Worldwide Kenpo Karate Association

Worldwide Kenpo Karate Association The WKKA is an inclusive organization built to support the study, practice, and progression of Kenpo. (Creator of American Kenpo).

For over 35 years, the WKKA has provided a place for practitioners and schools to grow, cross-train, share knowledge, and advance within the art. The Worldwide Kenpo Karate Association (WKKA) is the official sanctioning body of American Kenpo. The WKKA was founded by Joe Palanzo, who was the key protégé of Ed Parker. The WKKA offers martial arts training, instructor certification, Kenpo rank certi

fication, and tournaments through our annual events. Over 500 martial arts schools have joined the WKKA since its inception and the WKKA has certified thousands of Black Belts.

01/20/2026

Time with ELVIS PRESLEY - Joe Palanzo remembers

Tribute to Joe Palanzo.
01/17/2026

Tribute to Joe Palanzo.

Grandmaster Joe is an original DojoTelevision song and video created in memory of Kenpo Grandmaster Joe Palanzo — a lifelong martial artist, teacher, and men...

01/17/2026

First lesson with Ed Parker — Joe Palanzo remembers.

01/15/2026

Joe and Russell Palanzo 1989

01/11/2026
In the end, Joe Palanzo gave his life serving his country.After graduating from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Joe c...
01/09/2026

In the end, Joe Palanzo gave his life serving his country.

After graduating from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Joe chose to enlist in the Army so he could serve using his gift as a trumpet player. He completed a tour in Vietnam as an Army bugler with the 1st Air Cavalry Division, traveling often by helicopter and performing Reveille, Mess Call, and Taps at ceremonies and funerals—honoring fallen soldiers with precision, discipline, and respect.

In 2019, Joe was diagnosed with amyloidosis, a rare and incurable heart condition. It was later determined to be caused by exposure to Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide used during the Vietnam War to defoliate forests and jungles so enemy forces could not hide. Joe logged thousands of flight hours through sprayed areas, making that exposure the likely cause.

As his condition progressed, he kept it private. He didn’t want sympathy or special treatment—he just wanted to live with dignity and purpose.

In the end, his service didn’t stop when he came home. It cost him roughly fifteen years of his life, and he never complained.

That quiet sacrifice is part of his legacy. Here are a few snapshots Joe captured during his time in Vietnam.

01/08/2026

Joe Palanzo's Final Salute

Frank Trejo, Richard “Huk” Planas, and Joe Palanzo together again.
01/07/2026

Frank Trejo, Richard “Huk” Planas, and Joe Palanzo together again.

https://youtu.be/8QMFcSPKlkg
06/19/2023

https://youtu.be/8QMFcSPKlkg

A snapshot of Joe Palanzo's Ed Parker's karate studio in early 1970's. No audio, but shows what it was like to take class back then in the golden age of kara...

03/22/2023

The American Black Belt Academy in Massapequa Park on Long Island is looking for a full time instructor. Anyone interested in getting more information or applying should contact Tom LoVarco at 516-795-8531.

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Baltimore, MD

Telephone

+14104847122

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