Awase Kenpo Kai

Awase Kenpo Kai is a martial arts style based upon traditional Kenpo karate. The style was founded by Herschel Schenck, an 8th 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, and the New Jersey Aikijitsu Association. The Awase Kenpo Kai Institute of Karate-Do is currently located in Wooster, OH.

The style is a blend of Okinawan Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do, Chinese-Hawaiian Kenpo, and Japanese Kenpo-Jitsu. 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 Kenpo-Jitsu 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.

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 Kenpo ("Healthy Fist Way"), Shichi Dobutsu Kenpo (7 Animals Fist Method), and 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 -- Brown Belt
* 2nd Kyu -- Advanced Brown Belt
* 1st Kyu -- Black Belt

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.

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 seven different ancient Okinawan weapons:
*
*
* nunchaku
* tessen
* tonfa
* sai
* kama

Bukido
After kobudo students efficiently develop skills with their weapon of choice, they may choose to participate in Bukido, a form of sparring using padded weapons.

Kenko-Na Kenpo
Kenko-Na Kenpo, or "Healthy Fist Way," is similar to the Chinese martial art Tai Chi. Kenko-Na Kenpo focuses on breath control, fluidity of movement, and physical flexibility. It emphasizes symmetry and balance of the mind, body, and spirit.

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
* Dragon
* Panther
* Monkey
* Snake

The tiger method often requires the five fingers of the striking hand to bend in the shape of a claw. This makes it easier to strike with the palm of the hand. Tiger fighters move aggressively towards their opponent down a center line of attack. The tiger method also involves combined striking and blocking, where the striking hand can be used to block, and the blocking hand can be used to strike.

The eagle method requires the thumb, index finger, and middle finger to bend in the shape of a talon. The index finger and middle finger can be effectively used for eye gouging.

The crane method focuses on long-range attacks, since the crane is a peaceful animal who only fights in the face of a looming threat. The crane will open its wings to trick its attacker into thinking it is a larger animal. It will then proceed to strike with long-range kicks, and strikes from the wings (elbows) and beak (teeth). The crane method made its way back into popular culture with the release of the 1984 film The Karate Kid.

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.

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