An Interview with Adriano D. Emperado
found on John Bishops Kajukenbo Unlike many of todays so called masters, Adriano D. Emperado is a very humble man. He has no publicist, has never been one to seek out publicity, and rarely grants interviews. Black Belt was very fortunate to locate Professor Emperado at the Forbach Martial Arts Academy in San Clemente, Ca., [...]
Ed Parker’s Gi
Lee Wedlake talks about the gi top he was given by Ed Parker Jr. A video by Bill Spearman, Spearman Resource Group in Ft. Myers, FL. Lee Wedlake began training in the martial arts in 1967 and was a student of Ed Parker back in 1979. A very interesting bit of history. To check out [...]
Some Thoughts on Self-Defense
by John McSweeney originally published 1996 Unlike sport competition, skill in self-defense is a lifelong endeavor requiring regular training throughout your entire life. With this in mind, you should create a training regimen which will maintain your fighting skills without harming your body as it ages. It should be simple and short so as not to [...]
Dit Da Jow – The Magical Healer
by John McSweeney originally published in 1999 In the summer of 1960, I was training with the U.S. Army at the Presidio in San Francisco, California. Evenings, I was also teaching a class of kenpo karate students, all of whom were army personnel. One night, some kung-fu friends of Ed Parker’s came to observe my [...]
Adriano Directo Emperado Bio
adapted from Wikipedia Adriano Directo Emperado (June 15, 1926 – April 4, 2009) was one of five martial artists who developed the kajukenbo self-defense system. Childhood and Young Adulthood Emperado had a very difficult childhood living in Honolulu. He was born to Filipino-Hawaiian parents in the poverty stricken Palama/Kalihi section of Honolulu. Like many poor [...]
Kajukenbo Overview
adapted from Wikipedia Kajukenbo is a hybrid martial art that combines western boxing, judo, jujutsu, kenpo karate, Tang Soo Do and kung fu. It was founded in 1947 in Oahu, Hawaii, at the Palama Settlement. The original purpose of the art was to deal with local crime, and to help the people defend themselves from [...]
Lee Wedlake Bio
by Zoran Sevic Martial Arts History Mr. Wedlake began his martial arts training Judo in 1967 at the Shindo Kan school in Chicago, IL. where he achieved the rank of Brown belt. In November 1972 he initiated study of Chinese Kenpo at a school in Evergreen Park, IL. He achieved the rank Brown belt before [...]
James Mitose Biography
adapted from Wikipedia James Masayoshi Mitose (born Masayoshi Mitose, (December 30, 1916 — March 26, 1981) was a Japanese American martial artist who brought the art of Kempo to the United States starting in the late 1930s. Mitose was and remains a controversial figure in the history of Kenpo in America. Many Kenpo teachers trace [...]
Edmund Kealoha Parker Biography
adapted from Wikipedia Edmund Kealoha Parker (March 19, 1931–December 15, 1990) was an American martial artist, promoter, teacher, and author. Life Parker was born in Hawaii, and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He began his training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later [...]
The Evolution and Development of Kenpo in Ireland
by Tommy Jordan The evolution of kenpo lies within the hands of those instructors who strive to improve their standards, as any good instructor should do, by “putting greater effort into the time” they spend developing and sharpening their skills. Not quite the same as “Putting time in”. We should never let up in our [...]
