~~ THE PERTH INSTRUCTORS ~~

THE EVOLUTION 

OF KENPO

  KENPO HISTORY

  GRANDMASTER 

  ED PARKER

  KENPO - 

  WAY OF THE FIST 

  KENPO TODAY IN   

  WEST AUSTRALIA

  HOW WE TRAIN

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS 

FEMALE SELF-DEFENCE & CARDIO

NEWS & UPDATES

MEDIA

TRAINING OPTIONS

The Kenpo in WA school is partnered by Sam Purcell and Slade Norris.  Sam Purcell brought the art to Western Australia and the classes are now run by his second Black Belt, Slade.

INSTRUCTOR - SAM PURCELL

Mr Sam Purcell, a 5th Degree Black Belt (Associate Professor) in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo Karate, began studying Martial Arts in 1978 in his native home Dublin, Ireland. He has also studied Kempo Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, Kung Fu, Knife & Stick Fighting, Wado-Ryu Karate, Shoot Fighting and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Through both the Western Australian Fitness Accreditation Council (WAFAC) and the Fitness Institute of WA (FIWA), Mr Purcell is an accredited fitness instructor. He has experience in personal training for body building and weight loss programs. This knowledge transfers to the warm-ups and stretches of the Kenpo class to provide a sports-specific workout.

Having migrated to Australia in 1988, Sam Purcell surveyed the Martial Arts scene in Perth and found that while the established styles, arts and systems were well organised, they leaned towards being too traditional or too sport-orientated (ie. for competition only) and did not address realistic street confrontations.  This was particularly evident in the areas of pre and post conflict stages, physiological preparation and reading/masking body language.

Mr Purcell decided to teach in a niche area where he had a leading edge -- namely, street-realistic self-defence.  He began a Kenpo school that incorporated the best of American Kenpo Karate, all the other martial arts systems he studied, and his life experiences in Dublin’s tough streets.

Leading by example to encourage an open mind in his students, Sam often invites instructors from other complimentary systems to visit and share training methods at the school.  This has included weapons seminars from military instructors and a guest Sifu teaching Wing Chun’s "sticky hands".

Although Sam has around three decades of experience in Martial Arts, he is realistic enough to appreciate that no one person can know all there is about the many fighting systems throughout the world.  As Kenpo is a continually developing Art, he feels it unwise to lose the leading edge by becoming complacent.  Further to this, by continually inviting instructors who are more experienced in distinct areas, he is making a statement to his students, which is, keep looking and learning as the journey of the martial artist is an eternal quest for knowledge, development, wisdom and enlightenment.

Kenpo Instructors 

Slade Norris and Sam Purcell

(Click to enlarge)

INSTRUCTOR - SLADE NORRIS

At 32 years of age, Slade Norris has been heavily involved in the martial arts for most of his lifetime.  During primary school he began 3 years of Wado Kai Karate.  After that, he had his only extended break from the martial arts before starting Kickboxing in 1991.  From there he gained 7 years experience under three different instructors, including a champion fighter.  It was during these years that he learnt to appreciate the realism of full contact sparring, where the opponent is really trying to strike their target.  Gaining his Black Singlet (instructional level) during this time, he also saw the benefit of teaching others to improve the understanding of both student and teacher.

While still kickboxing in 1996, Slade discovered the art of Kenpo at the only school in Western Australia.

Kenpo introduced him to the idea of seeing the logic and reasoning of each offensive and defensive movement.  Every action had a purpose.  The limitations of wearing 10 ounce boxing gloves also became apparent.  In Kickboxing, only the main knuckles of the fist were used to strike, whereas KENPO - WAY OF THE FIST allows the hand to form into a variety of natural weapons for striking or manipulating any available target. 

Also, while training to fight within the rules of kickboxing, he saw gaps in his defence.  For example, Kickboxing does not allow kicks to the groin, so it is not important to learn how to cover this area.  However, Kenpo self-defence techniques are designed for a no-rules environment (ie. not the rules of a ring sport) and views strikes to the groin, and other "illegal" targets, as very effective. 

Encouraged by Sam Purcell to keep an open mind and look at other martial arts in order to develop his understanding of Kenpo concepts (which can be applied to any motion), Slade's cross training includes Mixed Martial Arts, Stick & Knife Fighting, Jeet Kune Do (Bruce Lee's art), Tai Chi (used as an internal art for focus, awareness and breathing control), Krav Maga and Machado Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (submission wrestling), as well as several others. 

Slade uses Mixed Martial Arts as a challenging combat sport and Kenpo as an art of street survival.  Both arts have many additional benefits.  He also trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to develop his ground fighting skills, which many martial artists (unfortunately) still do not think they need. 

In 1999 Slade achieved his Kenpo Karate Black Belt (the second person to do so in Western Australia) and has assisted in teaching students while continuing his own training ever since.  He views his Kenpo Black Belt as a significant milestone in his martial arts journey and has since focussed on improving his skills, training and teaching methods instead of further belt promotions.  

Each year he attends a number of martial arts seminars with topics ranging from weapons fighting to pressure point strikes in order to expand his knowledge.  At least annually, he travels to other states of Australia to learn from other instructors across the country as well as to run seminars of his own. 

See the Seminars/Events section of the NEWS & UPDATES page for details of the most recent interaction with some of the top martial artists from around the world.