I have no
weapons, but should I be forced to defend myself, my principles or my
honor,
should it be a
matter of life or death, of right or wrong;
then here are my weapons,
Karate, my empty hands.
Ed Parker
"To every move,
principle, concept and theory, there is an opposite and a reverse."
Principles of motion are the essence of American
kenpo. They set it apart from all other fighting systems. Mr Parker said
" there's a difference between a concept, a theory and a principle.
A concept is an idea. A theory is an idea that's still
speculative. And a principle is a theory that has been proven"
American kenpo's principles have evolved; and are still
evolving, much like other branches of science or art. American
kenpo is progressive. It improves over time, unlike many
traditional Asian fighting systems. Kenpo is more innovative than
other martial arts, "It
moves with a person's body and is so versatile that it teaches you
how to fight in a phone booth or on a football field. What's more,
both hands move at the same time, and the art flows from one point to
the other.
Kenpo applies to our present time and situation. Kenpo is tailored to
the individual, "As Ed Parker always said, we make the
suit to fit you. We don't have a standard suit that we make everybody
wear, and as a consequence, we can all find our own little niche in the
art. Women don't have to be really strong to succeed in kenpo, and men
don't need great flexibility. The art is tailored to you.
Parker said
" there's a difference between a concept, a theory and a principle.
A concept is an idea. A theory is an idea that's still
speculative. And a principle is a theory that has been proven" 