AMERICAN KENPO KARATE SYSTEMS AS A HEALTH HABIT.

It was mentioned in the previous chapter that the best time to begin an active life is when you are young, and the second best time is now. But if now happens to occur when you are 40 years of age or perhaps even older, then, I believe that most people would believe that maybe golf would be the most active alternative available to them. I am sure that the majority of people who will read this paper will have experience of a father, ( or a mother ) bringing a child or a teenager to a class, and expressing an interest in what is happening on the floor. However if the invitation to join in is offered, then the usual answer is that they are " too old for all that jumping around ". I myself, as someone who will never see my thirties again, believe that as long as a person has control of their limbs, and the ability to reason, then they can take up KENPO. And I believe that our system, by design, is in fact probably the best option for them. In the following pages I will try to explain my beliefs.

KENPO is primarily a method of self-defence, but because Mr Parker, when he developed the system, accepted that refinements could, and would, and continue to happen, then I believe that it can be construed that the system can be likened to Darwins" theory of evolution". Darwin, when he was on his expedition on "The Beagle" noted that for example some species of bird, who spent their lives in one particular ecosystem, had perhaps developed a longer beak or talons so that they could better feed on a type of shellfish which was prevalent to that ecosystem. However the same species of bird in a different part of the world would not have undergone the same change. Darwin surmised that this sea bird had evolved this physical change in order to better survive. If we apply this concept of evolution to KENPO we can see that the system has evolved, so that techniques, which were taught in the sixties, may now be different as we enter the 21^st Century. Some changes may be as subtle as making a circular movement smaller, to facilitate economy of motion, or perhaps a change in the type of strike or kick, to better fit in with the mechanics of movement, or the expected reaction to a particular strike.

These changes are a natural progression, and I believe that they were inherent to Mr Parkers beliefs. You have only to read his series of " Infinite Insights " to come upon mention of this concept. A prime example, of which we all should be familiar, is the concept of the "Ideal Phase". In the Ideal Phase, an attacker will step through perfectly with his attack. His other hand will follow on in a precisely timed movement. The shots will be to particular targets, which we, of course, have anticipated, and he will react exactly the way we want him to react to our technique.

This is the Ideal Phase, and every one of us should be competent in performing any number of techniques as a response to an ideal attack. But what do we do if we are faced with something, which we have not trained for. That’s where our evolved adaptability comes to the fore. But we have all come across people who believe that all attacks come in the Ideal Phase. We have all to often met the Instructor who when asked about what ifs, will, because of their own inadequacies, be unable to answer, or perhaps unable to formulate, and who will quote the same old story of " That’s the way I was shown in 1970, and that’s the way I want it done ".

This is not how KENPO developed into the system, which we are now practising. I can publicly state that I have been very fortunate to train under Mr Edward Downey. Mr Downey has had the privilege to train directly with Mr Parker, and on a continuing basis with the most actively involved people in the system. And from his regular travels, and his own experience, he has brought us to the forefront of the evolution of KENPO.

Some of the different nuances, we have embraced, others we have filed away as options, to be kept in our armouries as other weapons that can be called upon when needed. But whatever idea that has been presented to us , has been explained, and dissected, and discussed in depth. He has taught his students not to learn parrot fashion, but to question what is not clear or understood, and to tailor moves to our own particular size or ability. It is this very tailoring , which is possible in KENPO, that makes the system suited as a self-defence style for people who are suffering the ravages of age, but who may want to learn self-defence or possibly just get fit.