New Free Downloads - IKKA newsletters

[administrator]

We have just posted new free downloads. In the early 1990s I was a regular columnist for the IKKA Newsletter. As you will read, Ed Parker had requested of me to write a thesis on Kenpo Physics to help to bridge the gap for kenpoists to better understand physics and how it applies to kenpo. Here are four newsletters. Three of them contain the articles of kenpo Physics, one of them contains all of the "Upper Ranking Black Belts" that stayed loyal to the IKKA after Ed Parker died. You will find my name alongside of Jeff Speakman's listed in the 4th Degree Black Belt section.

The process in the early 1990s was for me to write a final draft to the editors of the IKKA and they would re-type the information for their format. You will find some typos and unit inconsistencies that appear in a couple of places. In the past decade I have completed a complete treatment of physics and how it pertains to the martial arts. It will ready for release in a few months.


http://arnis.org/downloads/downloads.htm

Kevin Lamkin
Site Administrator

[Student]

Thank you Kevin for posting these. I enjoy reading facts that back up our approach to fighting. That way I know I am doing something for a reason, not just because we think we should do something out of tradition without any information to back it up. I look forward to reading your treatise of physics and kenpo.

John Noonan

[JKDooer]

Thanks for posting these. I always love the science of fighting.

What I think is most interesting is in the one titled 9-91. Among the High Ranking Black Belts, there are several "Seniors" not listed. It looks as though a bunch of them jumped ship once SGM Parker died. Even still, there are a great number of others on that list who have joined ranks with the other defectors. This is an interesting historical doucment.

I also like you articles and look forward to your upcoming Book.\

JK

[administrator]

Among the High Ranking Black Belts, there are several "Seniors" not listed. It looks as though a bunch of them jumped ship once SGM Parker died. Even still, there are a great number of others on that list who have joined ranks with the other defectors.
I cannot give motivations on why some of the seniors of today chose not to remain with the IKKA after only a few months. I can give you the motivation of why this newletter was printed, however. After Ed Parker died, many Black Belts were trying to find out who would step forward and maintain the continuity of the IKKA mission. I spoke with Mrs. Parker several times about this. She decided to print all of the high ranking black belts so that everyone would know who was with the IKKA and who had went off to form new associations.

I also remember speaking to her about one of the by-laws that was passed at the Regional Representatives meeting, where it was decided that it is permissible to belong to any martial art organization, however it was not permitted to belong to any other kenpo organization other than the IKKA. I still disagree with that decision today. Even today, there are some kenpo organizations that will not permit their students and black belts to be members of kenpo organizations other than their own. Some even prohibit students from associating or working out with students from other kenpo organizations.

The AKLA does not do these things. We encourage anyone from any organization to participate and enjoy what we have to offer in our organization. We even have instructors and Regional Representatives who still have affiliations with other kenpo groups. Its not the organization that makes you, its what you do with yourself. Or, as Ed Parker often paraphrased from the Bible, "You shall know them by their fruits."

Kevin Lamkin
Site Administrator

[Theban_Legion]

Awesome downloads!

Thank you!

[The Tabasco Kid]

One of the items in the 9-91.pdf file mentions kenpoists advancing from 7th to 8th Black. If Mr. Parker's system stopped awarding rank for mastering the techniques, forms, and sets at 3rd Black, how did one advance higher in those days? Teaching time? Dissertations plus defense? The Klingon method of challenging a higher rank to a fight and the survivor gets the higher belt?

I'm many, many moons away from 3rd Black but was wondering about it. I recall reading somewhere that a 3rd Black can only promote a student of his to 1st Black.

[administrator]

Advancing 4th and above involved time and loyalty. That's why it is odd that so many at 4th black became 8th-10th within a year of Ed Parker's death.

Examinations were conducted over all of the material yellow-3rd black with thesis and individual form.

Only a 3rd black and above could promote a 1st black. A two belt gap was required for all belt advancements, unless a panel of belts agreed upon higher promotions.
Kevin Lamkin

[The Tabasco Kid]

Advancing 4th and above involved time and loyalty. That's why it is odd that so many at 4th black became 8th-10th within a year of Ed Parker's death.

Examinations were conducted over all of the material yellow-3rd black with thesis and individual form.

Only a 3rd black and above could promote a 1st black. A two belt gap was required for all belt advancements, unless a panel of belts agreed upon higher promotions.

I don't suppose anyone maintained an archive of the thesis papers? Those would be a fasciating read, I bet.

So, strictly speaking, once the kenpoists Mr. Parker promoted to 5th Black and above are gone, the form of kenpo Mr. Parker set as set out in the AKLA material will die off, no? If it takes a 2-belt gap to promote, the retirement of the last of Mr. Parker's 5th Black makes it impossible for anyone else to get to 3rd Black. When the 3rd Blacks go, there couldn't be any more 1st Blacks, and so on.

