09/29/2026
K-E-N-J-I-U-K-A-I, in order
This is for my students and for my future students to understand what I’m working to instill when teaching my system
1. K: Knowledge (Principle): the techniques and mechanics you can actually perform.
Why: you can't improvise with what you don't own.
Pairs with:
• Intellectual Understanding (concept): you know the steps of the Guillotine Choke, and you understand why the grip and hips make it work, so you can finish it from a position you never drilled.
• Interpretation (mindset): you know several responses to a grab, and Interpretation picks the right one for the moment.
Life lesson: learn things properly and they'll be there when you need them. Safety: a well-drilled technique still works when adrenaline takes over. Teach: make students prove it, not just watch it.
2. E: Evolution (Principle): keep growing, keep what works, drop what doesn't, guided by intention.
Why: pressure testing keeps the system honest, and intention keeps growth purposeful instead of random.
Pairs with:
• Adaptability (skill): a technique works on a cooperative partner but fails in freestyle sparring, so you adjust it and keep the improved version.
• Nèi yì (philosophy): you practice a technique with a clear purpose each session, not on autopilot, so every rep moves you forward.
Life lesson: you don't have to be perfect, just a little better than yesterday. Safety: test what you learn under pressure so you know it works. Teach: let your students' questions improve you and the system.
3. N: Nèi yì, Inner Intention (Philosophy): the calm purpose that drives every movement and guides your growth.
Why: it turns motion into real force and keeps you steady under stress.
Pairs with:
• Approach (strategy): before any technique starts, calm intent shows in your posture and voice, which can defuse the situation.
• Awareness (skill): stress narrows your vision, and a calm mind keeps noticing exits, hands, and bystanders.
Life lesson: a calm mind makes better decisions in any storm. Safety: calm intent keeps your thinking clear and projects confidence. Teach: model calm, because students copy the instructor's energy.
4. J: Judo (Art): use the force sent against you to your advantage through off-balancing, throws, and grip control.
Why: it teaches control of a person, not just contact, and it lets a smaller person handle a larger one.
Pairs with:
• Jiu-Jitsu (art): you unbalance and throw from a lapel grip, then follow the person down and take control on the ground.
• American Kenpo (art): when someone grabs your clothing, as in Double Lapel or Lone Kimono, your Judo grip sense helps you feel their balance and break it before the Kenpo follow-up.
Life lesson: what comes at you, whether pressure, criticism, or setbacks, can become your advantage if you redirect it. Safety: leverage and balance beat size and strength. Teach: show newer students they don't have to meet force with force.
5. I: Integrity (Value): honesty, courtesy, and defensive use of skill.
Why: skill without character is a liability.
Pairs with:
• Nèi yì (philosophy): someone taunts you, and because your intent is calm and you have nothing to prove, you walk away.
• Unification (concept): your heart says protect your family and your actions match. You leave the confrontation with them instead of proving a point.
Life lesson: who you are when no one is watching is who you really are. Safety: use only what the situation needs, and never abusively. Teach: lead by example, because students learn the creeds from how you live them.
6. U: Unification (Concept): unity of mankind, body, soul, and mind, heart and action, with all ranges and arts blended into one system.
Why: a divided person is easily shaken, and a person whose heart, mind, and actions agree stays steady. Unity between people also lowers conflict. In a fight, ranges change, and the student shouldn't feel a gear shift.
Pairs with:
• Adaptability (skill): an exchange of strikes turns into a clinch, then a takedown, then ground control, with no hesitation between them.
• Integrity (value): you say you'll be there for your training partner and you show up, so word and action are one.
Life lesson: live so what you feel, think, and do all point the same way. Safety: no gaps between striking, clinch, and ground, or between your awareness and your actions. Teach: build a class where students look out for each other.
IU: Intellectual Understanding (Concept): knowing the why behind a technique and behind the way you live.
Why: one idea can produce 5-20 variations without rote memorization, and understanding turns rules into real conviction.
Pairs with:
• Judo (art): a throw only works when you understand why the attacker's balance breaks, so you can throw from a grip you never practiced.
