ATTN: American Kempo Guys

[Valraven]

Question: One of my original styles was Goju Ryu, in which I earned the rank of Shodan. Many of my former training partners were American Kenpo guys
and I have always found some similarities in the two styles. Ever the martial historian I have often wondered who the Kenpo comunity considers
to be the best practioner/representative of the art, in the wake of Ed Parker's death.
I like Jeff Speakman, but I'm not close enought o the the style to be a solid judge. Any thoughts?

[JWTAYLOR]

No such thing,
BTW, you may like Speakman because he had a black belt in it a long time before he picked up American Kenpo. He went to Ed Parker on the recommendation of his Goju instructor.

As far as THE American Kenpo guy, there is no such guy. Nobody recognized just one man as the ideal of American Kenpo. Ed Parker's whole idea is that AK would change and evolve both with the conditions of the times and the individual practitioner. So different people do it differently.

Personally, I like Brian Duffy (my instructor), Huk Planas, Frank Trejo, Bob White, John Sepulveda , Tom Kelly (just evil sh!t this man can do). Although, if I had to pick who I would like to move like I would have to go with Steve Labounty.
But there are allot more guys out there that are incredible martial artists. And they are all great American Kenpoists.

JW

If you pr!ck us, do we not bleed? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that the villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. MOV

[Valraven]

JWT-
Do you know of any place, (videos) where I can see
Tom Kelly or Steve Labounty move?

Why don't you like Speakman?

[JWTAYLOR]

I can't find any videos of them. Maybe the one that Brian Duffy filmed at the Texas Spirit Camp, but I think that only has interviews and no actual technique. LaBounty does some seminars, but I don't think Kelly does. Both of them competed for decades here and abroad. The only way to see them now is to go to their schools. Northern California for LaBounty, and I believe Oklahoma City for Kelly.
JWT

If you pr!ck us, do we not bleed? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that the villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. MOV