New website

Welcome to our new website.

We no longer have the public forums, but have replaced this with comments. To comment on a posting, simply press the comments button at the foot of the article and write your message. Comments are moderated (require approval before they are published) making the site easier to manage.

We hope you enjoy the new format and look forward to seeing you on the mat soon.

How to tie your obi

What is Ju Jitsu?

Translated literally from the Japanese, Ju means “gentle” or “soft” and Jitsu means “art”. This has much more to do with the way the technique is applied, rather than the result for an opponent!

There are many stories regarding the history of Ju Jitsu which date as far back as the 8th Century, but the most common references to a Jujitsu form of combat are found in the 15th century martial art tradition known as the katori-shinto ryu.

There is evidence that Jujitsu was brought to Japan by a Chinese monk called Chen Yuanein (1587-1671). So although Jujitsu is viewed today as a Japanese martial art, there is a strong belief pointing at Chinese origins. While Ju Jitsu was first practised in Japan by the samurai, followed by the ninja, it achieved notoriety with use by many of the bandits of the time.

Through this dubious association, Jujitsu earned a poor reputation. It was during this time that Jigura Kano developed the art of judo, meaning “the gentle way” from a combination of Ju Jitsu techniques. His aim was to correct the reputation Ju Jitsu had acquired as a deadly art through its connections with banditry.

Today, Jujitsu has gained the reputation of being one of the most effective self defences in the world.

What is Kenpo?

Kenpo (in Japanese from “ken” meaning fist, and “po” meaning law), also written as Kempo (which referred to all martial arts migrating out of China to other parts of the world such as Japan), is unique as far in two respects; it is considered by many the first eclectic martial art, as well as having its founding roots stretch back to 520 BC. The catalyst of the way of Kenpo was a prince and warrior of southern India called Bodhidharma. According to the records of the Lo-Yang temple, Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk under the tutelage of Prajnatara and it is presumed that upon his death bed Prajnatara requested Bodhidharma to travel to China where he felt the principles of Buddhism were in decline, and that the knowledge of dhyana (Zen koans) should be known.

Kenpo is a unique martial art having been founded several centuries ago in the Chinese Shaolin temple, thus bringing with it a certain air of mystery. As a martial art, Kenpo is referred to as a Do. The Do is referred to in Buddhist Zen scripts as a path towards enlightenment. Lao Tzu, a priest of Taoism said "Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self requires enlightenment.." This phrase sums up what Kenpo strives towards. Although on its surface Kenpo can be seen as a unique form of self-defence, hidden beneath its physical exterior are levels where characteristic centralization of mind and body form. At this level, Kenpo's practitioners move from a simple form of fighting to a higher level of ability and a higher level of enlightenment. Ying Kuchan, a Shaolin monk and master of Kenpo after a lengthy period of meditation in a Zen rock garden spoke of Kenpo saying "Kenpo is the power of adaptability and yielding; the harmony of all things working together."

On the surface, Kenpo's uniqueness lies in its comprehensive and diversified means of unarmed defence. For example, Shaolin Kenpo Karate is both an armed and unarmed system of combat incorporating applications in varying appearances and method. On an external level, Kenpo is a no holds barred fighting system of offensive and defensive methods with equal emphasis on striking techniques with the hands and feet; immobilization and controls; projections and take downs; as well as weaponry and various spiritual and healing arts. Zen Kenpo is a streetwise defensive art that does not restrict its students in methodology. Clawing hands evolve into slashing feet. Cunning joint locks turn into devastating hip throws. Evasive blocks turn into breath closing chokes.

The possibilities are endless. The only true fighting systems are those where there are no rules applied. From the books of the Han dynasty we learn "Nothing is impossible to a willing mind." And it is from this saying that we can derive the upper principles of Shaolin Kenpo. Kenpo tries to build a person’s psychological persona as well as turning the ego self into the egoless self. The true Kenpo is not a means of felling an opponent by force of hand or weapon, nor was it originally intended as a means of arms. Kenpo calls for a bringing of inner peace to the self, and the universe around us. A master of Kenpo is not only a master of self-defence, but a master of himself. The direction of true Kenpo was best described by Bruce Lee when he commented on his art of Jeet Kune Do; "To have no way as a way; To have no limitations as a limitation."

In its physical form as perhaps the most effective street fighting system, Zen Kenpo is based on the objective of destructing the adversary’s attack with minimum target exposure to oneself. Kenpo has evolved to provide both maximum efficiency (no wasted time, movement or energy) and maximum effectiveness (speed, power, and focus). Therefore, both “hard” and “soft” techniques are used with varying degrees of power to achieve the destruction of the opponent’s attack.

Good exponents of the Kenpo art flow with continuity of movement. The best are so flexible in thought and action that they can automatically react to any encounter as it occurs.

We are grateful to KFK’s site on “Martial Arts History and Styles” for much of the information above

What are martial arts?

The term, “Martial Arts”, is relatively modern and comes from a Middle English and Latin derivation that literally translated means “warrior skills”. Martial Arts have come to include various forms of self-defence, usually weapon-less, based on techniques developed in ancient China, India, Japan and Korea. In modern times they have come into wide use for self-protection, as competitive sports, and for exercise.

Today, a whole array of different self-defence systems have come to be included under the general term, Martial Arts, regardless of whether the skills were first conceived for the purpose of defence.

