KEMPO
Karate - Kung Fu - Jiu Jitsu
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History
Shaolin Kempo Karate combines important aspects of commonly known martial arts such as Kung Fu, Karate, and Jiu Jitsu. This system is a wealth of martial arts and carries a great deal of legend and mystery. Apart from the ancient Roman gladiator days of wrestling and boxing, martial arts traditionally traces its roots back to the beginning of the Shaolin Temple of China about 500 AD. Shaolin Buddhist monks conditioned themselves in mind, body and spirit. This was enhanced by a legendary fighter-wrestler and Zen master known as Tamo (Bodhi-Dharma), the former warrior-class barbarian, blue-eyed prince and missionary from India, who trekked the Himalayan Mountains. To achieve the path to enlightenment with improved meditation and conditioning, he began to integrate sentient animals with natural movements and postures, which also led to their ways of self-defense. They also learned what was called the 18 Hands of Lohan. Shaolin priests were known for amazing abilities and became an important source in the development of martial arts for centuries. Although Shaolin Temple training had much secrecy, many have studied with Shaolin priests through time. Shao-lin means "small forest," signifying the location of the Shaolin Temple in the mountains. Kung Fu simply means "training." The weaponless martial arts of Shaolin are actually referred to as Chuan-fa meaning "fist law," and Kempo or Kenpo in Japanese. Temples for martial arts emerged in Japan in the 9th century in a feudal society. The empty-hand combat of Jiu-jitsu, meaning "gentle art," evolved through traditions of the Samurai, an ancient warrior class that preexisted until the 19th century. The first version of ancient Kempo to exist in Japan was in the 13th century at a temple of the Yoshida family clan of Samurai. Modern Kempo began in the 16th century, continuing with the integrations of scientific grappling arts including Chinese Chin-na meaning "seize control," and modern Jiu-jitsu (Ju-jutsu). When the Japanese government began controlling the island of Okinawa, they confiscated weapons and banned martial arts. Okinawan Samurai secretly studied Shaolin arts and developed the empty-hand art of Karate in the 18th century. Kara-te simply means "empty-hand." Additionally, Okinawans had a version of what was called Kenpo. Makeshift weaponry skills were also developed with farm tools. Samurai tyrants learned they could be defeated in battle by Okinawan Karate. Eventually, Japanese Karate was created in respect and became part of Kempo. Currently, Kempo has been studied in the U.S. mainland since the 1960's and has become appreciated by Americans. U.S. military have used Kempo training in part for hand-to-hand combatives. The art was transformed into a variety of systems in the 20th century. Masters and instructors continue to pass down the teachings and traditions. This has been traced back to Japan with James Mitose in Hawaii, Okinawan Motobu Choki, and continued with early masters William Chow, Ed Parker, Adriano Emperado, Victor Gascon, George Pesare, Nick Cerio, Fred Villari, and Charles Mattera. The Shaolin Kempo Karate system is also based on the original five animal forms of Tiger, Leopard, Crane, Snake, and Dragon. 
The Five Animal Forms
Tiger is fierce with courage, using strength to maul and overpower, with close-in fighting, clawing, seizing, and tearing, pressing forward in its attacks, and using the opponent's force against him. Leopard is agile and deceptive with quickness, using many powerful in-and-out attacks, lunging and slashing, evading the opponent's strikes, with footwork, timing, coordination, and limber body movements. Crane is graceful with balance, using long-range fighting keeping a safe distance, striking in-close with accuracy, yielding and redirecting the opponent's strikes, has concentration and patience, with motions that are soft and relaxed or explosive at times. Snake is supple and fluid with endurance, also cunning and elusive, it moves quickly with close-in fighting, tying up, unbalancing, and constricting opponents, also known for precision, it uses twisting, coiling, and zig zaging movements, with many neutralizing strikes. Dragon is mythical and supernatural using flying, spinning, whipping, and trapping to defeat its opponents, also indomitable and relentless, it is noted for its flexibility in style, possessing many of the same skills and ranges as other animal forms, making it difficult to read and defend against. 
