Martial Arts (Shaolin Kempo Karate)
This fighting system was founded and developed by Fredrick J. Villari, (a former black belt student of Nick Cerio and William Kwai Sun Chow who devised a hybrid system which integrated the four ways of fighting:striking, kicking, felling, and grappling to eliminate the inherent weakness of martial arts systems that focus on just one or two of fighting techniques.
Shaolin Kempo Karate is primarily taught through a chain of Villari’s Martial Arts Centers in the United States and Canada, although there are several unaffiliated organizations that teach variations of the style. These include schools founded by former students of Fred Villari’s Studios Of Self Defence Villari.
The roots of Shaolin Kempo Karate aka SKK can be traced back to 3 main sources of Asian Martial arts:
1. The Shaolin Temple – where Kung Fu and other Chinese martial arts are commonly referred to as “boxing” or “temple boxing.” The Chinese aspect of the art is also the source of the 5 basic animal forms: Tiger, Crane, Snake, Leopard and Dragon which all have very different postures and focuses.
2. The Yoshida and Komatsu clans of Japan who founded the system of Kenpo. James Mitose was a member of the Yoshida family, and is commonly credited as the founder of modern Kenpo/Kempo.
3. Mongolian, Chinese & Tibetan wrestling from which most Asian grappling arts (such as Chin Na and Jujutsu) descended.
Shaolin Kempo Karate is built on the notion that all martial arts styles can be characterised as using one or more of the “four ways of fighting”
1. Striking – to use of any part of the arms (e.g. open or closed hand, elbows, or forearms)
2. Kicking – to use of any part of the leg (e.g. foot, shin, or knee)
3. Felling – to knock an opponent off his feet (e.g. by throwing, pulling, or shoving)
4. Grappling – to clutch or grip (e.g. wrestling, holding, or locking joints).
