of Allison Bankston
The more you sweat
in training,
the less you will bleed
in battle--
Motto of the Navy Seals
Shaolin Kempo was developed from a variety of martial arts styles, including Shaolin Temple Boxing, Ju Jitsu, Kempo, certain types of Karate, and the secret art of the White Tiger (Chin Na).
"Telephone Booth Boxing" is a nickname often given to Shaolin Kempo because of its reputation as being effective for close-range fighting, which, in reality, is where most attacks take place. The martial artist is able to deliver fast, powerful strikes and kicks in a remarkably short distance without having to completely draw back the limbs between hits. Stances are small yet balanced.
Shaolin Kempo places an emphasis on Kung-Fu types of hand movements and kicks. The system is one of the few martial arts that bases its techniques on all five major animals--the tiger, leopard, snake, crane, and dragon. It also implements Chin Na, which is the art of seizing, locking, throwing, felling and delivering controlled pain.
So what has Shaolin Kempo taught me? First, it has helped speed my journey toward physical fitness. I have lost more than 90 pounds since I started studying martial arts. It's also given me balance, self-confidence, belief in my own physical abilities, focus, discipline, and a deep respect for those who have mastered much more of the art than I have. It has enhanced my life by becoming not just something I do for exercise or to share with my partner, Gaylen Smith, but as a way of life, fundamental to who I am.
Stripe
stiff, hard, and unyielding.
Think of Shaolin Kempo as a chain with a ball at the end.
It's a relaxed form of martial arts with a snap of power at the end.
--Black Belt Bradley Cohen
award-winning photographer Gaylen Smith