Did Mr. Parker ever address this closed system problem or was it on his to-do list when he passed away? I can see where others "fixed" the problem with the sudden advancement you mentioned, but I don't think that was Mr. Parker's intent.

How do you address this issue in your Elite Fighters system? Do you plan to promote someone or several people to your rank when you and Mr. Lamkin retire someday so they can keep the system working as you intended? Will it be like papal selection where a panel of all the practitioners one rank below yours get together to select the next leader?

[warrior-scholar]

Notice that the Elite system picks up where EPAK leaves off in promotions. Mr. Lamkin has commented before that this ensures one works hard for and earns rank because of skill too.

[The Tabasco Kid]

Notice that the Elite system picks up where EPAK leaves off in promotions. Mr. Lamkin has commented before that this ensures one works hard for and earns rank because of skill too.

I noticed that and see that it is intended to address the advancement issue I brought up, but I was asking about EPAK by itself. If Mr. Parker was still alive, I think that he would approve of the Elite Fighters system as the process needed to develop the most advanced kenpo skills. However, that is not the case.

My examination of open source information online does not show that Mr. Parker considered the problem about which I am asking.

I argue that EPAK became a closed system following Mr. Parker's death for the following reasons:

1 - Mr. Parker based advancement past 3rd Black on criteria that did not involve further mastery of techniques or other skills development.

2 - He was the sole source of advancement past 3rd black.

3 - He promoted only a fixed number of students past 3rd black before he died.

4 - He did not name a successor or approve a process by which a kenpoist could move up to fill the position as leader of EPAK.

5 - He established the rule that an instructor can advance a student only up to two ranks below his own.

It fell to his students to fill the gap, each in their own way. For example, Mr. Fowler extended the belt system to include fewer techniques per belt so that someone who was a green belt in the original system would be a 1st black in his system.

Using the awesome power of hindsight, I think that a better solution would have been for his senior students (4th black and above) to develop their own original techniques, sets, and forms as a requirement for advancement and then submit them to the other senior students for evaluation. The original techniques, forms, and sets that met with majority approval would then have been assembled into the requirements for the belts above 3rd black.

I realize that this is just chasing hypotheticals and rationalizing after the fact, but it was something that I wanted to ask.

[administrator]

I'm just getting back to these questions.

Did Mr. Parker ever address this closed system problem or was it on his to-do list when he passed away? I can see where others "fixed" the problem with the sudden advancement you mentioned, but I don't think that was Mr. Parker's intent.

I don't consider it a closed system. Ed Parker designed the system that he wanted. I asked him about succession, because at the time a large splintering effect had occurred in a different Karate System, and the Karaho Kenpo System. Ed Parker said that he had everything worked out. He had a franchise planned, and a complete video series planned. From this, he planned to have a greater, and more organized American Kenpo System. However, he died before these plans could be completed. In fact, of two of the 45+ videos that he had planned, were completed.


How do you address this issue in your Elite Fighters system? Do you plan to promote someone or several people to your rank when you and Mr. Lamkin retire someday so they can keep the system working as you intended? Will it be like papal selection where a panel of all the practitioners one rank below yours get together to select the next leader?

We have a complete system that goes to 9th black. All of the requirements are set forth. Although my brother and I devised the system, we have to test for each level, too. Rather than assuming the rank, like so many other system founders do. For succession of the system, we have that in place with the AKRC Masters Council. http://www.american-kenpo-legacy.com/ The council is still open for those who wish to be an active participant.

[The Tabasco Kid]

He had a franchise planned, and a complete video series planned. From this, he planned to have a greater, and more organized American Kenpo System. However, he died before these plans could be completed.

Were his plans or notes part of his personal papers? One would think that Mr. Parker, Jr. would have published them by now if they were.

We have a complete system that goes to 9th black. All of the requirements are set forth. Although my brother and I devised the system, we have to test for each level, too.

Ah, that's the big money answer and it's the right one! Thanks!

[Tombo]

Really late reply here Tabasco but in regards to your question about further promotions in Ed Parker's system. The one thing that was stated in Kevin's reply that should clarify the system not being closed was:

Only a 3rd black and above could promote a 1st black. A two belt gap was required for all belt advancements, unless a panel of belts agreed upon higher promotions.

I know two people on that '91 list (one a 7th and his wife (a 4th)) who have been promoted since then in EPAK. So it is still open to advancement I would guess. The ranks were made so it makes sense that people should be able to attain them. You can even get 10th degree in EPAK, you just can't use the title reserved for Ed Parker himself.