Kajukenbo training incorporates a blend of striking, kicking, throwing, takedowns, joint locks and weapon disarmament.[3]

Today, Kajukenbo is practiced all over the world in many different branches. In contrast to many traditional martial arts, students are not required to mimic their teacher, but are encouraged to develop their own “expression” of the art after they first master the system.[5]

ETYMOLOGY

The name Kajukenbo is a combination of the various arts from which its style is derived. The name of the system has been derived from the beginnings of the names of the styles that had become components of kajukenbo:[3][6][7][failed verification][8]

• KA from Korean Karate / Tang Soo Do
• JU from Japanese Judo and Jujitsu.
• KEN from Kenpo and/or the Japanese word for Fist.
• BO from Western Boxing, as well as Chinese Boxing (Quan Fa).

HISTORY

1945-1959

In the late 1940s, the Palama Settlement was a violent area. Because of this environment, five martial artists from varying backgrounds, initially known as the “Black Belt Society”, came together with the goal of developing an art that would be practical and effective on the street. These founders sought to develop one style that would complement each of their individual styles and yet allow for effective fighting at a greater variety of ranges and speeds.[9][10][11]

The five founding members of Kajukenbo were:[6][1][2]

• Adriano D. Emperado — Kosho Shorei-Ryū Kenpo, Arnis and Ng Ying Kung Fu[12]
• Joseph Holck — Kodokan Judo
• Peter Young Yil Choo — Tang Soo Do (Moo Duk Kwan),[13] Boxing and Shotokan Karate
• Frank F. Ordonez — Sekeino Jujutsu
• Clarence Chang — Sil-Lum Pai Gongfu (Ng Ying Kung Fu and Chin Na)

Of the five, Adriano Directo Emperado is often attributed to be the founder.[14][15] In its conception, the founders followed a simple rule: if a technique worked consistently on the street (or against one another), then it stayed in the system; if it did not, it was discarded. This allowed the style to maintain its self-defense focus, while covering limitations found within each of their traditional arts.[16]

For two years (1945-1947) these five teachers put their knowledge into practice, rehearsing every day possible situations of aggression in real life. Furthermore, it was designed to exemplify the best aspects of American culture, such as courage, pragmatism and deep personal conviction, all the while maintaining the rich cultures of their induvidual Asian heritages.[9] Later they decided to call this system kajukenbo (referring to the initials of the martial arts that compose it) and created the Black Belt Society.

Initially, the school that would become the first Kajukenbo school was run by Windel McCandels in Palama Settlement, Honolulu. After having studied under William Chow, Emperado had studied under McCandels. After McCandles had died, Emperado took control of the school and renamed it Palama Settlement Kajukenbo Self-Defenses Institute of Karate.[17]

Shortly after its conception, the Korean War broke out, and with it Joe Holck, Peter Choo, Frank Ordonez, and Clarence Chang left Hawaii on active military service, leaving only Adriano Emperado to continue teaching the system.[18][14] Although Adriano Emperado was the listed as the chief instructor of Kajukenbo Institute, most of the instruction was handled by his younger brother, Joseph “Joe” Emperado.[19]

After the death of Joseph Emperado, the Kajukenbo Institute fell in chaos, causing 14 Black Belt-level instructors to leave the school after the week of his death. The Institute remained remaining inoperable for 3 months, until classes eventually restarted under the instruction of Joe Delacruz and Adriano Emperado.[20]

In 1958, over time the teachings moved to the Pacific Coast of the United States, specifically to a student from the institute, Aleju Reyes, who opened the first school outside the Hawaiian Islands, at the Travis Air Force Base (in California). One of his students was Richard Peralta, who started kajukenbo in 1959. That same year, Adriano Emperado integrated wushu techniques into kajukenbo, turning his art into a fluid combination of hard and soft techniques.

After 1959

Charles Gaylord, Tony Ramos, and Aleju Reyes, who had received their black belts from Emperado, passed down kajukenbo in the United States. Each of them opened their own kajukenbo school in California. With first being Tony Ramos in 1960, and followed by Reyes, Gaylord, Joe Halbuna. In 1965 Al Dacascos would follow.[9]

In 1967 Charles Gaylord, along with other accomplished Kajukenbo practitioners Aleju Reyes, Joe Halbuna, Tony Ramos, and Al Dacascos formed the Kajukenbo Association of America (KAA.) [21][better source needed]

Kajukenbo in present

Kajukenbo continues to evolve with each generation and maintains its primary focus on realism and practicality. There are usually martial arts schools that will change along with time to fit into the day’s society. It is generally thought that “unfair” moves, such as strikes to the eyes or groin, are perfectly acceptable, as is whatever else the practitioner feels is necessary to get home that day.[22]

Currently, Kajukenbo includes more grappling techniques and more throws than other Kenpo schools. The defense techniques of this martial art are a fusion of blows taken from different styles, which, in a deadly sequence, leads to the immobilization, often definitive, of the opponent. It includes: joint locks, connections between two bones, low blows, and attacks with the help of different combinations. While it contains certain aspects of competition, it mainly focuses on real combat and the meaning of practical analysis. In general, people who practice Kajukenbo think that actions considered ethically “disgusting and extremely unpleasant,” such as hitting the eyes or genitals, may be permissible, if they help with the defense against the attacker. Most Kajukenbo schools avoid the spectacular but impractical tricks and moves. The curriculum include different counterattacks against punches, knives, sticks, firearms and grappling.

Although the different types of Kajukenbo originate from a common base, variations are possible. This martial art is based on four different styles. It is impossible to incorporate them entirely: specialization is inevitable. An open approach therefore pushes Kajukenbo schools to incorporate strikes and techniques from other martial arts into their practice. Examples are Filipino Escrima and Japanese Aikidō.

Certain Kajukenbo schools direct attention to 26 fundamental forms (“Kata”). These Kata had been divided into 13 “Pinyans” and 13 “Concentrations”. Each one has its own specific name: for example, the first one is called “crane strike/tiger’s claw”. The name of each “Concentration” describes its characteristic movement. So, the first concentration includes a crane strike and a tiger claw. These sequences are incorporated into Kajukenbo to enhance the student’s skills. Each movement in these forms has its own meaning. For example, the first beat in “Pinyan 1” is a right outside strike that moves into the backbend position during the beat. This motion can be applied to block a blow with a punch. These sequences also focus on combat that faces more than one opponent.

Frank Ordonez’s Kajukenbo Prayer includes a consistent mystical practice that most schools lack. Over time, students of this martial art have been taught that Kajkenbo is based on three fundamental elements: spirit, mind and body. Throughout the teachings the students and the instructor alike open their hands to represent peace; then they salute with a curtsey to express respect. Salute is practiced in many schools: in the same way, both students and instructors, when entering the gymnasium, greet people who have reached the level of black belt.

FEATURES

Training workouts emphasize cardio conditioning and functional strength. While individual schools may show variation, it would not be unusual to train with sandbags or boxing gloves. There are core self-defense techniques at the heart of Kajukenbo and Kajukenbo schools eschew impractical and flashy moves. Most kajukenbo curricula feature counter-attacks to punches, kicks, grabs, as well as using knives, sticks and guns to counter back. While this base of common knowledge will keep schools’ styles similar, there is plenty of room for variation. This openness tends to encourage schools to incorporate other arts into their practice. The primary concentration of all Kajukenbo schools remains real world self-defense, because protecting one’s self in a street-fighting situation is primary.[