• Knowledge (principle): once you understand how the hips power the Inward Elbow, you can power the Inward Overhead Elbow the same way.
• Interpretation (mindset): understanding principles lets you read and answer an attack you've never seen.
Life lesson: ask why, and you can solve problems you've never seen. Safety: you can adapt a technique to an attack you never drilled. Teach: explain why, not just how.
7. K: Kobudō + Kickboxing (Art): train the body to be several different self-defense and self-help tools, the way Kobudō trains the nunchaku, bo staff, and k**a, each in its own way.
Why: a body trained many ways handles many problems, from defending yourself to staying strong, fit, and useful to others. Kickboxing adds striking combinations and conditioning.
Pairs with:
• Kali & FPMA (art): the angles and footwork you learn swinging a bo staff carry over to stick angles in Kali.
• Muay Thai (art): a kickboxing combination closes the distance, and the knees and elbows take over.
Life lesson: become someone who can help in many ways, for yourself and for others. Safety: awareness of everyday objects as tools or threats, plus the conditioning to keep going. Teach: teach that each skill is another tool, and that practice keeps every tool sharp.
8a. A: Adaptability (Skill): adjusting to the attacker, terrain, and surprise.
Why: real attacks never match the drill.
Pairs with:
• Evolution (principle): you trained on an open mat, then face a tight hallway. You adjust on the spot and add that lesson to your training.
• Awareness (skill): you notice the narrow stairwell ahead and choose a different route.
Life lesson: the tree that bends survives the storm. Safety: be ready for multiple attackers, bad footing, and no warning. Teach: adjust your explanation to each learner.
8b. A: American Karate (Art): fast, direct, sparring-tested striking.
Why: it gives a simple, proven striking base.
Pairs with:
• Kickboxing (art): a kickboxing combination sets up a sharp Front Snap Kick.
• American Kenpo (art): Kenpo's structured techniques give a quick karate strike a plan for what comes next.
Life lesson: simple fundamentals beat complicated tricks. Safety: fast, direct strikes hold up under stress. Teach: start every student with the basics.
8c. A: Awareness (Skill): noticing people, exits, surroundings, and changes in behavior, so you see potential danger before it reaches you.
Why: you can't respond to what you never noticed, and early notice buys time, distance, and options.
Pairs with:
• Approach (strategy): walking to the car at night with your family, you notice someone lingering near it. You change your route, keep your kids close, and wait for a safer moment to get in.
• Interpretation (mindset): you notice two men watching the lot, and Interpretation helps you judge whether they're a threat or just waiting for a ride.
Life lesson: being present with the people and moments around you is a form of respect. Safety: know your exits, watch hands and body language, and trust the feeling that something is off. Teach: make it a game with students and family: "Where are the exits? Who's around us?"
8d. A: Approach (Strategy): your mindset, distance, de-escalation, and path to safety, including control of your temper and emotions so you stay composed for your family and spouse.
Why: an angry mind makes mistakes, and the people you love need you clear-headed. The goal is everyone getting home safe, not winning the argument.
Pairs with:
• Nèi yì (philosophy): a stranger insults your spouse in public. You take a slow breath, step between them and the person, speak calmly, and leave together instead of escalating.
• Awareness (skill): you spotted the situation early, so you had the distance and time to leave before it became a confrontation.
Life lesson: your composure protects the people you love, in a parking lot and at the kitchen table. Staying calm in a disagreement at home is the same skill. Safety: ego is the biggest danger, and protecting your family comes before proving anything. A slow breath before you speak resets your head. Teach: model composure, and give your family a plan: who stays with the kids, where to meet, and a word that means "we're leaving now."
9. I: Interpretation (Mindset): how you see things as they truly are.
Why: training should make you creative and smart enough to make the right decision for the circumstances.
Pairs with:
• Knowledge (principle): a hand on your arm could be a friend being playful, someone drunk, or a real attacker, and the same grab technique isn't the right answer for all three.
• Evolution (principle): after a scenario drill, you review how you read the situation and sharpen it for next time.
Life lesson: look with patience and fairness first. Safety: reading intent correctly keeps your response proportionate. Teach: ask students "what do you see?" to build their judgment.
