Developing the Art
“Analytic study of”
The Kenpo system, as
fragmented as it has become over these last twenty years since Mr. Parkers
death, shows signs of promise in development and growth. Not in size or numbers
of people that study it, but the actual progression and development of the
system that is Mr. Parker’s Legacy. There are many schools of thought on this
but the reality is that while Mr. Parker was alive he was continuously
developing and integrating new thoughts and ideas of principle and motion into
the model of Kenpo that was most widely taught as with his own personal brand
of Kenpo. There are so many different directions that one can go; it is hard to
understand how any one “senior” person could have all the answers. This is
where some of the bickering and fighting about who is and who is not comes from
or has come from in the past. In my opinion they are all correct for the time
period or material that was covered with them by Mr. Parker however, he himself
said in many of his books that he hoped that people would further endeavor to
develop and understand the art thereby helping and cultivating its progression
forward going.
Many people misinterpret
personal growth for progress of the art or vice versa. In my relatively short
30+ years in the arts with the last 25 either assisting, teaching, running, or
owning a studio, I have had the opportunity to spend a considerable amount of
time on and off the matt studying areas of the arts that interest me for one
reason or another. With the development of the internet and wide use by martial
artists around the globe to showcase their own material and styles, there is
little doubt that the arts are both expansive and yet, at the same time
seemingly limited in their applications, and unlimited in the various
interpretations. While some of my fellow Kenpoist proclaim evolution or
progression of the system others say bah it’s only the discovery of things
unknown to that individual prior to learning it from some source or believing
in discovery.
There are a couple of
things that are certain about Kenpo, it is a great “system” or “art” if studied
as such, it works well when applied correctly in any arena, and it does NOT
have everything there is to have in a Martial Art. Moreover, while we scurry
around the globe to try to find the answers to the questions we ask ourselves
about the effectiveness of our art, do we ever stop to ask if we have fully
explored the Art of Kenpo that SGM Parker left us? I believe there are concepts
and theories of Kenpo that have not yet been exploited to the fullest of their
potentials. I believe that like he said in his own books “further exploration
is necessary”. I believe that some of the people in Kenpo are so caught up in
the “Tiger” mode of Kenpo, and that they sometimes forget they could be a “Dragon”
if only they would realize that Kenpo is an art, a system, or style, whichever
you want to call it. In addition, that it may/will take a lifetime to master such
a thing, if it is even possible. They could spend their entire lives studying
it, internalizing and applying it. Therefore, the point of all of this is, how
do we develop an art or system that seems to have all of the answers but a
lifetime is required to really know? Observation is a key in any analytical
process and learning Kenpo has never been any different.
The thing about Kenpo
that is so vastly different from any other system or art is its use of terms
and incorporation of so many scientific principles and laws. But is that so
different than all the rest, do they not use gravitational marriage, or torque,
or height width and depth? Of course, they do, everyone does, and these are
basic physical laws or elements that cannot be denied by any man in any martial
art. Concept and theory drive the Kenpo practitioner to explore and
develop their own personal style and understanding of the arts. The core of
Kenpo is not its 154 self-defense techniques or its 30 something forms and
sets, these are simply pre-arranged sequences of motion that will, in time help
the practitioner develop proper coordination and timing.
Principles and laws
of motion are applicable from one style or scenario to another. They drive the
effectiveness of a technique or sequence of motion. These are transferrable
from one physical move to another by virtue of the fact that the laws of nature
are pure; you cannot jump up and not come back to the earth without some other
force to suspend you in the air. Gravity WILL pull you back down. Diagonal
motion for example when applied to the human body will momentarily cancel
height, depth, and width. In a world where people are trying to develop more
techniques to cover all the possible scenarios, we just need to look at the
principles and use them to back up and drive the motion that will remedy the
situation given.
Many of the keys and
tools that are available to us as Kenpoist are documented plainly in the many
writings that Mr. Parker left us. The key is to use them appropriately in the
manner for which they where meant, or is it? What is the key really, how do we
know what appropriate is? The subtitle of this article is “analytical study
of?” with no specific subject for a reason. Each individual eventually chooses
their own path and direction to fulfill what they believe to be “the way” along
their personal journey in the martial arts. Many in Kenpo study the teachings
and writings of Mr. Parker with acute focus on specific ideas or concepts that
they either got in person or have acquired through experience—on and off the
mat, and either through teaching and or practicing. This does not however lead
to progression, merely passing it on or carrying the torch of a system that
they have now “traditionalized” for the sake of validation or respect and
honor, none of which are wrong, but it is not progression. Progression involves
advancement, growth, and greater effectiveness, all very important elements in
the progression or evolution of anything.
Development is many
things to many people, the problem with the mere idea of progression or
development is that we as individuals see things subjectively as they correlate
or relate to present day or “personal” knowledge and understanding. The problem
with that is that no two people have the same foundations in the art, even if
they studied from start to finish in the same class with the same instructor.
Perception and interpretation play a major role in the execution and
understanding of the art. Thus the subjective as opposed to objective views of
the art and what its function, purpose, or application are.
Many students leave
their teachers eventually due to this very element in ones learning processes,
or for a myriad of other various reasons. The students that can look past these
differences and allow themselves to continue to learn from the teacher are the
ones who will benefit the most. They would allow new information to seep in and
be applied as well as integrating and interpreting information from the
teacher. It is sometimes hard as a student to realize that although we have
grown by leaps and bounds the teacher will most likely grow proportionately and
maintain that elevated level of experience and understanding. In a discussion with
an old friend of mine, he said something that is very true, “…we don’t know
what we don’t know.” Now this may sound
rather simplistic, but has a very true message in that as we grow in, or out of
our own unknowing into another phase of knowledge and understanding we
sometimes think that we have now attained something special, and for the
individual that is true but typically not so much for the Arts as a whole.
In reality, there has
only been the personal growth into a new phase of learning and understanding.
Evolution can only happen when there is undeniable proof that an element,
concept, or principle is being added, expounded beyond, or incorporated that
has not previously been. This is a difficult thing to determine when and if the
person “developing” has no knowledge of what he, who came before knows or to
what extent he knows. With the Kenpo system, we at least have the advantage of
having some of SGM Parker’s information or insight in written form. Is this
everything he knew, I hardly think so, development therefore becomes this very
gray area in the Kenpo system whereby people of different camps and training
see things through different eyes and levels of personal understanding. To
expand or develop what is written in the “Infinite Insights,” is not
necessarily to develop what SGM Parker knew or did, it is merely the
development of information he documented and released publicly. This, like
anything else that might be expanded on would be done subjectively since the
originator or founder of the information is not doing the expanding.
Many individuals in the Kenpo
System have exacted some expansion or development of the art. They each in
their own small way have contributed to the collective progression of the Kenpo
system. The problem is that there is no “real” collective, everyone is doing
their own development and moving in their own direction without the supervision,
input, or interaction with others that are seemingly doing the same thing. This
is where the Ego supersedes the Art for so many. Therefore, the next time you
feel like you just discovered something new and fresh in the Kenpo or martial
arts world, look around and try to recognize it for what it is with an
objective view. Try consorting with someone you respect but that has a
different outlook or opinion of the Arts or system than yourself. Discussion
with a student or peer is not always the way since they will typically jump on
board with you and your views in a blind faith loyalty or fellowship. Also,
remember that some people will in fact say things to discourage you, sad but
true if they themselves have not really understood the things you speak of or
have learned. Be creative and thoughtful both in your understanding and in
application, and respectful of the root of the information you have, as well as
where and when it comes from.
Mr. Todd M. Durgan 7th Degree Kenpo Black Belt
