat

http://www.tracyskarate.com/FAQ'S/blackgi.htm


Another perspective of wearing the black gi from Mr. Tracy.

EKP RIP
Big Pat


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## Empty Hands

It does vary quite a bit by school, even among first generation students of Mr. Parker.  Bryan Hawkins' students wear white at the colored belt level, and black from brown belt on.  Albert Cornejo's students, who train at the same location, all wear black.  I've seen other EPAK schools that wear red on top, or black and white.  I would hesitate to apply any deep meaning to any of these color choices, especially at this point in time.  I don't think having a black gi makes you a "warrior".


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## Jdokan

marlon said:


> Yeah, i do not care much for the 'all colours of the rainbow' *i can not imagine myself in a red, blue or electric purple gi.* Our tradition (if we have been around long enough to call it that ) is beginners wear white and then at purple belt (intermediate level) the student is permitted to wear a black gi but no one is forced to do so. Instructors are the only ones permitted to mix thier gi's usually white on top and black on the bottom...no meaning has ever been attached to it though, except to say that our foundation is kempo flow and style (black) and we must always hold the basics foremost (the white top)
> 
> respectfully,
> Marlon


Funny you should mention that...In the USSD arena of old I am proud (LOL) to say I started a new tradition in Fred's world...We had always followed simliar tradition of black gi/white gi...we could upon promotion into brown start to wear the black gi....there never had been any ruling about white pants/black top or vice versa...UNTIL I wore a blue satin gi ( that had been my instructors ) to our annual tournament..... When they called my name to do my form (I was either 2nd or 3rd dan) I proudly stepped onto the floor wearing my instructors gi....There was Fred sitting in the middle of the line up with Mattera, Fritz, Carrozi, etc all sitting on either side...I respectfully waited to be summoned forward to announce myself when I noticed Fred whispering down both sides....Each of the Chief Masters shaking their heads...then I notice my instructor start to hang his head and hide ihis face in his hand... "Yeah....he's one of my guys"....or something to that effect.... Fred called me out...smiled..had me do my form then bowed me out.....Shortly after the Tournament there were NEW rules on what each ranking Black Belt was allowed to wear: 1st white top/black pants, 2nd white pants & black tops, etc.....
So my claim to fame in that organization was the establishing of specific gi colors for each rank.....
Not much but it does bring a chuckle every now and then when I think of it.........


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## sidecarr

If you go to the Tracy websight he has an extensive history of Kenpo ,and has a history of the black gi


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## Dave Leverich

sidecarr said:


> If you go to the Tracy websight he has an extensive history of Kenpo ,and has a history of the black gi



(Link was above)

In the 80's sometimes we wore black pants with white top simply because it was cool heh. That, and well... chuck did it, must have been that 'omg black Gi Kenpo guys... with beards!' inluence .


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## Rich_Hale

My Kenpo training began in 1972 at Ed Parkers Kenpo Karate Studio in Colton, CA under the instruction of Rich Callahan. 

Although our school was teaching the 32 technique system of Kenpo, Rich was also a 3rd Black in the International Kajukenbo Association. A rank he received from Al Dacascos and Al Reyes Sr. in 1969. I make this clarification because as stated by Mr. Bishop, the Kajukenbo family have their own reasons and traditions that may have effected or school policy  even though we were an Ed Parker owned school.

Our policy was black belts wore black, if they wanted to, as could brown belts. Student instructors could were a combination of black and white and everyone else wore white.

As for tournaments, I have not idea if this was unique to our school or not, but we were allowed to wear black to a tournament if we fought in at least three matches and won at least one of them. Knowing we would otherwise not wear an all black uniform until brown belt  this was quite an incentive for us to compete in at lease a few tournaments.

As for why Rich Callahan wore black, I can guarantee you it had nothing to do with tradition, permission or policy and all everything to do with being a rebellious bad ***.


