Last revised 2/14/2013
![]() What is Kajukenbo? "Every strike is a block and every block is a strike" MSgt. Tony Lasit, USAF Kajukenbo is a hybrid system of many self-defense martial arts and was designed to execute an opponent with fierce proficiency- hard and quickly. During World War II (1939-1945), the U.S. Territory of Hawaii was held under martial law due to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941 - October 24, 1944). Due to martial law, all martial arts except judo, wrestling and boxing was prohibited in the US Territory of Hawaii. At the time, kenpo karate was kept secret and trained underground in China Town, Oahu. Only the elite and military were invited to one of these underground fight sessions. It was bloody and ugly. Much of what was unheard of over 60 years ago are now seen everyday in mixed martial arts.
HISTORY Note: There are many people that say, I started this, and I started that, however, what matters most is the best. The best prevails the rest. Therefore, what does not go according to logic and protocol will not be mentioned on website. Predating the history of Kajukenbo are the MMA Pioneers of the U.S. Armed Forces- military servicemen that trained hand to hand combat called self-defense. Kajukenbo an American martial art which simply means Karate, Judo, Kenpo and Boxing. and modified the most effective combinations of martial arts from four completely different systems, which are: Okinawan Karate, Kodokan Judo, Chinese Kenpo and American Amateur Boxing to it's maximum effectiveness in one practice of self-defense. 4. Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_law#The_Territory_of_Hawaii. "Basically, Kajukenbo is the first of it's kind of all origins in mixed martial arts. Prior to it's known existence in 1947, the history of Kajukenbo began when the USA was in war with Japan. Before it became worldly known as Kajukenbo in the 1960's, we called it Kempo Karate." - MSgt. Tony Lasit, U.S. Air Force, Ret., Veteran of WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Founder of the U.S. Kajukenbo Association. Traditional in this type of self-defense system is very simple since Kajukenbo is an evolving array of other martial art techniques and styles called, 'Mixed Martial Arts'. it is also highly acceptable to constant modifications and changes and began when the USA was at war with Japan. Note: Kajukenbo is a combination of martial arts designed effectively to execute an opponent hard and quickly in the act of self-defense. Fact: Traditions of martial arts were altered to fit the living lifestyles of the military servicemen in the U.S. Armed Forces. In the late 1940's, Palama Settlement was a community center in a violent area of Oahu where fist-fights or stabbings were commonplace. From this environment, the founders of Kajukenbo wanted to develop an art that would be readily useful on the street. As they trained and fought in and around Palama Settlement, the founders of Kajukenbo quickly gained reputations as formidable street-fighters. In 1950, Adriano Emperado, along with brother Joe Emperado, began teaching the new art in an open class. They called the school Kajukenbo Self Defense Institute (K.S.D.I.).
The emphasis during training was on realism - so much so that students routinely broke bones, fainted from exhaustion, or were knocked unconscious. Nevertheless, the reputation of this tough new art drew more students and Emperado opened a second school at the nearby Kaimuki YMCA. Soon Emperado had 12 Kajukenbo schools in Hawaii, making it the second largest string of schools at the time. John Leoning, who earned a black belt from Emperado, brought Kajukenbo to the mainland in 1958. Since that time, Kajukenbo has continued to flourish and grow. From it's beginnings, Kajukenbo was an ecclectic and adaptive art. As time has passed, Kajukenbo has continued to change and evolve. Currently, there are a few distinct, "recognized" branches of Kajukenbo: Kenpo ("Emperado Method" or "Traditional Hard Style"), Tum Pai, Chu'an Fa, Wun Hop Kuen Do, and Gaylord Method. In addition, there are numerous "unrecognized" branches, including CHA-3 and Kenkabo. While this may be confusing for an outsider, it is the essence of the art. Students are not required to mimic the teacher, but are encouraged to develop their own "expression" of the art. Founder, MSgt. Antonio Lasit USAF Ret.
![]() 2013 United States Kajukenbo Association
Adams, Alexander J Adams, Bentley C Aikens, Steven L Akers, Jason Allen, David Allen, Frank Almond, Marvin Alvarez, Edward Amato, Robert M Anderson, Russell K Andrade, Rogelio Apachee, Clayton Apachee, Jessie Armendariz, Ruben Axum, Tucker "Trey" Badgett Jr, Henry Baker, Daniel G. Baker, Rita J. Baldeschuiles, Mike Barnett, David Barnhart, Tom Barnhill, Jim R Beasley, Gary A Beauchamp, Michael Jay Beauchamp, Rebecca L. Beauchamp, Roberta L. Beauchamp, Samantha J. Beauchamp, Vanessa M. Beaufort, Charles Bedruz, Allen Begay, Henry Bell, David W Bemier, John Bennett, Eugene Bergeron, Ricky Berkman Jr, John L Berron, Randall Billings, John Blue House, Kyra Boone, Gene Bowen, John Brady, Harry Don Brattain, Gary S Brennon, Michael Brent, Wliiiam Bridges, Ken Brock, Robert E Brown III, Roy W. Brown, Howard Brown, Marvin Brugger Jr, John Brugger, Robert A. Budlitz, Gary L. 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