Welcome to JerseyKenpo.com, your gateway to the dynamic and empowering world of Kenpo. More than a martial art, Kenpo combines practical self-defense with a philosophy of personal growth, discipline, confidence, and self-mastery.

With roots in ancient Chinese martial traditions, Kenpo has evolved through influences from different cultures and martial arts. Its practical approach emphasizes efficiency, adaptability, natural movement, and the effective use of body mechanics and leverage.

Kenpo training develops more than physical skills. Practitioners build strength, agility, mental resilience, confidence, and awareness while learning to respond effectively to real-world situations. Whether you're an experienced martial artist or completely new to self-defense, Kenpo offers valuable skills for fitness, personal protection, and personal development.

Basic Principles of Kenpo

Economy of Motion: Use efficient movements while avoiding unnecessary effort.
Leverage: Use body mechanics and positioning to generate power and control.
Timing: Recognize opportunities and respond at the right moment.
Angles of Attack: Approach from unexpected angles to create openings and reduce an opponent's ability to defend.
Adaptability: Adjust techniques and strategies to changing circumstances.

Together, these principles form the foundation of Kenpo's practical approach to self-defense and personal development. JerseyKenpo.com invites everyone from curious newcomers to dedicated practitioners to explore Kenpo and discover the confidence, discipline, and potential it can unlock.

Forge Strength & Discipline, Train in Kenpo Karate

A focused martial artist performing a controlled high kick in a minimalist modern dojo setting with dark charcoal walls, subtle crimson red highlights, dramatic side lighting, and dark polished floors in a Global / Western academy.

If you are interested in learning Kenpo and unarmed combat in general, but are discouraged by its perceived complexity and overuse of movements, then read this article. It deals, as simply as possible, with a key set of basics and principles that make Kenpo work in common self-defense situations. Moreover, it does not delve too deeply into the theory of what could happen in a fight. Instead, it looks at the practicalities of applying your basics to fast, workable sequences of motion.

Regardless of what any detractors would have you believe, Kenpo is a fighting art. It is based on simple movements that connect through a structured framework of basics, linked together using blocks, strikes, body and foot maneuvers. Blocks and strikes are choreographed together into workable self-defense techniques that are executed by the practitioner. As with any subject, it should be explained in a structured, uncomplicated format so that the person learning it can retain the information in a structured and comprehensive way.

Many view Kenpo as an over-complicated martial art with too many movements to make it effective as a serious self-defense system. It is sometimes viewed as a slap art, where its practitioners slap themselves unnecessarily when executing a self-defense technique, or, worse still, as a system whose techniques do not work and are no more than Hollywood-choreographed make-believe.

However, what they do not see are the intricate movements that are incorporated into the sequential flow of a technique, such as checks and parries, which are designed to stop, alter, or redirect an opponent's ability to continue their attack.

There are several steps that can be taken to learn any subject effectively, and Kenpo is no exception to this rule:

Set clear goals: Determine what you want to achieve by learning the subject, and set specific, measurable goals that will help you track your progress.

Gather resources: Find books, articles, videos, and other resources that will help you learn the subject.

Study actively: Instead of passively reading or watching videos, actively engage with the material by taking notes, summarizing key points, and asking questions.

Practice regularly: Regular practice is essential for mastering any subject. This can include solving problems, working through exercises, and applying what you've learned to real-world situations.

Seek help: Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Seek out a teacher, mentor, or tutor who can provide guidance and answer questions.

Stay motivated: Learning a new subject can be challenging, but it's important to stay motivated by reminding yourself of the benefits of learning the subject and how it will help you achieve your goals.

Test yourself: Regularly testing yourself on the material will help you gauge your understanding of the subject, pinpoint areas where you need to focus your efforts, and reinforce the knowledge you have already acquired.

Reflect on what you have learned: After you finish learning the subject, take some time to reflect on what you've learned and how it can be applied to your life or in the real world.

I have trained for over 40 years in the system and spent over 16 years in the security industry working on nightclub doors. I would agree that there are elements of the system that should have been clarified in a much clearer manner by Mr. Parker. Some techniques have been allowed to establish themselves within the system that, in my opinion, should have been analyzed further and removed or modified to make them more effective on the street.

Although he set out, in his Infinite Insights into Kenpo series of books, a detailed and comprehensive list of the many basics that make up his system of Kenpo, many of his top black belts have alluded to the fact that there was much more to the system than Mr. Parker was teaching to the majority of people. This has created a shroud of secrecy among a select few, while giving the impression that there was more to his system than was being taught at the time.

Mr. Parker alluded to the fact that there were Master Keys to the Kenpo system but never fully explained what they were, only giving a brief outline of their basic criteria in his literature. This has led to much speculation that he only taught these secrets to a select few. Many of his old instructors keep this mystical notion alive by posting articles on social media, many of which never explain fully what the Master Keys are, how they are incorporated into the system, or whether they are a legitimate area of study.

As I have previously written, Mr. Parker always stated that there were no secrets to Kenpo. So, how has the myth of another highly sophisticated, scientific version of his system been propagated within the Kenpo community?