The Shaolin Kempo Karate System
Martial Arts Basics: Stances, Blocks, Strikes, Kicks, Holds and Takedowns. Blocking Systems: 8 Point, Open-hand, Iron Fortress, 4 Point, 10 Point, Plum Tree, Dragon Set, and The Eleven Hands of Buddha. Defensive Maneuvers 1-108 (combinations) Kempos: Knife, Club, Gun, Grab, Punch, Animal (defense techniques) Poison Hand (attacking vital areas) Iron Hand (conditioning hands) Jiu-jitsu and Ch'in Na (locks, holds, chokes, and throws) Accessory Material (weapon and weaponless) Color Belt Forms: Pinan 1-5, Kata 1-6, Stature of the Crane, and Two-Man Fist Set Northern & Southern. Black Belt Forms: Swift Tigers, Circle of the Tiger, Honsuki, Sho Tong Kwok, Invincible Wall, Nengli North, Nengli South, Branches of the Falling Pine, Five Dragons Face the Four Winds, 1,000 Buddhas, Tai Sing Mon, Lost Leopard, Snake, Wounded Tigers, Immortal Monkey... Shaolin Kempo Karate Details
- Kempo consists of hard and soft style forms and techniques. Kata means Form and Pinan (pinyan) means Peaceful Mind. - Jiu-jitsu and Ju-jitsu originated from Ju-jutsu, also the basis of Judo and Aikijutsu. (jitsu) art, (jutsu) technique, (do) way. [Japanese] - Forms and techniques to black belt were organized and modified under Karazenpo (Karate-Zen-Kempo) of Gascon and Pesare. - Katas were created by Gascon from Kajukenbo (Karate-Judo-Kenpo-Boxing) forms and techniques of Emperado. - Pinans and Crane Stature were from Oyama Japanese Kyokushin (Ultimate Truth) Karate with forms by Itosu Okinawan Shorin-ryu, commonly used in Japanese Shotokan, Shito-ryu, and Korean Tang Soo Do. - Two-Man Fist Set was from American Kenpo Karate, a related style by Parker. - Cerio trained and promoted under Chow, Parker, and Pesare and founded his Kenpo. Mattera and Villari trained and promoted under Cerio. - Villari and Cerio revised and included more Karate, Kung Fu and Ju-jutsu material, and Villari founded Shaolin Kempo Karate. - Villari's higher-ranking forms were from Kung Fu Masters Chou and Su. - Shaolin Kempo Karate (SKK) continues to be a Chuan-fa certified system in various programs around the U.S. - The Tiger form Honsuki means (Hon) Primary (Suki) Style. [Japanese] - Sho Tong Kwok means (Sho) Hand (Tong) Harmony (Kwok) Earth. [Chinese] - The Invincible Wall form is symbolic to the Great Wall of China. - The Nengli forms mean (Nengli) Ability. [Chinese] - Branches of the Falling Pine is a White Crane form. - Tai Sing Mon is a Golden Rooster form meaning (Tai) Great (Sing) Path (Mon) Gate. [Chinese] - Skill Levels: Beginner (White-Orange), Intermediate (Purple-Green/Red Assistant), Advanced (Brown-Black), Expert (3rd Dan), Master (5th Dan), and Grandmaster (10th Dan). - Dragon Circle: multiple attacker circle with random attacks. - Gauntlet: 2 rows of multiple attackers, zig zaging through like a human obstacle course. - 8 Point Star: directions, clock positions, circle angles, with horizontal and verticle planes. - The four ways of fighting are striking (arms), kicking (legs), felling (takedowns), and grappling (holds). - Controlled Sparring: 1 Step Sparring, Semi-Kumite, Point Sparring, Continuous Sparring, and Jiu-jitsu Sparring. - Miscellaneous Tactics & Techniques: standard and enhanced training with kempos, kickboxing, jiu-jitsus (w/ground), and weapons.
Martial arts can be dangerous in uncontrolled situations. Assume your own risks. Death defying feats are not advised.
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