Building Bridges

[toejoe2k]

Copied from an e-mail message sent within the organization:

Jeff Speakman is now the President of the International Kempo Federation (I.K.F.)
This organization is leading the way to ask the Olympic Committee to include Kempo as an Olympic Sport.
Once that happens it will open up a new level of competition world wide, and increase the awareness of this special art form. Teams will be created from every country that wants to be represented.

Reaching out and making progress so that everyone can benefit...that's an organization I am proud to be associated with.

[Rob Broad]

While the project is doomed I do like the sentiment and like the brotherhood involved to attempt such a project. The IOC has put a hold on new events for the next 3 Olympics and is looking at eliminating some sports. Tae Kwon Do has to pull a 27% market share to be stay in the Olympics after 2012 in England and it just won't happen even with their new rules revisions they unleashed in China in 2008.

[toejoe2k]

While the project is doomed I do like the sentiment and like the brotherhood involved to attempt such a project. The IOC has put a hold on new events for the next 3 Olympics and is looking at eliminating some sports. Tae Kwon Do has to pull a 27% market share to be stay in the Olympics after 2012 in England and it just won't happen even with their new rules revisions they unleashed in China in 2008.

While I don't disagree with you, I will say that I was rather suprised when they included TKD in the Olympics. So, who knows? With the right contacts...maybe. And maybe might be enough.

I think the big competitor for another combat sport in the olympics will be BJJ...even though they already have wrestling and judo. It is a popularity contest, I believe.

[sigung86]

If and when they are able to get Kenpo into the Olympics, I think it will be mildly amusing to see how Kenpo becomes watered down, modified, mishandled, and even further commercialized than it is now... If that is possible.

I guess I secretly hope that the attempt falls on it's "non-political" face.
But what do I know?

[Rob Broad]

While I don't disagree with you, I will say that I was rather suprised when they included TKD in the Olympics. So, who knows? With the right contacts...maybe. And maybe might be enough.

I think the big competitor for another combat sport in the olympics will be BJJ...even though they already have wrestling and judo. It is a popularity contest, I believe.

Countries introduce their national sport. That is how Tae Kwon Do got in the Olympics. Korea was given the Olympics in an attempt to re-unify the country and it failed. The Olympics are a very political operation and they try to bend countries to their will all the time. Look at all the hoopps china had to jump through in order to host the olympics.

If the Olympics were truly interested in the martial arts they would have to look at an open platform for the competitions and standardize the rules. Since so many styles and organizations have different rules it would be nearly impossible to implement. W.A.K.O and W.A.K.U both tried and failed miserably. There are too many egos in our industry to make this dream a reality.

[Arizona Angel]

If and when they are able to get Kenpo into the Olympics, I think it will be mildly amusing to see how Kenpo becomes watered down, modified, mishandled, and even further commercialized than it is now... If that is possible.

I guess I secretly hope that the attempt falls on it's "non-political" face.
But what do I know?

Yea, I don't think it's very funny at all, and very very true. It's already bad enough.

[hollywood1340]

I would also say the world wide "popularity" of TKD helped in immensely.

[Rob Broad]

I would also say the world wide "popularity" of TKD helped in immensely.

Tae Kwon Do exploded because of the Olympics. If you were around in 1984-85 you saw a mass influx of Tae Kwon Do Masters coming in from Korea. This because theyalready knew that TKD would be a demo sport at the Olympics in 88. The discussions to approve TKD happened back in 1982 and the Kukkiwon made a huge push to explode all around the world with TKD schools taught by approved TKD masters.

If anything Korea getting the Olympics helped Korea make Tae Kwon Do become as popular as it was

[Carol]

I wouldn't write off Olympic competition as something watered down and wussy.

Take a look at the Olympic-style TKDists that have their game on. They are in fantastic shape and have great pain tolerance, they are smooth and fast in their execution, their targeting is excellent, they can land many different types of shots without obvious telegraphing.....and make it all look easy.

[toejoe2k]

I guess I secretly hope that the attempt falls on it's "non-political" face.
But what do I know?

Entertaining sentiment...I needed a good laugh this morning.

[sigung86]

I wouldn't write off Olympic competition as something watered down and wussy.

Take a look at the Olympic-style TKDists that have their game on. They are in fantastic shape and have great pain tolerance, they are smooth and fast in their execution, their targeting is excellent, they can land many different types of shots without obvious telegraphing.....and make it all look easy.

I don't think anyone is saying that there aren't some great TKD stylists out there. What a lot of us remember, however is the major influx of Black Belts from Korea, and points East who hit our happy shores with sudden promotions to very high degrees of Black Belt, and many had multiple world chapionship trophies from more major tournaments than actually existed at the time.

The number of belts that were extent in the original system, as when I studied in 69 -70 went from white, blue, green, brown and black plus degrees, to many different belts with colored stripes and such. The cost of the training went through the roof, and while many, many of these world champions went broke, a lot of them made and still make mucho dinero on the backs of unsuspecting students.

That, in and of itself, may not have been bad, but it really did not bode well for Tae Kwan Do as a respected fighting art. Many people, up to and including myself, now laugh at the world of TKD and most of the Korean arts, as a circus. The Boeing Aircraft Company's Health care Group carries the definition of Tae Kwan Do as a "Martial Sport"... And so it goes.

