# Kenpo Clips



## MJS (May 3, 2010)

Came across these clips that Sean Kelley posted on FB. I hadn't seen them before, thought they were pretty cool, and wanted to post them here. Enjoy! 

Frank Trejo

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiFMlk3DjD8&feature=player_embedded

Jim Mitchell

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkMIpx8V-eE&feature=player_embedded


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## J Ellis (May 3, 2010)

Is it just me, or does their seem to be a general absence of stance changes and timing in the clip of Mr. Mitchell? Some stance changes do show up in the latter third of the video, primarily when executing the technique slowly.

Not trying to criticize. Just an observation. Perhaps I am mistaken?

Joel


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## DavidCC (May 3, 2010)

the Mitchell clip was entirely uninspiring.


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## Touch Of Death (May 3, 2010)

DavidCC said:


> the Mitchell clip was entirely uninspiring.


Hey, I have seen worse.
Sean


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## DavidCC (May 4, 2010)

Touch Of Death said:


> Hey, I have seen worse.
> Sean



ROFL

I've said worse!


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## Entryteam (Aug 1, 2010)

Is it just me... or does Frank Trejo look like he could tear a man limb from limb without any martial arts whatsoever?????  I am impressed by his ability to move, and he shows a lot of natural athletic ability.

good clips.





MJS said:


> Came across these clips that Sean Kelley posted on FB. I hadn't seen them before, thought they were pretty cool, and wanted to post them here. Enjoy!
> 
> Frank Trejo
> 
> ...


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## K831 (Aug 1, 2010)

Entryteam said:


> Is it just me... or does Frank Trejo look like he could tear a man limb from limb without any martial arts whatsoever?????  I am impressed by his ability to move, and he shows a lot of natural athletic ability.
> 
> good clips.



The man can really fight, no doubt. His point at the very end about skipping the full forward bow, neutral bow, reverse bow... and simply applying the general principle view bent knees, shifting feet for power and more mobility was great. 

Here is another clip of him that I like... especially since we have that Kenpo and boxing thread going on.


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## KENPOJOE (Aug 7, 2010)

Hi folks!
The frank Trejo clip was taken at Doreen [Direnzo]Cogliandro's Revere Karate Academy @ 344 Broadway in Revere MA. From the back of the school is Doreen,David Lombardi,Myself,Ricardo,...I can't remember everyone,Lance Soares,I'll have to watch it again but I was there and he demonstrated on me as well! Always an honor to work w/ Mr. Trejo!
I know Mr. Kelley wasn't at that event.
Thanks for listing it here!
BEGOOD,
KENPOJOE


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## KENPOJOE (Aug 8, 2010)

KENPOJOE said:


> Hi folks!
> The frank Trejo clip was taken at Doreen [Direnzo]Cogliandro's Revere Karate Academy @ 344 Broadway in Revere MA. From the back of the school is Doreen,David Lombardi,Myself,Ricardo,...I can't remember everyone,Lance Soares,I'll have to watch it again but I was there and he demonstrated on me as well! Always an honor to work w/ Mr. Trejo!
> I know Mr. Kelley wasn't at that event.
> Thanks for listing it here!
> ...


 and Dave Staples of Worchester is next to ricado!


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## Doc (Sep 5, 2010)

J Ellis said:


> Is it just me, or does their seem to be a general absence of stance changes and timing in the clip of Mr. Mitchell? Some stance changes do show up in the latter third of the video, primarily when executing the technique slowly.
> 
> Not trying to criticize. Just an observation. Perhaps I am mistaken?
> 
> Joel



Jim Mitchell had atrocious stances. When he modeled for Infinite Insights, Mr. Parker took one look at the finished copy and said, "This is going to have to be redone." Kenpo in general, and not just Jim, is notorious for ignoring stances in favor of flailing limbs. There is more than one so-called "master" who refuse to mover their feet and legs, but then the students he hits don't move their's either making it easy.


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## Touch Of Death (Sep 5, 2010)

Remember, this was along time ago. I'm sure things are different these days with Mr.Mitchell.
Sean


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## Doc (Sep 6, 2010)

Oh yeah, cause when you're a 5th degree and have bad stances, they get better on the way to 10th. Yeah, right!


