Flying Crane
Sr. Grandmaster
The problem is, this body of techniques has been in existence for decades, and thousands of people have been taught the system and elevated to instructor status. Ed Parker passed away in 1990. It wasn’t until just a few years ago (I don’t remember specifically when) that his daughter and son-in-law decided to trademark everything and demanded licensing fees on the use of the crests and her father’s name and image and I believe the curriculum. So now they are making an attempt to collect fees from everyone who teaches her fathers system, many of whom have been doing so since before she was born.I see...let me clarify.
You cant trademark a specific individual technique such as a certain kick or block or punch due to the lack of originality.
You can trademark a specific curriculum of combinations of techniques for specific responses.
So you cant copy the 60 specific responses that they have published....but you can teach the individual techniques and your own curriculum of how to apply them.
So I call BS on that one.