The History of Shojukempo Part 3
By Founder Hanshi Larry S. L. Martin 9th Dan

Students and Hanshi Larry S. L. Martin (right)

Where we left off...we talked about the 3 K’s, Kihon, Kata, and Kumite. Now I will take you through the Kempo side of Shojukempo. In the world today there are many versions of Kenpo & Kempo. At our dojo we teach the Okinawa version of Kempo. 

Master Martin's Shotokan Instructor, 
Ernie St. Laurent (rt), with his Instructor John Saviano  (lft)

Now, I have trained under many well know Grandmasters from around the country. Men like Grandmaster George Pasere of the Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu System, Grandmaster / Prof. Nick Cerio of the Nick Cerio Kenpo Ju-jitsu System an offshoot from the Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu System. Grandmaster William R. Gregory of the Kajukempo System which is an offshoot from the Nick Cerio System, Grandmaster Ed Parker of the American Kenpo System, which is an offshoot from the Kosho Ryu System under Grandmaster’s William K. S .Chow and Frank Chow.

Professor Nick Cerio, Master Martin. Shihan Restrepo, and Hanchi Bruce Judnick

Now what make theses Ryu’s (styles) different are these great men where from different parts of the country. Teaching their versions of Kenpo, Kempo Karate-do in the States. American Kenpo Ed Parker California, Hawaiian Kenpo or Kosho Ryu Kenpo William K. S. Chow, Japanese Kosho Ryu Kempo James Mitose, Hawaiian Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu Victor "Sonny" Gascon which was known as Shaolin Kempo or Shaolin Ch’uan Fa. Hawaiian Kajukenpo was founded by Sijo Emperado. There are four other men responsible for the Kajukenpo System, Hawaiian Pai Lum Tao Grandmaster Daniel K Pai. 

Master Martin, Grandmaster William Gregory, & Shihan Restrepo

There are many dojo’s around the world and the United States that teach many different versions of Kenpo, Kempo. Some teach the Chinese version of Kenpo Ch’uan Fa, some teach the Hawaiian version of Kenpo or Kempo, some teach the American version of Kenpo, and some teach the Japanese Version of Kempo. Chinese, Okinawan, and Japanese movements with soft & hard techniques influence some of the Kata. 

Now at the Rhode Island Shotokan Karate Hombu Dojo headquarters, Hanshi Martin teaches the different versions of Kata to his Shojukempo students, to show respect to the men that passed away, men like Grandmaster Ed Parker, Prof. Nick Cerio, Grandmaster William R. Gregory, Grandmaster Daniel K. Pai. I have taken 2 Kata from each of these men’s Ryu to make Shojukempo a unique system to study, for everyone who is truly interested in learning the true meaning of Martial Arts! 

In Part 4 we'll talk about the Kata of Shojukempo!