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## JTKenpo

Jdokan said:


> Funny you should mention that...In the USSD arena of old I am proud (LOL) to say I started a new tradition in Fred's world...We had always followed simliar tradition of black gi/white gi...we could upon promotion into brown start to wear the black gi....there never had been any ruling about white pants/black top or vice versa...UNTIL I wore a blue satin gi ( that had been my instructors ) to our annual tournament..... When they called my name to do my form (I was either 2nd or 3rd dan) I proudly stepped onto the floor wearing my instructors gi....There was Fred sitting in the middle of the line up with Mattera, Fritz, Carrozi, etc all sitting on either side...I respectfully waited to be summoned forward to announce myself when I noticed Fred whispering down both sides....Each of the Chief Masters shaking their heads...then I notice my instructor start to hang his head and hide ihis face in his hand... "Yeah....he's one of my guys"....or something to that effect.... Fred called me out...smiled..had me do my form then bowed me out.....Shortly after the Tournament there were NEW rules on what each ranking Black Belt was allowed to wear: 1st white top/black pants, 2nd white pants & black tops, etc.....
> So my claim to fame in that organization was the establishing of specific gi colors for each rank.....
> Not much but it does bring a chuckle every now and then when I think of it.........


 That story ROCKS!!!!!  LOL  Truely awesome


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## c2kenpo

IWishToLearn said:


> As I've been told by SGM Chuck Sullivan and by Doc Chap'el, the switch to black was merely a practicality choice. Black uniforms don't show dirt if you lean up against the wall.


 
This what what i was told too. You could work out for a week in yoru black gi w/o having to wash it every night. But then again I dont know how many wives that would tolerate that locker room smell! 

Something that was told to me was that there was no history to the black/white debate. Since hundreds of years ago they still did not use dyes in clothing... but that is just a thought.


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## celtic_crippler

....because SGM Ed Parker said so.


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## Blindside

c2kenpo said:


> Something that was told to me was that there was no history to the black/white debate. Since hundreds of years ago they still did not use dyes in clothing... but that is just a thought.


 
That information with regard to dyes is just factually inaccurate.  Depending on culture, it would probably be more accurate to say "thousands" of years ago they didn't use dyes in clothing, and that was probably when they were still wearing skins/leathers.  Pretty much as soon as textiles are developed someone figures out dyes.

Lamont


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## Hyper_Shadow

> As I've been told by SGM Chuck Sullivan and by Doc Chap'el, the switch to black was merely a practicality choice. Black uniforms don't show dirt if you lean up against the wall.



I dunno about for kenpo, but at my dojo we wear black gi's for pretty much the same reason. They don't show up dirt and grime when you grapple, they also are practically impossible to stain.


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## Kenpo17

Really, I have never heard that it was a tradition to wear black gi's.  I mean, I do wear a black gi, but I also have white gi's, as well as blue, and red gi's.  But the red and blue gi's are for the demo team I am on, out on the mat, I usually wouldn't wear them.  You are right though that now many more people wear black gi's, then white gi's, and I can't tell you why this is because I don't know.  Maybe it is easier to see lighter colored patches on the black gi, verses the white gi.  Sorry I couldn't answer your question
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


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## DocWard

girlbug2 said:


> OTOH another interpretation of the colors could come from the yin/yang concept. Styles that wear white could be drawing upon the interpretation of yang (white), which is the stronger of the two.
> 
> Clearly, whoever decided that AK should wear all black gis did not do so in the vein of the yin/yang interpretation.



I would respectfully assert that while yang is considered as active, light, and masculine, among other things, while yin is still, dark and feminine, yang is not necessarily "the stronger of the two." This is why we see the equality of the intertwining of the two in the symbol, with a part of each within the other. If yang were actually stronger, this duality wouldn't make sense. Granted, it has been a long time since I studied eastern religion and philosophy in college, and my memory is subject to being fallible, but I have tried to keep up on such things.


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## Tames D

Blindside said:


> Black is slimming, have you seen most kenpo seniors?


 Hell, if thats the case I'd hate to see them in white.


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## Jusroc

Hello. Sorry to revive on old thread, however i found this thread while searching on "kenpo group that wears black top gi white bottoms", because i had some wacky dream last night where i was training with a group of people who dressed in that way....

But I digress.

I am not a high ranking Kenpo-ist, however, i did train for several years during the early / mid / late 80s, and on and off in the 90s.

I am a student of many Kenpo instructors, many of them who were 1st generation GM Parker Snr students.
During the 80s, I went to numerous seminars that featured (starred) GM Parker Snr, and many of his top students from the US and Europe.

