Well, as we all know, this past year has been a challenging year. Many of our friends have had to close their Karate Schools. At this time, we have been blessed and are still able to remain open. That’s right, we are open and must adhere to all Covid rules, but at least we are open.
Things are different for sure. We are still looking forward to the day when we conquer this pandemic and can return to normal. We will at that time resume our seminars and guest speakers.
I thought perhaps with all that happening a refresher of our history might be fun.
The history of American Kenpo Karate begins with founder Senior Grandmaster Edmund Kilaloha Parker (1931-1990). Mr. Parker was born in Hawaii and began training at a young age in judo and later boxing. Sometime in the 1940s, Ed Parker was first introduced to Kenpō. He was promoted to the rank of black belt in 1953.
It was during this period that Japanese and Okinawan interpretations of kenpo prevalent in Hawaii began to significantly influence Mr. Parker’s style. Seeing that modern times posed new situations that traditional Kenpo did not address, he adapted the art to make it more applicable to the streets of America and called his style American Kenpo Karate. Parker’s Book Kenpo Karate, published in 1961, shows the many hard linear movements, albeit with modifications, that set his interpretations apart.
Ed Parker opened the first “Americanized” karate school in the western United States in Provo, Utah in 1954, and in 1956 opened a dojo in Pasadena, California. Among his early students was Mills Crenshaw, authorized by Ed Parker to open the school that would later became the birthplace of the International Kenpo Karate Association, or IKKA.
He was well known in Hollywood where he trained a great many stunt men and celebrities; most notable was Elvis Presley, for whom he served as a bodyguard in Presley’s later years. He also helped Bruce Lee gain national attention by introducing him at his International Karate Championships.
Ed Parker had a minor career as a Hollywood actor and stunt man. His most notable film was Kill the Golden Goose, in which he co-starred with Hapkido master Bong Soo Han (best known for his work as Tom Laughlin’s hapkido instructor and fighting double for the film Billy Jack). His other work included Blake Edwards’ Revenge of the Pink Panther and Curse of the Pink Panther (Edwards was also a student of Parker’s). Mr. Parker also helped with the fight choreography martial arts film The Perfect Weapon, starring his student Jeff Speakman, shortly before his death on December 15, 1990.
After Mr. Parkers death, there were and are many Instructors claiming the rank of 10th Degree Black Belt. Our school is under Mr. Bob White. We proudly wear his patch, and represent as best as we can. I first met Mr. White in 1979 and we have remained friends since then.
Senior Master Bob White has contributed to the art of Kenpo, in particular, the fighting arts, for over 50 years as a competitor and as a teacher and coach. Senior Master Bob White won numerous state, national, and international fighting championships. Bob White fought on the first International Kenpo Karate Association’s team, defeating the Chuck Norris team for 1st Place at the International Karate Championships. He fought on the National All-Star Black Belt Team which went undefeated in 1973 and 1974. During this time, he competed with and against some of the great champions of our sport such as the Urquidez Brothers, Brian Strain, Bob Alegria, Tom Kelly, Steve Fisher, Steve LaBounty, Howard Jackson, Darnel Garcia, Bob Mitchell, John Natividad, Ron Marchini and many more. In 1968 Senior Master Bob White began teaching Kenpo at the Ed Parker School in Garden Grove, California. In 1972 he opened his own school and he has consistently turned out some of the worlds finest Kenpo fighters. During the 1990s, his students accounted for at least one of the Black Belt Grand Champions at the International Karate Championships. Bob’s school has won more than 1500 trophies at the International Karate Championships over the past 25 years.
In the mid-1980s Senior Master Bob White advised and acted in Columbia Pictures, The Karate Kid, movie and he was hired by the then Los Angeles Rams to teach Kenpo to players. He continues to work with many professional athletes.
Senior Master Bob White teaches seminars on a wide range of Kenpo-related subjects including sparring and he does special self-defense presentations. Along with Captain Ron Sanchez, a 22-year veteran police officer, and a long time student, Senior Master Bob White offers a seminar series on Urban Predators.
Senior Master Bob White has his headquarters in Costa Mesa, California but he has affiliated schools all over the U.S. and he teaches Kenpo all over the world.
