Awase Kenpo Kai is a martial arts style based upon traditional Kenpo Karate. The style was founded by Herschel "Toraken" Schenck, a 10th degree black belt and director of the Christian Martial Artists Union. He holds a teaching license through the Christian Black Belt Association, The Shiho Karano Kai International, the New Jersey Aikijitsu Association and the Sakura Budo Council of Elders(さくら武道長老
協議会). He has been involved in martial arts since 1960. The Awase Kenpo Kai was originally founded in Ohio, but is now headquartered in Medina,Ohio. The style is a blend of Okinawan Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do, Chinese-Hawaiian Kenpo, and Japanese Aikijujitsu. The Okinawan Karate techniques stress very powerful blocks, punches, and kicks that move in linear combinations of defense and attacks. The Chinese-Hawaiian Kenpo stresses all circular blocks, strikes, kicks, and sweeps. This art developed from the migration of Chinese Kung Fu to Hawaii, where it combined with an ancient Hawaiian martial art called Kapu Kuialua. The Aikijujitsu part of training is a blend of Ju-Jitsu and Aikijitsu. This art is applied when you are in physical contact with your opponent. The art uses joint locks, joint bends, throwing techniques, chokes, pressure points, and pins. “Our style like shaking a large bee hive and being engulfed by the swarm!”
Awase Kenpo Kai has many subsystems, including Awase Kenpo Karate-Do, which literally means "Combined Fist Methods and the Way of the Empty Hand." Awase Kenpo Karate-Do is Awase Kenpo Kai's main subsystem, and students in this program learn kata, sparring, self-defense, and techniques including blocks, punches, kicks, and breakfalls. Belt rank tests, inter-dojo sparring, and tournament competition are mandatory. Students progress through 10 colored or "kyu" ranks before testing for black belt. Other subsystems of Awase Kenpo Kai include Awase Kenpo Goshin-Jitsu (self-defense), Awase-Ryu Kobudo, Bukido (sparring with weapons), Kenko-Na Jute ("Healthy Gentle Hands Exercise"), Shichi Dobutsu Kenpo (7 Animals Fist Method), Kido ( Internal Energy Way), Raiuchi Kenpo ( Lightning Strikes Fist Methods), Sento-Ryu and Itto Isshin Iaido. KYU
The kyu ranks for Awase Kenpo Karate-Do are as follows:
* 10th Kyu --Advanced White Belt
* 9th Kyu -- Yellow Belt
* 8th Kyu -- Orange Belt
* 7th Kyu -- Purple Belt
* 6th Kyu -- Advanced Purple Belt
* 5th Kyu -- Blue Belt
* 4th Kyu -- Green Belt
* 3rd Kyu -- Low Brown Belt
* 2nd Kyu -- Middle Brown Belt
* 1st Kyu -- Advanced Brown Belt
Black Belt Grades are from Shodan-Judan
Five teaching licenses are earned through the traditional Menkyo-Kaiden system of instructor certification ( Oku-iri, Mokoruku, Menkyo, Kaiden & Menkyo Kaiden. AWASE KENPO GOSHIN-JITSU
Goshin-Jitsu derives from the Japanese words "Goshin," meaning "protection of the body," and "Jitsu," meaning "techniques." Awase Kenpo Goshin-Jitsu teaches students street-smart self-defense for real-world scenarios such as rape, robbery, simple assault, and aggravated assault. “Your mind is you primary weapon and your third eye. Always be aware!”
KOBUDO
Karate students who have reached 9th kyu may participate in the Awase-Ryu Kobudo program. These students may choose to train with any of twelve different ancient Okinawan weapons:
* bo
* jo
* hanko
* kagitan
* nitanbo
* nunchaku
* nunchakujo
* tessen
* tonfa
* sai
* kama
* yawara
“Let your breath guide your weapon!”
BUKIDO ( Chanbara)
After kobudo students efficiently develop skills with their weapon of choice, they may choose to participate in Bukido, a form of full contact sparring using padded weapons. Only padded gloves and a full headgear are worn. This gives the Budoka a feel of the real sting of combat! Banzai! KENKO-NA JUTE RENSHU
Kenko-Na Jute RENSHU or "Healthy Gentle Hands Exercise," is similar to the Chinese martial art Tai Chi. This focuses on breath control, fluidity of movement, and physical flexibility. It emphasizes symmetry and balance of the mind, body, and spirit.”Spirit is the motor of the mind and body! Seek God to find your path in these!”
KIDO ( INTERNAL ENERGY WAY)
This is another health art that helps the student to develop his or her
bioelectrical life force ( Ki / Chi) through special breathing exercises. This method is similar to Chinese Chi-Kung. RAIUCHI KENPO ( LIGHTNING STRIKES FIST METHODS)
This unique AKK subsystem is based on natural standing & or walking utilizing four positions of bending the hands at the wrist and whipping them to an attacker’s body targets. “ You May See The Clouds, But You Will Not Hear Any Thunder As The Lightning Strikes!” Wise words from Miyamoto Musashi. “In a situation when both you and your adversary are just about to launch an attack, make your body into a body that is striking,
make your mind into a mind that is striking. Then your hand will strike spotaneously out of emptiness, with speed and power, without taking note of the starting point of the movement. This is the strike of nonthought. It is of prime importance. You will often encounter this kind of strike. You must study it and train in it well.”
SHICHI DOBUTSU KENPO (7 Animals Fist Method)
Students learning Awase Kenpo may choose to train in Shichi Dobutso Kenpo, which is based upon the predatory styles of seven different animals. The 7 Animals Fist Method includes:
* Tiger
* Eagle
* Crane
* Scorpion
* Leopard
* Monkey
* Snake
“ Find and release the animal in you!”
SENTO RYU
Is a ranking/ certifications system for MMA, Grappling and Kickboxing competitors. Based on frequency and level of competition. KORYU KENPO
( Old Style Fist Method) is an ancient method of training based on hard core personal training that has no emphasis on sparring or competitions. ITTO ISSHIN IAIDO
Iaido is the traditional art of Samurai swordsmanship. Students within the Awase Kenpo Kai style train in use of the long sword, short sword, and dagger. Belt ranking is mandatory and weapon kata competition at tournaments is an option. Ishikawa Sensei said,” When confronted do not speak, because you have just put your neck to his sword!”
SIX STYLES HAVE DEVELOPED AND GENERATED INTO NEW MARTIAL ART SYSTEMS THAT WERE ROOTED IN AWASE KENPO AS FOLLOWS:
ISSHO-RYU, (ONE'S WHOLE LIFE STYLE) SHODAI SOKE J. BROWN, Cedar Park, Texas. KAMI NO BUSHI KENPO KARATE (WARRIORS OF GOD STYLE), DAI SENSEI MARK LOOMIS, MEDINA, OHIO
HAKU TSURA KENPO KARATE ( WHITE CRANE STYLE) , SHODAI SOKE CHRIS DAVIDSON, NORTON,OHIO
KINSEI TSUME GOSHIN-JUTSU (EAGLE CLAW SELF PROTECTION SYSTEM) & TAI CHI CHUAN, SHODAI SOKE DEAN KLINGER ,WOOSTER,OHIO
KAGITAN-JITSU ( HOOKED CANE SYSTEM) ,SHODAI DAN DOUGLAS & SHODAI JAY YENNE
Medina, Ohio. INORU TORA RYU ( PRAYING TIGER STYLE) . SHODAI SOKE DAVE CRAWFORD, RITTMAN, OHIO