The commercial side of teaching the art took a damned efficient fighting style, and made a bufoonery of it. as I said earlier, and at the risk of being ignored or slapped at... I can't wait to see what an Olympic position would do for a) the ranks of many of the Black Belts, b) the pockets of said Black Belts and their organizations, and c) the quality of the Kenpo being taught.

[Wilde Karrde]

I can't wait to see what an Olympic position would do for a) the ranks of many of the Black Belts, b) the pockets of said Black Belts and their organizations, and c) the quality of the Kenpo being taught.

I would have to agree the general sentiment as far as commercialization goes. TKD in the United States after the mass movement back in the 80's became so watered down that it is nothing more than a good exercise to be taught by a marginally qualified instructor at the local Y.M.C.A. or Y.W.C.A.. I think it would truly sadden me to see Kenpo go the way that TKD has in the U.S..

To significantly over commercialize Kenpo and make it no better than a realy expensive Ty-Bo class with belts would be a travesty. Especially with some of the watering down that I have heard of it taking in recent years. For example, I had always thought or at least understood that a Black Belt test was not only a test of your stamina and your will to overcome in the face of fatigue and stress. But also your knowledge of the system and the quality, execution, control, and knowledge of ALL of the basics, Self defense, and Kata up to that level.

I am sorry if that has inflamed or offended any one. I am not sure about every one else but personally I have seen way to much suffer in quality for marketability. How ever if It can make it into the Olympics and not become completely retarded then I am all for it. I wish Master Speakman the best of luck in his quest.

[DavidCC]

I have to wonder how would olympic kenpo competition be any different than olympic TKD???

We're not talking about musical forms and kata as an olympic sport are we? oh please no.

Maybe instead of TKD being an Olympic sport they need a more generic name for it with maybe some more broadly applicable rules? Olympic Point Sparring? I could support that.

I love watching the ADCC so if they had an olympic sport like that I would watch it.

But Kenpo? As an old Marine I used to know would say - "that makes my ***k itch"

[Rob Broad]

I wouldn't write off Olympic competition as something watered down and wussy.

Take a look at the Olympic-style TKDists that have their game on. They are in fantastic shape and have great pain tolerance, they are smooth and fast in their execution, their targeting is excellent, they can land many different types of shots without obvious telegraphing.....and make it all look easy.

What competitions were you watching? This past Olympics all the points were off the front foot, they wera shin and instep pads, forearm pads, special gloves, headgear and the chest protectors can take a hit from a club and not phase you.

[KenpoChanger]

While I don't disagree with you, I will say that I was rather suprised when they included TKD in the Olympics. So, who knows? With the right contacts...maybe. And maybe might be enough.

I think the big competitor for another combat sport in the olympics will be BJJ...even though they already have wrestling and judo. It is a popularity contest, I believe.

Why would you be suprised that Korea added a sport to the olympics? I thought that was the way it worked; you host the olyimpics, you get to add a sport.
Sean

[sifuroy]

I also think BJJ will be the next Martial Art added due to popularity

[KenpoChanger]

I also think BJJ will be the next Martial Art added due to popularity

Only if Vancouver wants it added.
Sean

[Rob Broad]

Why would you be suprised that Korea added a sport to the olympics? I thought that was the way it worked; you host the olyimpics, you get to add a sport.
Sean

The IOC has stopped adding new sports to the Olympics that is why you didn't see Wushu at the Beijing Olympics.

[Rob Broad]

Only if Vancouver wants it added.
Sean

Vancouver is hosting the Winter Olympics

[toejoe2k]

I would have to agree the general sentiment as far as commercialization goes. TKD in the United States after the mass movement back in the 80's became so watered down that it is nothing more than a good exercise to be taught by a marginally qualified instructor at the local Y.M.C.A. or Y.W.C.A.. I think it would truly sadden me to see Kenpo go the way that TKD has in the U.S..

To significantly over commercialize Kenpo and make it no better than a realy expensive Ty-Bo class with belts would be a travesty. Especially with some of the watering down that I have heard of it taking in recent years. For example, I had always thought or at least understood that a Black Belt test was not only a test of your stamina and your will to overcome in the face of fatigue and stress. But also your knowledge of the system and the quality, execution, control, and knowledge of ALL of the basics, Self defense, and Kata up to that level.

I am sorry if that has inflamed or offended any one. I am not sure about every one else but personally I have seen way to much suffer in quality for marketability. How ever if It can make it into the Olympics and not become completely retarded then I am all for it. I wish Master Speakman the best of luck in his quest.

Two thoughts come to mind as I consider this more intently:
First, this being ke(M)po rather than the ken(n)po, what might the rules be and what would the format be? I don't know. Curious question.

Second, at first blush Ithink this may be Mr. Speakman's attempts to continue Mr. Parker's efforts to spread American Kenpo. There are some very successful schools but, there are hopes to develop more. By becoming affiliated with the I.K.F., Mr. Speakman is moving the art forward. Some may feel this is to the detriment of the art but many don't have that same notion and look forward to Kenpo becoming more commonplace. I'm thinking the style of sparring common to 5.0 is becoming more acceptable and contemporary. Then, that's just my little ol' opinion.