--- In shaolinkempo@yahoogroups.com, capemartialarts <no_reply@...> wrote:
> As far as standardization goes, I feel that it can be a good thing
to some degree, but not
> at the quantity of material in this system. I also feel that there
is a supply of things that
> don't fit, (I agree with the pinans), but I also think that we don't
need to add in kajukenbo.

A minimum standard that other styles can say, "Hey, all SKK guys know
at least this." is a good thing IMHO. Also, i'm not adding Kajukenbo
-- we are kajukenbo.

> I like kajukenbo as much as the next SKK fellow, but our forms
remind you of the palamas
> sets because (as I know you know) they were based on the palamas
sets. I feel that would
> be adding in a redundancy. I'm for leaner and meaner.

They provide different techniques so they aren't redundant. In fact, i
found several of my kempos in the kata. The palama/monkey dances/kata
are more extentions of our art. It enhances not repeats. It explores
missing elements, not riding on coattails.

GM Gascon worked with GM Leoning who liked to modify his kata. When
you skipped to many classes, the kata looked very different when you
returned. GM Gascon did the same, adding several more kata to the
original 12. I believe he had 22 or 24. Most the later ones are
represented as 1 kata - 6 kata. BTW 4 kata and palama 9 are very
similar. Should we ignore the source of our art?

Again, my opinion, but i think we should at least explore what we
missed by having folks start teaching at 1st black in the 60s and 70s.
We're missing a load of information. food for thought.

> It would be like exchanging riding
> on Kajukenbos coattails in the place of karate's coattails.

My opinion differs here. We can't ride the coattails of our art. No
matter what, we are kajukenbo -- heavily modified. Then again, the
other splinter groups of kaju are very different too. I've trained
with karate people and we have little common ground. Not so with kaju
and other kenpo people.

> There's a generation of us out
> here that want to bring back (or maybe establish) the reputation of
SKK for effectiveness
> as opposed to the reputation we had that led to the saying that the
meaning of front
> postion was to indicate that they were making money 'hand over fist'.

ROTFLMAO, i forgot about that saying. Thanks for the laugh. The best
way to keep your reputation is to maintain the quality of your art.
I've always heard people say to me that SKK guys were punks...but you
seem pretty good.

That skill comes from working hard at what you know and getting the
whole enchilada. How does the art interrelate? How do the different
techniques work? How can I move or interchange these techniques.

Don't get stuck in the quagmire of ..."we're really from the shaolin
temple" or "the monks used these *very* techniques". Lots of
experience from like minded instructors opens doors. Keep your doors
open.

>
> Thanks again, and I hope that as you dig into the site, you find it
useful.
>
> Matt

You are a true warrior for allowing access to your information.
Sharing should be one of our precepts...and indomintable spirit.

Yours in kempo,

Sifu Bry