Shaolin Kenpo/Kempo

[teej]

I have told this story many times as I have never been treated with this kind of respect before. I don't remember the year Professor Chow passed away, but I believe he died in Oct. or Nov. and I was there in Sept.

I was a 3rd degree in another system at the time when I stopped and and introduced myself to Martin Buell. He and his entire family were conducting class that night in an elementary school. So he stopped his class and introduced me to everyone.

Anyway, that evening I told Mrs. Buell I was leaving. She got Martin Buell from class to say bye to me. This is what I have never and will never forget. Martin Buell had one of his black belts escort me to my car. Mr. Buell told me I was their guest and that they were responsible for me until I left.

What respect and hospitality. I often think of how they treated me that evening.

Teej

 

[Andrew Evans]

Hi Folks,
I have enjoyed following this thread but I want to add to Teej's previous posting. What happened upon the visit with Professor Martin T. Buell is inspirational but also par for the course. Professor Buell and all the Universal Kempo instructors I have met and/or trained with provide that level of courtesy to everyone. We should all strive to reach the high level of respect and courtesy that Professor Buell and his organization have set.
Respectfully,
Andrew

 

[Karazenpo]

I have come to know Andrew and now, teej, I'm coming to know you. Don't want to get 'corny', but it's guys like you that make the martial arts all worth while. I thank you for that! "Happy New Year", it's about 11:30pm and I'm going to have a drink! and it's in honor of my kempo brothers & sisters, God Bless-2004!!!!!!

 

[kenpo3631]

I have read the posts concerning Mr. Parker and Mr. Cerio and I must say some good points were made. To my best recollection Mr. Cerio did come into the IKKA as a black belt and was given the small certificate, which at the time was customary for Mr. Parker to give someone coming into the IKKA as a black belt from another system. I know three such people that recieved such certificates in the early eighties here in New England.

The stipulation to having the expiration date removed or getting the "large" IKKA black belt certificate was that the practitioner had to be making an effort to study the Parker Kenpo System as well as test before Mr. Parker at the black belt testing board. As anyone can attest, Mr. Cerio's system although it uses many of the names given to the self defense techniques by Ed Parker, they do not (self defense techniques) resemble the self techniques of Ed Parker's system in any way, shape or form.

I remeber Mr. Cerio's promotion to ninth black. As I recall it was an honorary one bestowed upon him by Mr. Parker due to Mr. Cerio's devotion to the arts and his significant contributions to martial arts as a whole, it was not a ranking in the system of Parker Kenpo but a certificate bestowed by a govening body that at the time had some serious clout.

Please do not take this as an assault on anyones character or ability, I am simply going from my recollections. I was active in the IKKA from the early eighties until 1994, I saw (and heard) allot of stuff here in New England when the IKKA was in it's infancy here.
I had the pleasure to have met both men and believe me they were both phenominal martial artists and they will forever be sorely missed.

I apologize if I ruffled any feathers. Have a safe and happy new year.:asian:

 

[teej]

Another bit of history for those that do not know about Ed Parkers American Kenpo Karate. (remember his life was cut short) The highest rank Mr. Parker ever "promoted" anyone to "in his" system of Kenpo" was 7th degree. Again, the good Lord needed Mr. Parker more than we did.

The IKKA was formed in the late 50's, 1956 I believe. Anyones style of Karate was allowed to join and become an IKKA member at the time. That is my understanding, but I am not an authority on IKKA history.

Heck, I don't claim to be an authority on anything. But hopefully forums like this will stimulate thought and people reading will ask further questions, research their own answers and keep the history of Kenpo/Kempo alive.

I my self have been stimulated to research and ask a lot of question this past week. (I am really glad I can leave my house again without a hat and dark glasses. lol)

A little that I have learned about the Cerio system. Mr. Cerio put the time in trainig with many reputable instructors. He formulated, structured and documented a system the way he felt certain self defense situations should be approached for todays world. Finally, he Put His Name to it. Nick Cerios' Kenpo. His own system. This was HIS system of Kenpo. He did not need anyone to promote him, it was his system.

Mr. Parker recongnized his achivement with an IKKA 9th degree certificate. However, this was not a 9th degree in Ed Parker's American Kenpo Karate, but in Kenpo Karate. Ultimately, Nick Cerio's Kenpo.

One of the most nicely put together biographies I have seen can be viewed at www.nickcerioskenpo.com view it to get a better understanding of the system he formulated, I learned from it.

Kenpo has a rich history. We need to learn it and remember to pass on. Emperado, Ed Parker, Nick Cerio, to name a few, saw a need to reformulate things for todays world. I passed an established school the other day (not a kenpo school) and this studio is now offering "close quarter combat". What the hell have they been teaching all these years??

In my limited opinion, our different forms of Kenpo/Kempo has it all to deal with todays situations. Some of the other forms of Martial Arts are seeing the light and playing catch up incorporating different aspects to their arts that OUR Kenpo pioneers realized and did years ago. So I urge you to research your form of Kenpo history. Learn why things were done the way they are. Keep your history alive. New, younger students, ask questions, get answers, train hard!

And one more thing (have to run, wife has a to do list) is this new Kenpo/Kempo magazine that is trying to get off the ground. It has possibilties to do us all good. Someone already posted that this on-line magazine will never make it. Well if you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Lets' research the possiblities, e-mail the publisher ideas, and try to support it. We can make it succeed or not. (wife's pulling the plug)

Make it a good year,
Yours in Kenpo,
Teej

 

[Seig]

While the idea of an All-Kenpo magazine is a good one, do not forget that Martial Talk also has a magazine available for you. For a mere $12.00 a year, you get twelve full issues, and right now, the December issue is FREE!!!!!!!!!

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