Debut of Christian Kempo!
- Thread starter Yondanchris
- Start date
Omar B
Senior Master
Jokeing aside I would like to see this answered. Seems like rebranding some mash up of Kempo systems under a new banner. Sounds like marketing to me. Taking bits and peices from here and there is all well and good, but it's not a new system it seems, but a hobbled old one.
How is the system taught as opposed to your traditional Parker or Tracy Kenpo? Are prayers at opening and closing thrown in to make it christian? Good mentioned a lot in class? How's that turning the other cheek part going?
Personally I would never joining an organization so upfront about their religious affiliations. I need god in my karate as much as I need a hole in the head.
Okay, I see that one.
Now, why the Break Stance stuff? (And maybe a brief synopsis of it, for those who haven't encountered the video or read anything)
Flying Crane
Sr. Grandmaster
You wrote "break stance" and I read it as "break dance" and I was thinking, what the hell did I miss?
It is not uncommon for churches nowadays to use athletic programs and martial arts programs as an outreach into the community. Often these church schools create oppurtunities for young people to learn martial arts where they might normally have not been able to afford it.
Whether or not you agree with a persons faith surely it is a good thing to offer training where none is available or is out of reach for people of modest means.
I like, and respect that Chris is up front with his religious affiliations. It's his liberty to do so, it is my liberty as a consumer to decide whether I want to be in a a school with such affiliations...and the best way to make an informed decision is to have critical information up front and unmistakeable.
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Good for you. Seriously, Christian groups are for Christians that want a Christian atmosphere. It is not about if you like it, it is about relating with like minded people. Not my cup of tea either, for martial arts, but I will defend their rights to yell Amen instead of Kia any given day. Personally fed up with this attitude of its cool to bash Christians often done by the same people that advocate tolerance.
Me too, but not if they actually say "Kia". Kiai is supposed to start with a vowel. Or at least be something other than the word people think is kiai. But I get sidetracked. I wanna know about "Break Stance. Actually, I've read the descriptions and seen a video a while back, but would like to hear more to confirm or contradict my own personal opinion.
Chris Parker
Grandmaster
Kind of off topic, but really? So the traditional kiai of a number of Koryu schools (such as "Yah!", "Toh!", "Hoh", "Yush!") aren't really kiai? I feel you might find that such rules don't really exist, except perhaps in particular schools themselves.
I should've prefaced that by saying "from what I've experienced and understand". Since I haven't been in every Japanese school.
Just going by the ones I've been in and been taught. But definitely saying "Kee-yah" irritates the hell outta me.
I don't have a problem with the religious affiliation. He's up front, he's honest that it's there, it's not being snuck in on the backside. I'm just asking what makes his Christian Kempo "Christian." The techniques chosen? How they're expressed? Targeting? Philosophies?
As an example, the Bando Monk System doesn't have a religious affiliation -- but it does have a philosophy of nonviolence. This is shown in its use of the least injurious targets and techniques, among other things. Pushes rather than strikes, strikes to large masses rather than vital targets, holds rather than breaks, and so on...
OP
OP
Christian Kempo is a decidedly Christian System from the ground up, as a Pastor I am charged with teaching a Biblical and Christian worldview and paradigm at all times.
I had been teaching secular martial arts for many years and wanted to "Sanctify" (set apart for special use) Kempo. The spiritual curricula of Bible memorization and required essays on
spiritual and martial topics had already been laid out, the next project on my list was to enhance the system I already knew using standards set out by Mr. Parker in his Infinite Insight series
and adding built in spiritual and martial lessons within each technique. For instance the technique "Parting the Seas", very similar to the American Kenpo Technique "Parting Wings" but now has
a second focus and application by being a reference to a Biblical event (Moses parting the red sea). There are many others like "Parting the Seas" within the 54 core techniques in Christian Kempo.
I really don't care if the community recognizes or appreciates the work put into Christian Kempo, I collected the system for my students, so that they would have the training, skills, and character building that was lacking when I was coming up through the ranks.
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Never thought you had an issue with it. My post was more in answer to sentiments such as the ones that Omar expressed. He would not train in a school with such up front religious affiliations - many other people would not. That's why I like that Chris is up front with what he does...he's never struck me as a person that would sneak around with his motives, and people that do (or don't) have a problem with such things can see right where he stands....before the school is visited, before the dotted line is signed. That said, I don't know what make his Kempo "Christian Kempo" other than his ministerial side.
SandanChris? Is this something you care to talk more about?
OP
OP
Break Stance is a method of training ken(m)po from the ground up. As taught to me by my instructor Mr. Clark Cole H.I. The synopsis of Break Stance is getting our alignment, balance, and movement into a singular unit by the application of foot maneuvers, stance changes, and body positioning. We use specific points on the feet called Control Surface Pivot Points (CSPPs) by which we determine proper pivoting and weight transfer/shift between stances/foot maneuvers. One of the critical understandings is the relationship between our head, hip, and heel. This is something that is difficult (for me) to explain in text and is best taught. Below is a clip of my instructor doing the American Kenpo Stance Set 1, please pay special attention to weight shift and the heel up - heel down action of his feet.
[video=youtube_share;zXRI9fAPNQ0]http://youtu.be/zXRI9fAPNQ0[/video]
OP
OP
as was already posted above:
"Christian Kempo is a decidedly Christian System from the ground up, as a Pastor I am charged with teaching a Biblical and Christian worldview and paradigm at all times.
I had been teaching secular martial arts for many years and wanted to "Sanctify" (set apart for special use) Kempo. The spiritual curricula of Bible memorization and required essays on
spiritual and martial topics had already been laid out, the next project on my list was to enhance the system I already knew using standards set out by Mr. Parker in his Infinite Insight series
and adding built in spiritual and martial lessons within each technique. For instance the technique "Parting the Seas", very similar to the American Kenpo Technique "Parting Wings" but now has
a second focus and application by being a reference to a Biblical event (Moses parting the red sea). There are many others like "Parting the Seas" within the 54 core techniques in Christian Kempo.
I really don't care if the community recognizes or appreciates the work put into Christian Kempo, I collected the system for my students, so that they would have the training, skills, and character building that was lacking when I was coming up through the ranks."
Have you changed any of the techniques, or just the names and connected them with scriptural elements?
OP
OP
of the 54 techniques 40 of them are original and have been gathered, collected, created (whatever word you want to use) to re-enforce specific concepts and
principles within the system. The 14 that are "borrowed" have been re-worked and edited using the functional method described in my thesis, started by Mr. Parker
in his Infinite Insight series.
Flying Crane
Sr. Grandmaster
Can you explain what benefit you believe is derived from this particular method? I'll be honest after having watched the video: it is a method of moving and shifting and changing stances that is opposite from what I believe is the optimal way to go about it. I would be interested in reading more about what you believe the purpose is, what benefits come from this particular method of pivoting and changing stances.
Me too. I contrast this with Dr. Chapél's method (as well as the method(s) I originally learned) and at least to me, this one doesn't seem optimal.
