Time for the most versatile and street effective Martial Art in the world to be heard. Post you rank, style, teacher and where you're from. I received a Brown/Black in Kajukenbo Tum Pai from Professor Steve Larson in Longview, Washington. I now live in Adna, wa.
LOL....seriously? I would suggest reading this thread a few times. https://www.blackbeltforums.com/threads/the-best.66/#post-868
Ed, I think your signature says it all. Insulting, I agree. One is not better than the other. They all have their pro's and con's.
Unless you have indulged in every Martial Arts there is how can you claim that yours is the best. I'm sorry to say, but I find your claim highly offensive. Each have their pros and cons. We could sit here and disect each and every art and we could come to that conclusion time and time again. Martial Arts should be discussed with an open heart and an empty mind.
Wow, some sensitive souls on here. This post was not done to offend or put down any other form of Martial Art. It is merely my opinion. I have trained in several different arts. From boxing and wrestling to Aikido and the array of arts that went into the development of Kajukenbo. Kajukenbo Tum Pai is a mix of Original Kajukenbo and Tai Chi. I have also trained with many people that have come to Kajukenbo after training and receiving black belts in many other arts. So let's just say it is my opinion that Kajukenbo, especially Kajukenbo Tum Pai is the most versatile and street effective Martial Art in the world. It also the opinion of almost every person that I have trained with that came to Kaju after training in other arts. Kajukenbo is constantly evolving and improving. We are known for training "live". I can go on and on why "I think" it is the best. And btw Mr. Paul. I did read the thread you posted. It was merely other peoples "opinions". Half of them were arguing against what the thread was about. Bruce Lee was a very respected, savvy, and diplomatic man. The last thing he wanted was to offend anyone. He may not have came out and said it but you can't tell me that he didn't think JKD was the most effective art out there. I have his books and have read them many times. He says himself that he gathered the most effective techniques and philosophys to develop JKD. So take it for what it is. I have pictures of him with some of our most Sr. Kaju guys from the 60's and 70's. He trained with them and wanted to learn from them as to what made Kajukenbo so effective. It is what it is. I will end by apologizing to any of you I offended. Lighten up. It was all done in the spirit of fun and pride in my chosen art.
Well said. We dont need another internet forum holy war. Lets see thousands of arts and styles and branches, at least 2 years minimum to have some basic perspective of a each = a couple thousand years of training, tack on about 100 years to find decent instructors for each = a few thousand years..... Good luck with that!!! If you havent figured it out dont ever claim your art is the best, especailly considering your claiming its better than all others. Internet blogging wars get started this way. As a server admin myself; I have had to delete accounts due to this same stuff. Say its a great art, you feel its effective. Its been stated previously on here by others; what makes an art effective is the dedication of its practioners to preserve it, the practicioner & family survive, make it evolve, and their ability to pass on that knowledge to the next generation. This is up to the practioner not the art.
All arts are effective with the proper training and commitment from th pracitioner. As for evolving that is up to the pracitioner to make the art evolve and stay live. We are the pracitioners, keepers, and at times the developers of the art. We own it, it does not own us.
Not a sensitive soul, just telling like it is I found it was a big statement to make on such an open forum that Kaju is the most effective out there considering there are quite a few styles, also considering that quite a few of these styles have stood the test of time.
YOU could say that I might be sensitive... I could also say your are insensitive, a bit cocky, I can say where I come from RUDE. My master taught me to respect all martial artists. I personally would never walk into a room and start in with How about telling us (Martial Artists such as yourself) about your style, your back ground and why you feel it's the best. Sir.... where I'm from there are still masters that will challenge other schools to fights, loser closes their doors. If you walked in the room with that attitude...... S*it would have hit the fan. Sensitive... Yes I am. I get disrespected just about every day here by teenagers and adults that have long forgotten manners. I hold Martial Artists to a MUCH MUCH higher level. Respect Earned Not Given. Now Earn it.... Teach me about traditional Kajukenbo. Then teach me about your style Kajukenbo Tum Pai. As I understand it Kajukenbo was developed in Hawaii. By 5 masters in their respected arts and styles. Ka=Karate, Ju=Judo, Ken=Kenpo, Bo=Boxing, and the final art was not included in the name due to the master not feeling it necessary. Am I correct?
