Kempo Self Defense & Fitness

What is Kempo?

 

The art of kempo, as we know it, began in Hawaii in a settlement named Palamas. Passed down from teacher to teacher, by the time Kajukenbo evolved into American Kempo, it had become an incredibly diverse and ever growing system. Kempo is a living entity unto itself, ever changing to meet the need of the time and of the practitioner. The concept was to create a complete fighting system of Martial Arts. It was a mixture of the hand grabs of Judo/Jiu-Jitsu, the kicks of karate and the hand strikes of Chinese boxing.

 

Now when you look at Kempo, it has grown as Kempo always will, using additional techniques from Aikido, Kung-Fu, Chinese Chin-na and the five animal system of Shaolin which has become a household name for Kempo in America. The movement of the Tiger, Leopard, Dragon, Crane and Snake allow the Martial Artist to be a passive or aggressive depending on specific situations that may occur, encompassing both linear and circular movements. All this combined with techniques added through the years to make Kempo an all around street ready system.

 

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