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Bill Chow-Hoon
The 1959 kenpo graduates from the American
Judo Jujitsu Institute. While all five were students of
Mitose, the two (left to right) In the front row, Edward
Bobby Lowe and Thomas Young, received their black belts
from Mitose. In the back row are, left to right, Baldamaro,
Simeon Ell and Manuel Delacruz
William K. S. Chow
KARA-HO
One of the first to make black belt under Mitose
was William K. S. Chow. Prof. Chow took what he had learned
from Mitose and combined it with what he had learned from
his father, and from a Japanese storekeeper, and a Chinese
master who he had studied from for some ten years, and combined
them to form what he first termed as "Kara-Ho",
and opened a school at the Nuuanu YMCA in Honolulu. Some
of his assistant instructors at the school were "brother"
Abe Kamahoahoa Adiano "Sonny" Emperado, Bill Chun,
and his younger brothers Frank Chow & John Chow-Hoon.
Prof. Chow felt the need to incorporate the circular movements
of the Chinese arts he had learned with the more linear
movements of Mitose. Latter Prof. Chow would change the
name to kenpo Karate. The name change was probably because
"Karate" was more familiar with the people of
Hawaii at this time.
Prof. Chow is known for his precise movement
and reaction both offensively as well as defensively. But
probably he is best known for the amount of power he can
display in his techniques. Prof. Chow was the first to modify
Mitose's kenpo by adding the circular movements. And he
was the one who developed the forms or kata of Kenpo, as
Mitose strictly taught self-defense in the beginning Prof.
Chow now calls his system Shoulin kenpo, and is propagated
by one his students Prof. Ralph Castro.
KENPO KARATE PROF WILLIAM K. S. CHOW
MANY STUDENTS GRADUATED UNDER PROF. CHOW, ONE
THEM WAS EDMOND PARKER, WHO PROPAGATED THE ART ON THE MAINLAND.
FIRST TEACHING AT BYU WHILE ATTENDING SCHOOL THERE, AND
BECOMING THE TEACHER TO THE STARS, IN PASADENA CALIF. PARKER
NOW HAS SCHOOLS WORLD-WIDE.
YOUNG ED PARKER WORKING WITH PROF. CHOW ALONG
WITH MANUEL DELA CRUZ
AND STEVE BALDOMARO
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