A few years ago, I released the first volume of ‘The Kenpo Continuum’. The book is a collection of stories about kenpo lovers who have devoted their lives, or at least spent a whole lot of years, constantly learn Kenpo karate. I’m currently in the process of putting together the second volume of the book and am looking for new stories to add. To qualify, you must be a black belt in Kenpo Karate and have at least 10 years of active training. Your lineage isn’t important, as far as being qualified, because I’m looking for kenpo enthusiasts from all different lineages. The book isn’t about ego-stroking or showing off, it’s about preserving our Kenpo roots and keeping track of where the many branches have gone. The following is my journey, as included in the first volume.
My Kenpo story started in the year 1979, when I was 11 yrs. old. My good friend at the time, Roben, was involved in a karate class and since I My idea worked out; we were great friends for years.) I knew nothing in regards to the style, but was fortunate to have ended up in an American Kenpo karate school, which took place in the Belmont, CA YMCA. My first teacher was Vinton Koklich. I trained at that dojo for a bit over four yrs. until my family moved to Sacramento. The class was 1x a week and since I never practiced, I left that school a purple belt with one stripe. But -- I was addicted. I had gotten my initial taste of Kenpo and there was no going back.
I took time off from kenpo to become adjusted to my new home, but when a year or so had passed, I began looking for a Kenpo karate school. Kenpo karate is one of those things that gets addicting in every way. It’s not possible to stay away. I also found that there wasn’t any other sort of exercise which didn’t bore me to tears. I checked out a few schools until finally I found 1 that was okay. One day, when I was warming up before class, I saw a black belt there warming up, who I had not seen before. I said hello , then introduced myself, then I continued with my stretching, then katas.
He watched me for a bit, walked out of the room, came back in, picked up my technique list, then told me to follow him. He brought me to one of the private curtained sections where instructors did one-one-one sessions, and said, “I’m your instructor now.†Uh, okay. His name was Ray Arquilla.
I developed a love with Kenpo karate from Vinton, but I believe I formed my passion for Kenpo karate because of Ray. He cleaned up my basics and taught me the way to train. And BOY, did we train! I was 17, so the three hour twice-weekly training sessions had been easier then. I was , as it happened, the only woman taking the class, so nearly killed myself keep pace with the guys. We did some insane workouts. One particular one that I remember specifically was the 5am, crack-of-dawn, dead of winter, up-in-the-hills, on a Sundaytorture-session, nearby the river. Near the end of the killer workout, the instructor exclaimed, “I want you all to do whatever I do â€" no hesitation. Am I clear?†YES SIR! Following that, our beloved leader charged down the hill, through the brush and dived into the ice cold river! I must have been a tad nuts back then too because I did it â€" with only a minor hesitation. (GOD, I HATE cold water!) It was a very brief dunk, but I still almost froze in place. The guy helping us near the other shore laughingly said that my head came up so high out of river that I looked like a turtle.
It had been a great experience though. I continued at that school, learning far more than I can say, for nearly 2 years.
I later attended the school of Bob Liles for about one and a half years, during the time I was around 20), leaving there later for several yrs. to attend college as well as other obligations.
One of the best things about being at his dojo was that I was in a position to go to a seminar taught by, as well as being an uke for, Mr. Ed Parker Sr., the previous summer before he died. I later made the move to Marin County, where I found Marin Kenpo, where I became the student of Richard LaFave. He died a number of years ago, but I learned a good deal in my short time with him. I had to leave the school before he passed because I developed Hodgkin’s Disease (Lymphoma). I was extremely sick for about eighteen months, with another year or two for overall healing. I checked out a couple of different Kenpo dojos during my healing, but none felt like home for me.
Eventually, I came across Darryl Liner’s school, at which I trained for roughly a year and a half, leaving when I became pregnant. One kid turned into two - (it is magical how that happens) and before I knew it, it’d been six years since I’d been without my art. Throughout that time, I’d grown to be resigned to never getting my black belt. By the time my boy was 2, however, I started to get the itch. I was sick of of feeling like a fat, dowdy lump. (Raising kids can do that to a person, especially a work-from-home mom.)
I went back to Liner’s school, from which I eventually earned my shodan. It only took two and a half decades (total). I tested in front of a large panel at Larry Tatum’s 1st Las Vegas camp, in 2004. I felt absolutely ready had been training really hard for the test, but, Murphy’s Law kicked in, so my 220lb. instructor fell heavily on my knee sideways during one of the first few techniques for the test. I hobbled through the rest of the test (as well as the following half a year). Not the kick-butt impression I dreamed of making!
Once I was promoted though, I started to teach a beginner’s adult class. I had always assisted at each of the schools I’d gone to ever since blue belt, but this class was all my own. I loved it.
The only hard thing for me about being at that school was that I didn’t have anyone to workout. I did a ton of Air Kenpo. I could be devastating to the air like nothing you’ve ever seen. After awhile, I found a great Kenpo karate forum (www.kenpotalk.com) where I found kenpoists of a similar mindset along with 1 of like-location: Through the forum, I met Tara Turnbull, who lives only 45 min. away. The school was smack dab in between, so I asked her to join me for a workout and assist me in teaching my class. As she was also a well practiced Air-Kenpoist, she jumped at the chance.
As it turned out, she’s a very capable Kenpoist as well. We easily formed a bond and shortly after my 2nd degree black test, made a decision to go off on our own and open our own school. Sacramento Kenpo Karate was born.
I was with no instructor for awhile, but after having attended more than a few kenpo camps as well as seminars, I found a whole group of kenpo practitioners who offered me assistance. Most of my instructors have been from the Tatum lineage and Tara’s has been in the Planas lineage, so we have a lot to draw from. Our school (and me personally) were very fortunate when Ron Nakamoto joined us in 2008. He is currently a 4th degree black belt in American Kenpo and has not only enhanced the overall quality of our school, but of my personal life too.
At SKK, we have made use of many different dvds, including Larry Tatum’s and Mike Lambert’s, both of whom have influenced my art. I have also found Lee Wedlake to be a fountain of generous information. For the last several years, Dr. Dave Crouch has been my instructor (and very good friend) and We've determined our kenpo philosophies to be quite similar. I can honestly say I’ve increased my understanding of kenpo from him, in my relatively-few hours of mat time, than I’d learned in the many years training at my previous dojo. He teaches kenpo in a concept-based way, which I can apply to each and every technique in the system. As Dr. Dave says, Kenpo is HOW you move, not the techniques themselves. He is one of the most outstanding kenpoist I have ever had the pleasure of training with. In September of 2011, Dr. Crouch honored me by kicking me to 3rd degree black belt.
American kenpo has been instrumental in molding as well as guiding my life. It has always been there for me. I’ve met some of my most valued friends by way of Kenpo (you all know who you are!)
I attend camps and seminars whenever I am able, usually taking 100’s of photos at each and every one. I do whatever I can to give back to the art that I love so much.
Our website is the Sacramento Kenpo Karate. If you you are a Kenpoist, then you are family. Join us anytime be part of a class. We would appreciate to have you.
Author Resource:
Amy Long is a 3rd degree black belt in Kenpo karate in addition to being the author of the first volume for the Kenpo Continuum. She is currently on the lookout for submissions for the next volume of stories. She also is the co-owner of Sacramento Kenpo karate
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