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## yorkshirelad (Sep 6, 2010)

Doc said:


> Oh yeah, cause when you're a 5th degree and have bad stances, they get better on the way to 10th. Yeah, right!


 
I know this conversation has been done to death, but what is Mitchell doing with a 5th degree from Mr Parker himself (presumably the certificate was signed by Mr. Parker on the instructor line) when his basics are so bad?


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## Doc (Sep 6, 2010)

yorkshirelad said:


> I know this conversation has been done to death, but what is Mitchell doing with a 5th degree from Mr Parker himself (presumably the certificate was signed by Mr. Parker on the instructor line) when his basics are so bad?



This is the business of the art. Pull up a hundred vids from YouTube, and tell me how many have good solid stances and transitions when they execute. It's all flailing hands as fast as you can, and ignore the guy you're supposed to be fighting. Jim came to Mr. Parker as a 4th from Tracy's. Jim was helping Mr. Parker with Infinite Insights and with an exploration of the commercial arts and what it had become, (thus the video), so Mr. Parker bumped him to 5th. 

Most of us had jobs, and most of us appeared only briefly in the early volumes dominated by Jim's modeling of stances and postures. We got more prominent in the later volumes when Mr. Parker kicked Jim off the project because he was so bad, (and for other personal reasons).

I stopped sitting on testing boards because the art was circling the drain, and standards were going lower and lower. Business dictated the art and it was out of control.


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## yorkshirelad (Sep 6, 2010)

Doc said:


> Jim came to Mr. Parker as a 4th from Tracy's. Jim was helping Mr. Parker with Infinite Insights and with an exploration of the commercial arts and what it had become, (thus the video), so Mr. Parker bumped him to 5th.
> 
> .


 
Um, interesting! I was of the impression that Mitchell was with Mr. Parker for years. I hade no idea he was a Tracy black belt.


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## Doc (Sep 7, 2010)

yorkshirelad said:


> Um, interesting! I was of the impression that Mitchell was with Mr. Parker for years. I hade no idea he was a Tracy black belt.


Jim Mitchell "popped up" and was around for about 16/18 months.


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## Xael (Sep 18, 2010)

Doc said:


> Jim Mitchell "popped up" and was around for about 16/18 months.


 

Is this the same Jim Mitchell that was teaching Kenpo in Misouri? If so, I know he started implementing the Joe Lewis footwork at some point. I do not know if it became part of the ciriculum or if it was for a few students, but the Joe Lewis stuff made the traditional kenpo footwork seem like childs play. Mind you I did not get this from Jim directly, but a friend of his, and he moved extremely well.


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## Touch Of Death (Sep 20, 2010)

Xael said:


> Is this the same Jim Mitchell that was teaching Kenpo in Misouri? If so, I know he started implementing the Joe Lewis footwork at some point. I do not know if it became part of the ciriculum or if it was for a few students, but the Joe Lewis stuff made the traditional kenpo footwork seem like childs play. Mind you I did not get this from Jim directly, but a friend of his, and he moved extremely well.


I understand that he doesnt move the same way he did before, as well.
Sean


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## K831 (Sep 21, 2010)

Someone will have to enlighten me on this "Joe Lewis" footwork vs "Traditional Kenpo Footwork"...


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## Xael (Sep 21, 2010)

Actually I made a mistake. It was Jim Dixon, not Jim Mitchell. I do not know about this Jim Mitchell dude.






K831 said:


> Someone will have to enlighten me on this "Joe Lewis" footwork vs "Traditional Kenpo Footwork"...


The Lewis footwork is primarily what he developed alongside Bruce Lee and used in the ring as well as outside the ring. It is comprised of methods of delivery to bridging the gap (something Lewis is a master of), like stagger steps, angular attacks, deceptive penetration, broken rhythm and set point control. Most of it was tactical footwork on how to "get off" before your opponent. It is some really amazing stuff I must say.

In fact there is the possibility he might have been doing these things before he came into contact with Lee. Though there is no way to really prove it.


