Different Styles of Martial Arts: Shaolin Kempo Karate

Shaolin Kempo Karate

shaolin kempo karate / kung fu

Despite the unusual name, which combines both Chinese and Japanese transliterations, the training syllabus of this system has a distinctly Chinese flavor, with technique names that include “the eleven hands of Buddha,” “the blood palm,” and the “poison-finger techniques.”

Founded by Frederick Villari, who trained under Shaolin instructor William K. S. Chow, the school’s main body of teaching draws on techniques from Shaolin kung fu, kempo, and karate.

Shaolin kempo karate revolves around a principle called “the four ways of fighting.” The four ways of achieving success in combat are by using the hands (including any part of the arms) or the feet (and legs), by knocking an opponent over, or by grappling.

American Kempo

American kempo, or kempo karate, is characterized by successions of quick-fire movements designed to disable and overwhelm opponents. Although essentially a nonviolent system of self-defense, its ethos is highlighted by a quote from founder Ed Parker: “Whatever the attitude, so is the response.”

Parker, who was born and raised in Hawaii, learnt judo and boxing at an early age. One of his lasting contributions was his striving to translate concepts and technical information from martial arts into a Western cultural context. Two of his well-known students were Elvis Presley and Robert Wagner.

Chinese and Japanese influences

The training syllabus of American kempo is similar to that of other southern Chinese

Shaolin Kempo Karate

kung-fu systems, such as choy li fut and hung gar. The Chinese influences came from Parker’s tutorage under William K. S. Chow, who was an instructor in Shaolin kung fu. In 1954, Parker opened a commercial karate school in Provo, Utah. He went on to modify his early training in these Chinese systems by adding techniques from boxing and judo.

American kempo was influenced by James Masayoshi Mitose, who taught kosho ryu kempo.

The creed

In 1957 Ed Parker wrote the American kempo creed: “I come to you with only karate [meaning empty hands]. 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.”

The MMA Zone