Kenko Kempo Karate is a

hybrid martial art Hybrid martial arts, also known as hybrid fighting systems or sometimes eclectic martial arts or freestyle martial arts, refer to mixed martial arts or fighting systems that incorporate techniques and theories from several particular martial arts ...

system aimed at people over 40 years of age. It is a methodology to adapt Eastern martial arts to the needs of persons of advanced age, for both novices as well as experienced practitioners. It aims at

health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...

, wellness, and

self-defense Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in ...

. The system can be adapted to most martial arts but consistently uses

Tai Chi Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called "shadowboxing", is an neijia, internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and medita ...

forms as part of the training programme. Kenko Kempo Karate is registered as an association in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

as well as the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

where the Netherlands Federation for Martial Arts accepted it within its ''elderly martial arts'' initiative.

History

Kenko Kempo Karate was formed in

in 2011 by Erich B. Ries. Ries, founded it to improve the accessibility of

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...

for novices and advanced practitioners, who want to work towards a black belt, when this is not possible in the classical Eastern martial arts. Kenko Kempo Karate is a

with hard martial arts techniques in addition to

QiGong ''Qigong'' (), ''qi gong'', ''chi kung'', ''chi 'ung'', or ''chi gung'' () is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training. With roots in ...

and

TaiChi Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called "shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. Ta ...

. Kenko Kempo Karate intends to function in the field of

preventive healthcare Preventive healthcare, or prophylaxis, consists of measures taken for the purposes of disease prevention.Hugh R. Leavell and E. Gurney Clark as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental hea ...

for the second half of life (with

self-defence Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in ...

), as a health-supportive lifelong training program. Kenko Kempo Karate does not intend to be of therapeutic value, as

Ai Chi Ai Chi is a form of aquatic exercise used for recreation, relaxation, fitness, and physical rehabilitation. Clinical Ai Chi is distinguished as a specialized, active form of aquatic therapy. In essence, Ai Chi uses breathing techniques and progre ...

does, which also includes

and

. Teachers of Kenko Kempo Karate are

certified Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...

by the professional organisation Kenko Kempo Karate Organisation e.V. (KKKO), with contact persons in Austria, parts of Germany and the Netherlands.

Characteristics

Kenko Kempo Karate shares the autonomy of the certified teacher with

Kajukenbo Kajukenbo (Japanese: カジュケンボ) is a hybrid martial art from Hawaii. It was developed in the late 1940s and founded in 1947 in the Palama Settlement of Palama, Hawaii. The name Kajukenbo is a combination of the various arts from which ...

, another hybrid martial arts system. The cross-style methodology of Kenko Kempo Karate is reflected in the schools and styles that use it for teaching: ''jiu-jitsu'', ''judo'', ''kenjutsu'', ''quan-fa'', ''taekwon-do'', ''wing chun'', and Shotokan karate. The Kenko Kempo Karate curriculum combines techniques of internal and external Martial Arts in each training session with content based on four pillars:E.B. Ries, S. Wogawa. KENKO KEMPO KARATE®. Stiloffene Kampfkunst für Senioren und Menschen mit Handicap. Das Beste aus QiGong, Tai-Chi-Chuan, Karate und Gesundheitsgymnastik. Das vollständige Programm bis zum 3. Dan. Für Einsteiger, Quereinsteiger und Wiedereinsteiger in die Kampfkünste. Open Style Martial Arts for Seniors and People with Disabilities. The best of QiGong, Tai-Chi-Chuan, Karate and health gymnastics. The full program up to 3rd dan. For the new-comer, career changer and those returning to martial arts. Norderstedt: BoD 2022; ISBN 978-3-7543-5949-5 *

exercises; * Adapted gymnastics and

warming-up 'Warming up' is a part of stretching and preparation for physical exertion or a performance by exercising or practicing gently beforehand, usually undertaken before a performance or practice. Athletes, singers, actors and others warm up before s ...

; * A short

form: ''9-Yang'' and one short

kata ''Kenko Kempo''; * Basic Martial Arts techniques, including easy but effective self-protection. The program includes the whole road from white belt to 3rd black belt, aiming at

pleasure Pleasure refers to experience that feels good, that involves the enjoyment of something. It contrasts with pain or suffering, which are forms of feeling bad. It is closely related to value, desire and action: humans and other conscious anima ...

safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are ...

and

while taking into account possible restrictions experienced by the individual practitioner. It may be characterized as follows: # The aim of training is wellness,

physical Physical may refer to: *Physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally co ...

, mental and

social health The social determinants of health (SDOH) are the economic and social conditions that influence individual and group differences in health status. They are the health promoting factors found in one's living and working conditions (such as the d ...

and

self-protection Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in ...

; # Individual aspirations and restrictions of the participants form the basis of a training in Kenko Kempo Karate; # The warming-up phase of weekly group training is at least 20 minutes in each session; # In each training session

external External may refer to: * External (mathematics), a concept in abstract algebra * Externality In economics, an externality or external cost is an indirect cost or benefit to an uninvolved third party that arises as an effect of another party' ...

techniques alternate with

internal Martial Arts ''Neijia'' ( 內家) is a term in Chinese martial arts, grouping those styles that practice ''neijing'', usually translated as internal martial arts, occupied with spiritual, mental or qi-related aspects, as opposed to an "external" approach ...

techniques; # High and twisting kicks are omitted to protect the joints of ankle, knee and hip; # No peak load on the heart-lung system during training; # Participants are stimulated to train daily the internal techniques of

and

Taichi Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called "shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. Ta ...

for 10 minutes or more; # Grading depends on individual growth in skill and knowledge and NOT on a fixed list of required techniques for all; # Evaluation for a higher kyu is made by one's own teacher, because s/he was able to observe the personal growth in skill and knowledge; # There are no competitions.Erich B. Ries, S. Wogawa. Kenko Kempo Karate. Gesundheitssport, Kampfkunst, Selbstverteidigung. Erfurt: Eobanus Verlag; 2011; ISBN 978-3-9814241-3-3

References

{{Reflist Well-being Health and sports Senior sports Martial arts Qigong Tai chi Karate

History

Characteristics

See also

References