If it ain't broke ....

[Doc]

Don't you find it interesting how some want to "fix Parker's Kenpo?" I've always felt to adopt such a position is to suggest, they are experts in all aspects of Parker's martial knowledge, as well as how he would have liked it implemented. The sheer arrogance of such a position is obvious, and the task alone scares me as I continue to work on my own without him. Making him proud of my efforts, as well as keeping my personal commitment to him are my personal driving forces.

The most popular form of Parker's Kenpo, (popular because it was a commercial enterprise and therefore by default enjoyed more exposure), was designed as a "shell" of various Parker Kenpo Concepts and Philosophies. It is incomplete by design, and its published outline really doesn't teach you how to do anything.

It has always been incumbent upon its teachers to decipher, interpret, and create their own Kenpo interpretations from Mr. Parker's teaching and published outline(s), based on his concepts of their choosing. Many of these ideological concepts contradict each other, making it clear (as he told me), he was attempting to reach the widest audience acceptance possible, by allowing practitioner's and students alike to choose to their liking what they wanted to do regardless of style.

Instead of elevating one's self to the lofty position of the system's progenitor, it seems to me the appropriate position is to simply "fix" YOUR own Kenpo or style. I think I do a decent job. I don't suggest I'm fixing anything other than my own understanding of what my teacher taught to me, and continue to evolve my own understanding of the knowledge he passed to me.

I give him total and complete credit as my teacher as he did his teacher, even though there are other influences in my martial arts education, as there were his. It is my students responsibility to do the same after I'm gone.

Mr. Parker didn't leave me or anyone else a strict system as far as I know. He did leave me with an abundance of information, that I am still interpreting, and codifying into a more defined and structured curriculum to make my lineage questions somewhat clearer, than he left his.

The reality of the activity speaks for itself. How someone chooses to express it is neither right or wrong, correct or incorrect. It may or may not be effective in a variety of degrees. Ultimately its level of effectiveness will be judged by those that practice, and have the unfortunate need to use it.

So please, whatever you happen to call what you do, if you choose to call it one of the many names Mr. Parker used in his own evolution in the arts, please remember you are "evolving" your own knowledge and interpretation of what you have learned, and not "fixing" something that really isn't broken. Maybe, just maybe, you're catching up. Or not! The flaws are in its teachers, not in the art.


Dr. Chapél

[Mikael151]

Outstanding!

[Brother John]

Thank you SO much Doc!

That's worth reading and re-reading.

Your Brother
John

[kenpo0324]

Outstanding!

[Celtic_Crippler]

There are actually those that think they're "fixing" it?

IMHO, I believe the concepts and principles are sound. There's plenty for me to fix where my "own" kenpo is concerned, but that's not the systems fault.

I also believed it should continue to evolve, but that doesn't indicate that there was ever a problem with it.

Good post!

[John Brewer]

Once again great post sir!

[DavidCC]

Don't you find it interesting how some want to "fix Parker's Kenpo?"

At least someone is trying... nobody's trying to fix Shaolin kempo LOL