Ok, first of all gentlemen, in the last statement of my last post I apologized for offending you and also said it was merely done in the spirit of fun and pride in my chosen art. I think you all took it way too serious. So again, I am sorry. Mr. Bates, your are correct. The Ju also stands for Jujitsu though. At the time the japanese were coming off the boats and taking it to the Hawaiian islanders. These gentlemen who called themselves The Black Belt Society would actually go out and fight. Then they would meet and train together. They would keep the techniques that they would use most often effectively and throw out the rest. Over a period of 2 or 3 years Kajukenbo was developed. Kenpo being a very integral part of the art, hitting hard, fast and just overwhelming the attacker with multiple techniques was s.o.p. Since then it has evolved into several branches. All of them with thier own unique twist and style. Although Jujitsu is a big part of Kaju, going to the ground was not an option. Not a good idea if there are multiple attackers. Lots of good standup jointlocks, hand traps, throws and leverage moves taken from JJ and Judo. Kajukenbo Tum Pai was later developed by GM's Bob Heuer and the late GM Doug Bailey. My teacher Prof. Steve Larson was the first BB promoted by GM Heuer. Kajukenbo was combined with Tai Chi to make it a softer style that focuses on the continuous, circular concept of Tai Chi. It's main focus is to off balance your opponent while off centering yourself. Tum Pai means "central way". Although considered a soft style it's focus is still to overwhelm the attacker with multiple strikes and techniques, not stopping until the threat has ended whatever it takes. The main targets are the 5 primary targets. Eyes, throat, solar plexus, groin, and knees. Many of the techniques include hitting at least one of those targets and sometimes more than one at a time. Example. Right hand punch defense. Step left and forward 45 deg, left hand parrys the punch while at same time right hand eye poke and right foot snap kick to the groin or knee. Once physically engaged you do not disengage. After the parry with left hand you keep the arm with both hands, rotate to the right stepping back with right foot pulling attecker off balance locking out his arm, left foot kicking out his lead leg, take him down, ground reps. Just an example. There are many variations depending on body positions, what kind of punch is thrown, whether it's a grab and punch, push or pull, tall or short. Every technique is developed to flow seamlessly from initial move to the last depending on when the threat ended.
Let's call it a lesson in humility? On your part as well as mine. I'm sure we all take our prospective styles seriously, or we wouldn't be where we are today.... I know a lot about Kajukenbo. In the Bay Area there is a LARGE following of the Gaylord Method. I've met and exercised with Great Grand Master Gaylord, Master Mark Gerry, and Master Jon Garcia. GGM Gaylord told me all about how and why it was created. Including that my Great Grand Master helped modify Kajukenbo in the 1960's, just before it was brought to the main land. I've seen it over and over again at local tournaments.
I personally didn't think you were putting anyone down. I'm met Professor Larson, and hang out with some locals in Portland, have been at most every seminar put on by Sigung Trent Junker, and even though I do TKD, I have a lot of respect for Kaju and it's many variants. Most Kajukenbo guys I get the chance to play around with, if things went beyond play would kick my ass and I have no shame in saying that, but I consider them all brothers and sisters Ohana bruddah.
Hello and thank you Mr. Helms. It was said above " I personally would never walk into a room and start with.......Time for the most versatile and street effective Martial Art in the world to be heard. I didn't just walk into any room, I walked into a Kajukenbo room and said that. I feel it would in fact have been direspectful, rude, cocky, whatever had I done that in a general discussion forum or in another styles room. I again apologize to any of you who I offended.
Its funny, because I came into the Kajukenbo room just to see what's going on. I can't discuss it with authority, but I love the art and totally have enjoyed meeting the family of Kajukenbo people in Portland. If I was 20 years younger, but preferably at least 30 years younger I'd be all over it, but feel that to take it on at age of 56 is just too much for my body to handle. At least in TKD I can still be a part of an "art" and at least I can compete with anyone in forms. I figure I know enough to handle myself in most situations dealing with thugs and punks, but against most other trained people whether in Hapkido, JKD, Silat, Krav Maga, Kajukenbo, Kenpo you name it, ....well let's just say I like them all as friends and not enemies. So hopefully this Kaju room will get past the opening salvo and move on to discussions of the art so I can sit back, read, maybe meet a few more folks.