Some of these systems include;

Aikido Aiki Jutsu Bushido Brazilian Jujutsu Capoeira Chinese Boxing Cuong Nhu Hapkido Iaido Jeet Kune Do Judo Ju Jitsu Karate Kendo Kenpo Kick Boxing Kobudo Kung Fu Kyusho Muay Thai Ninjutsu Tae Kwon Do Tai Chi Tanjo Jutsu Thai Boxing Western Boxing Wing Chun Wrestling Wu Shu

Class Times

Bedford
Mon 7.30 - 9.00
Wed 7.30 - 9.00

Marston
Mon 7.30 - 9.30

St Neots
Fri 8.15 - 9.45

Syllabus

All our clubs work to the same syllabus.

You will need a password to open the file, which can be obtained from your Sensei at class.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Is special clothing necessary?
No – Jogging bottoms and a T-shirt are all you need to start training, although we advise you purchase a Gi, as these are more durable. Gi's can be ordered by your instructor through the federation at discounted rates. It is a grading requirement that Federation badges have to be worn.

How do I tie my belt?
You will be taught how to tie your obi (belt) as part of the first syllabus. Please ask your instructor if you are unsure. The learning centre has a post with a video of how to tie your obi.

Can females learn Kenpo?
We welcome men and women to the dojo. Our classes already have female students and instructors in both the junior's and adult's sessions. Women's self defence courses can be organised by the Federation. Please contact a senior instructor at a class or via the details shown on the 'Contact Details' of the 'Contact' section.

Is fitness a requirement?
It helps, but we have all levels and all ages. We encourage self defence which requires minimum energy. We do short warm-up exercises at the start of each training session to prepare the body, not exhaust it.

Is Kenpo safe?
We take all possible precautions to ensure safety. Discipline and Respect are compulsory. Instructors are qualified coaches and everyone is insured. Safety mats are used to cushion falls and everyone is taught to land safely before progressing to throws. View articles on safety here.

Are there any age restrictions?
You need to be at least 5 years old to start training with us. There is no upper age limit.

I previously trained with another club. Do I have to return to white belt?
All we ask is that you learn our syllabus. When you can demonstrate you know this you will then grade to have your belt recognised.

I don’t know anyone – who will I train with?
We encourage students to train with different people as everyone has different builds and abilities, so you can learn to adapt techniques to work on anyone.

Am I insured to train?
Yes – the club insurance covers you for 2 sessions after which you need to pay for your own license, which the club organises. You can view full details of the pricing structure per class and license fees (insurance) on the 'Class Information' page in the 'About Us' section.

What does it cost?
The cost per class varies depending on the age of the student. Classes are charged at a standard rate for each dojo, with discounts available for block bookings. You can view full details of the pricing structure here.

Where do you hold classes?
You can find details of where we train on the right hand column of this website.

When is Kenpo training?
You can view full details of the times of training on the 'Class Information' post in the 'About Us' section.

Safety in the dojo

There are many reasons why we consider ourselves to be the most safety conscious Martial Arts Federation around

Discipline and respect are both qualities that are important in our dojo to maintain control and hence ensure no injuries occur from horseplay or unsupervised contact.

The BJJA is an association which oversees policy and coaching for its member clubs and instructors. Each member has a licence which must be updated.

A condition of membership is that insurance for both instructors and students is compulsory.

Training is properly supervised. No one will be asked to perform beyond his or her capabilities. A proper warm up always starts the session to prepare the body for training.

Proper equipment for martial arts training is used. We always work on shock absorbent, purpose built matting and use head gear and body armour for sparring practice.

Our hygiene policy of nails needing to be trimmed and no jewellery such as earrings or rings allowed to be worn on the mat ensures cuts and bruises from these areas are avoided.

Safety on the street

Safety on the move:

• Always let people know where you're going.
• Call ahead if possible and let them know what time you're likely to arrive.
• Charge your mobile phone, or carry a phone card or spare change for the phone.
• If using public transport, check your route/timetable before you set off.
• Wait for the bus or train in a busy area, sit near the driver if possible and try to find a a carriage with plenty of people.
• Carry a personal alarm - they are widely available from most hardware stores and are not expensive.
  

If you get into trouble:

• If you are out after nightfall on your own, try to walk a well-lit and busy route.
• If you suspect you are being followed, cross the road - several times, if necessary.
• If you still think you are being followed, try to get away from the situation - go somewhere busy like a shop, cafe, hotel or pub.
• Seek help from someone like the shopkeeper or bar staff.
• If you think you may be in danger, don't hesitate to call the police on 999.
• If you are targeted by a robber, don't be afraid to shout for help even if you can't see anyone around - these people are cowards and will run if they think are likely to be caught.
• If you are robbed, try to remember as much detail as possible (eg, clothing, physical description, car) and call the police immediately.
  

Situations to be aware of:

• Should a car driver stop to ask for directions, don't stand too close to the car - don't make it easy for them to snatch your bag or even yourself. Position yourself nearer the front of the car so that if an aggressor gets out, the door acts as a barrier between you. This may give you the time you need to run or call for help.
• If someone asks to use your phone for an emergency - don't give it to them. Tell the person you will make the call for them.
• Large crowds attract pickpockets so don't make yourself a target - keep personal belongings out of sight and out of reach. Or better still, leave them at home if you don't need them.
  

Mobile phones:

• Always keep your phone charged and topped up with credit.
• Lock the SIM card with a PIN.
• Mark your phone with your postcode - this will help the police return it to you if they recover it.
• Don't be flash with your phone - this will only attract attention and make you a target.
• Phones are small and easily lifted - don't leave them on a table or in a pocket.
  

Despite the best safety precautions you still may end up in a compromised position. Sometimes there is no alternative but to defend yourself or others, and if all else has failed, that is where our training comes in.

(Safety tips from the experts [we are grateful to Bedfordshire Police for their input])