The system of American Kenpo taught at AKKI member studios has Ed Parker’s American Kenpo system at its base. However, it also includes new empty hand defenses, offensive techniques, stand up grappling, ground fighting, knife (single & double) and stick (single & double) curriculum created by Mr. Mills that wasn’t in Mr. Parker’s system at the time of his passing.
Mr. Mills was a private student of Ed Parker, the founder of American Kenpo, for many years. He learned many valuable lessons from Mr. Parker during that time. He gives his instructor credit for teaching him how to be a more analytical and logical thinker. The lessons learned he will never forget. Mr. Mills has passed down many stories and experiences of his time with Mr. Parker so that his instructor’s memory lives on.
What Mr. Parker taught Mr. Mills was that innovation is the key to the future of the system. He encouraged Mr. Mills to think outside of the traditional ways of thinking and practicing his system. Mr. Mills is taking the system into the future with his insights, experience, and from what he was taught by his instructor.
You’ll still learn techniques like Attacking Mace, Locking Horns, Five Swords, Sleeper, Parting Wings, Crossing Talons, Circling Wing, Thrusting Wedge, Securing the Storm, Circling Destruction and more. However, you’ll also learn new techniques like Flashing Cranes, Destructive Hammer, Repeated Wing, Divided Fury, Trapping Maces, Slipping the Mace, Darting Viper, Rising Thunder and more. New knife techniques include Swirling Lance (armed vs. armed) and Intercepting Lance (empty hand vs. armed). Club techniques include Whipping Tempest (armed vs. armed – offensive), Colliding Storm (armed vs. armed – defensive) and “Eye of the Storm” (empty hand vs. armed).
These enhancements have made this brand of American Kenpo a powerful and modern system of self-defense to learn.
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