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## K831 (Sep 21, 2010)

Xael said:


> Actually I made a mistake. It was Jim Dixon, not Jim Mitchell. I do not know about this Jim Mitchell dude.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Interesting. Is there any reference material or videos demonstrating some of this? I am curious as to how it is different from what I have been taught in Kenpo.


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## Touch Of Death (Sep 21, 2010)

K831 said:


> Someone will have to enlighten me on this "Joe Lewis" footwork vs "Traditional Kenpo Footwork"...


I lean towards the Benny The Jet footwork myself.
Sean


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## K831 (Sep 22, 2010)

Touch Of Death said:


> I lean towards the Benny The Jet footwork myself.
> Sean



Right. And the difference is?


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## Blindside (Sep 22, 2010)

K831 said:


> Interesting. Is there any reference material or videos demonstrating some of this? I am curious as to how it is different from what I have been taught in Kenpo.


 
Lewis has or had an entire line of vids on sparring strategies, and from what I recall, the footwork peice was pretty good. Certainly not revolutionary in this day and age, but very good. I don't know if it was his influence on the Tracy Kenpo fighting method (he was the director of the national fighting team for a couple of years) or simply co-evolution, but I already had been exposed to much of what he did.

edit:
http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Lewis-Footwork-D/dp/B0007UZN32/ref=pd_bxgy_d_text_c

And look, that is a pic of him fighting in a Tracy Kenpo sparring gi top.   Damn its ugly.


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## Xael (Sep 22, 2010)

Blindside said:


> Lewis has or had an entire line of vids on sparring strategies, and from what I recall, the footwork peice was pretty good. Certainly not revolutionary in this day and age, but very good. I don't know if it was his influence on the Tracy Kenpo fighting method (he was the director of the national fighting team for a couple of years) or simply co-evolution, but I already had been exposed to much of what he did.
> 
> edit:
> http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Lewis-Footwork-D/dp/B0007UZN32/ref=pd_bxgy_d_text_c
> ...


 

Yes Lewis did some footwork with the Tracy school. That video you linked is much older than the other set. The other set has a lot of really good stuff on it. After seeing much of the "professional" fighters... I would say his footwork is light years ahead of theirs lol.


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## K831 (Sep 22, 2010)

Xael said:


> Yes Lewis did some footwork with the Tracy school. That video you linked is much older than the other set. The other set has a lot of really good stuff on it. After seeing much of the "professional" fighters... I would say his footwork is light years ahead of theirs lol.




Are you referring to this one?  It's the only other footwork vid I could find..

http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Lewis-How...=sr_1_12?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1285207530&sr=1-12

I'm quite curious as to the differences or modification to "Kenpo footwork" by Lewis or Benny or whoever. Maybe it isn't different from what I have been exposed to at all but I'm curious.


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## Xael (Sep 23, 2010)

K831 said:


> Are you referring to this one? It's the only other footwork vid I could find..
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Lewis-How...=sr_1_12?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1285207530&sr=1-12
> 
> I'm quite curious as to the differences or modification to "Kenpo footwork" by Lewis or Benny or whoever. Maybe it isn't different from what I have been exposed to at all but I'm curious.


 

I dont know if that was one of them or not. I know in some he had a blue gi, in others a mix of blue and white. It was a series actually. Something like 10 tapes, maybe more, all devoted to footwork. It was pretty bad ***.

It was not a modification to Kenpo footwork so to speak. He was addressing all arts really, and saying "You do this, like this..." etc. I know a few Kenpo guys got a hold of them and decided to implement them, like Jim Dixon and a few others I cannot remember. I heard he worked with the Tracy schools, but this might be back before the videos were made. No idea really. I just remember what I saw and i was blown away. It really changed my fighting ability for the better.


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## Yondanchris (Jan 23, 2011)

I would agree that the footwork is a little loose! but, as a consideration would this fall under Mr. Parker's concept of "tailoring" ? I would expect a little lossening of the stances if done at 100% speed and power but not at the demonstration speed in the clip. I am not saying I know anything about AK, but my observations as a Kempo instructor and being around AK guys for years! 

my humble and ignorant .02 cents

chris


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