When I first started, at the age of 11, I was a kid, and I wore an all black gi, as all of us did.
A few years later, the instructors (i.e. the dan grades, and the assistant instructors, i.e brown belt 1-3)
were told to that they now were the only people who wore black suits, and this was so as to differentiate the difference between student grade and instructor.grade.

The story as to why kenpo-ists previously wore black gi's also came out and was greatly due to inter style relations. Basically speaking, Kenpo guys wore black gi's, because Kenpo was not a pure Japanese style, and GM Parker, as well as a number of other Kenpo'ists, had fallen out with some of the Japanese stylists.

As legend has it, during the development of early karate competition (during the 50s and 60s)
Early Karate sparring (otherwise known as Kumite) started off as being highly controlled and light, semi or even non contact.

During the 60s/70s and 80s, some of the stylists however, wanted to train with more contact. During part of this era, it wasn't that uncommon to find in some parts bare knuckle kenpo'ist, who fought semi - full contact.

Some of these kenpo'ist entered some of open Japanese Karate tournaments, and some individuals were known to get disqualified due to their use of excessive force, such as knocking out their opponents with a KO.
(with the kenpo'ist attitude towards such losses being "what do you mean i lost, i knocked the other guy out!!"

In some Japanese Karate circles, this was thrown upon.
Also. GM Parker, although haven been taught by several martial artists from various traditions,
developed kenpo as something that is different to pure traditional Okinawan/Japanese Karate.

GM Parker's system was less of a traditional system but GM Parkers own individual system of self defence / street fighting that was developed to prepare his students to deal with modern types of criminal attackers, rather than an art that was developed to defend against types of attackers that no longer existed.

I remember GM Parker labelling his Kenpo-ist, all dressed in black Gi's, as the black sheep of karate.

I also remember GM Parker also fell out at another event, where some of his students entered a kata competition, but which was not well received by the Japanese Judges.

I guess, in those days, the differences between styles was so vast, that neither side could really appreciate the others perspective.

So.. another reason why GM Parker wanted to distinguish himself and his people as different to that of the main stream Japanese / Okinawan style of karate.

Interestingly enough, I have also studied Judo. Which you may know also has its own conflict between two main type of camps within the Judo fraternity.

In the beginning, you have the Kodokan Students, who traditionally wore White Gi's / suits.
All students / all instructors wore white Gi's, with any other colour being forbidden.
This rule was really to push the Japanese Cultural ideals, where students are considered equal
and part of the greater whole. 

Later on, when Judo became an international sport and an olympic sport, with many of the competitions
being publicised on colour TV!!! The Olympic committee decided to introduce Blue suits
so as to help the viewers distinguish between the players.
(as with Karate, the winning techniques in Judo fights can happen in literally a split second, and if your not watching carefully, you may miss everything and not have a clue what happened).

So. the original reason why Judo sportsmen deviated away from the original Kodokan rule of only white suits, was purely for spectators.

Ironically, in some clubs (including the ones I have trained) you get groups of people who 
use their colour in the same way as criminal gangs use their colours, to set themselves apart,
to intimidate and to create a prejudice against those who wear the other colours.

Exactly the type of mentality that the founder of Judo was trying to combat.
But I guess that is one of the problems that arises when certain types of men get control of something.

As for Kenpo. I personally have no problem with what ever colour a person wears. Its not the suit that does the fighting.

Ideally, however, i would say that I personally think that a "street fighting" system that is trying to update karate so that it can be used against modern attackers, then i think that its better to dress in clothes that you were normally, as that would give you real life experience of what limitations and advantages there are by wearing the clothes you do.

Lastly
one fact that i discovered when reading one of the old traditional karate books, is that what is known to us as the modern karate gi, was originally nothing but traditional Japanese Dress undergarments, which Okinawan's stripped down to, in order to train.

So... in context, and looking back, i thought it extremely funny to think that we Kenpo'ists had spent years walking around as if we were super tough 'cause we were wearing Japanese undergarments...

That, I personally think is hilarious.  
Perhaps we should consider changing our uniform style?... perhaps to the same as worn by the Sumo's...? lol
(no offence to Sumo's, but you gotta admit, from a western perspective, if you saw a room full of daft westerners practising karate in funny undies, it would look funny!!!).

Otherwise, what ever gi you were. Good luck to you. Stay healthy! stay positive!


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