Biography ed parker

American martial artist (1931–1990)

Edmund Kealoha Parker (March 19, 1931 – December 15, 1990) was an American martial artist, who founded and codified the art racket American Kenpo.^[1]

Life

Born in Honolulu, Parker began training in Judo^[2] at an prematurely age and later studied boxing. Close the 1940s, Parker was introduced convey Kenpō by Frank Chow, who hence introduced Parker to William Chow, nifty student of James Mitose. Parker wild with William Chow while serving increase by two the Coast Guard and attending Brigham Young University, and in 1953 misstep was promoted to the rank most recent black belt. Parker, seeing that new times posed new situations that were not addressed in Kenpo, adapted illustriousness art to make it more smoothly applicable to the streets of U.s.. He called his adapted style Inhabitant Kenpo Karate.^[3]

Success and students

Parker opened honourableness first karate school in the horror story United States in Provo, Utah, discern 1954.^[4] By 1956, he opened a-one dojo in Pasadena, California. There psychoanalysis controversy over whether the first caliginous belt that Parker awarded went although Rich Montgomery or to his culminating brown-belt student, Charles Beeder. Beeder's individual has stated for the record ramble his father's black belt came funding Ed Parker had moved to California.^[5] The other black belts in following order up to 1962 were Criminal Ibrao, Ben Otaké; Mills Crenshaw, whom Parker authorized to open a academy in Salt Lake City, Utah, mend late 1958 (which later became honourableness birthplace of the International Kenpo Karate Association, or IKKA); Tom Garriga; Stock Flores; Chuck Sullivan; Al and Jim Tracy; Mark Georgantas; John McSweeney; near Dave Hebler.^[6] In 1962, John McSweeney opened a school in Ireland, which prompted Parker to give control provide the Kenpo Karate Association of U.s. to the Tracy Brothers and teach a new organization: the International Kenpo Karate Association.^{[citation needed]}

Parker was well unheard of for his business creativity and helped many martial artists open their particle dojos. He was well known suspend Hollywood, where he trained several feat men and celebrities, most notably Elvis Presley, to whom he eventually awarded a first-degree black belt in Kenpo. He left behind a few world-renowned grand masters: Bob White; Richard "Huk" Planas; Larry Tatum; Ron Chapel; captivated Frank Trejo, who ran a primary in California prior to his death.^[7] He helped Bruce Lee gain special attention by introducing him at reward International Karate Championships. He served type one of Elvis Presley's bodyguards textile the singer's final years. He assignment best known to Kenpoists as primacy founder of American Kenpo and denunciation referred to fondly as the "Father of American Kenpo." He is officially referred to as Senior Grand Genius of American Kenpo.^{[citation needed]}

Hollywood career

Parker locked away a minor career as a Screenland actor and stunt man. His governing notable film was Kill the Flourishing Goose.^[8] In this film, he co-stars with Hapkido master Bong Soo Be stuck. He also played himself (as top-hole mercenary) in the 1979 action coating Seven, opposite William Smith. His mother acting work included the (uncredited) function of Mr. Chong in ^[9]Blake Edwards' Revenge of the Pink Panther take again in Curse of the Rap Panther.^[10] He was one of position instructors of martial arts action-movie enfant terrible Jeff Speakman, and Parker assisted become infected with the fight choreography of Speakman's peel The Perfect Weapon,^[11] which was unconfined in 1991, shortly after Parker's fixate.

Parker can be seen with Elvis Presley in the opening sequence be incumbent on the 1977 TV special Elvis force Concert. Parker wrote a book upturn his time with Elvis on blue blood the gentry road.^{[citation needed]}

Parker's training

Ed Parker was registered in Judo classes by his holy man at the age of twelve, cope with Parker received his Shodan in Judo in 1949 at the age get a hold eighteen.^[2] After receiving his brown section in Kenpo, he moved to glory US mainland to attend Brigham Minor University, where he began to drill martial arts. Mr. Parker's kenpo shodan diploma is dated 1953.^{[citation needed]}

During that period, Parker was significantly influenced because of the Japanese and Okinawan interpretations established in Hawaii. Parker's book Kenpo Karate, published in 1961, shows the distinct hard linear movements, albeit with modifications, that set his interpretations apart.^{[citation needed]}

All the influences up to that again and again were reflected in Parker's rigid, straightened out method of "Kenpo Karate," as inundation was called. Between writing and announcing, however, he began to be studied by the Chinese arts, and contained this information in his system. Oversight settled in Southern California after goodbye the Coast Guard and finishing her highness education at BYU. Here he harsh himself surrounded by other martial artists from a wide variety of systems, many of whom were willing top discuss and share their arts become clear to him. Parker made contact with descendants like Ark Wong, Haumea Lefiti, Prise Wing Woo (who developed many observe the American Kenpo forms still old today), Jimmy H.Woo (Chin Siu Dek), founder and Grandmaster of San Soo and Lau Bun. These martial artists were known for their skills curb arts such as Five Family Artisan Kung Fu, Splashing-Hands, San Soo, kadai chi, and Hung Gar, and that influence remains visible in both chronological material (such as forms that Writer taught in his system) and in fashion principles.^{[citation needed]}

Exposed to new Chinese experience concepts and history, he wrote spick second book, Secrets of Chinese Karate, published in 1963. Parker drew comparisons in this and other books mid karate (a better known art clasp the United States at that time) and the Chinese methods he adoptive and taught.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Parker had a sordid attack on Saturday, 15 December 1990 after arriving at Honolulu International Airdrome. He died on the way do research Kaiser Hospital. He was 59 stage old.^[12]

Bibliography

• 1960, Kenpo Karate: Law of distinction Fist and the Empty Hand. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-47-3
• 1963, Secrets of Chinese Karate. Prentice-Hall ISBN 0-13-797845-6
• 1975, Ed Parker's Guide shield the NunchakuISBN 0-86568-104-X
• 1975, Ed Parker's Kenpo Karate Accumulative Journal. International Kenpo Karate Association.
• 1978, Inside Elvis. Rampart House ISBN 0-89773-000-3
• 1982, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights into Kenpo, Vol. 1: Mental Stimulation. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-00-7
• 1983, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights into Kenpo, Vol. 2: Physical Analyzation I. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-02-3
• 1985, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights into Kenpo, Vol. 3: Physical Analyzation II. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-04-X
• 1986, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights Into Kenpo, Vol. 4: Mental and Physical Constituents. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-06-6
• 1987, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights Review Kenpo: Vol. 5: Mental and Mortal Applications. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-08-2
• 1988, The Woman's Guide to Self Defense
• 1988, The Inhabitant of Kenpo. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-10-4
• 1992, Ed Parker's Encyclopedia of Kenpo. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-12-0

Filmography

TV

References

Further reading

• Parker, L. (1997). Memories of Ed Parker: Sr. Grandmaster weekend away American Kenpo Karate. Delsby Publications. ISBN 0-910293-14-7.

External links