It is important for us to know our origins. This book compiles and establishes the history of our system in the most accurate way possible. It is also important to note that our system has a rich heritage of the healing arts both physical and spiritual. The spiritual emphasis of our lineage is made evident in the names of the systems that came before us and have merged together to bring about the final result of Kenpo\Arnis.

Kenpo\Arnis is not based upon modern Nihilistic martial arts concept of might is right. If that is what you were looking for when you arrived here, I will admit without apology that you have walked into the wrong place. The main thrust of this school in the fighting and self defense arts is that fighting is not an endeavourer of righteous pursuit, even in sport. Fighting is the complete antithesis of healthy living. As with most survivor based arts, fighting destroys the Human body, and the promotion of the hard external styles of most American Based Martial arts systems is both unhealthy and unethical to teach to Adults and especially to children.

About Kung Fu

Kung Fu is mainly for improving ones health. It also is very useful in defending oneself and those deserving. The practice of Kung Fu allows you to be able to perceive the ways of nature, to use them, and to rise above them. Kung fu teaches that to be one with nature allows us to end confrontation.

If this endeavourer is pursued with enthusiasm of will, faith, and courage, the force of no man can harm you. God gives us the ability and wisdom to understand and use the natural. As example we are not directed to meet a attack head on, but rather to avoid it.

We should not try to stop force with force. It is easier to redirect it. Kung Fu teaches us more ways to preserve rather than destroy, to Avoid rather than check, to Check rather than hurt, to Hurt rather than maim, to Maim rather than kill; for all life is precocious, and none can be replaced.

Kenpo Arnis Merritt Island Lineage

Many martial arts schools today have no use for lineage, and have eliminated the study of lineage in their schools for many reasons. The first and foremost reason for this elimination is that without a historical line of teachers and their histories one is open to teach whatever they want in whatever manner they wish to legitimate nor not. A school without lineage has no idea where it has come from, therefore it becomes like a ship without a rudder and its sails full of the winds of popular demands, misconceptions, and laziness.

These schools also lean on the idea that knowing who your past teachers were does nothing to improve your skill. This is in fact true, but since lineage has nothing to do with a student’s practice habits this point is mute, and is only used to echo their need to eliminate it. Lastly it is pure laziness.

A school without lineage becomes indistinguishable from fraud. So this brings us to the reason why lineage is important and what its purpose truly is. The usage of lineage is to point the way to the future by studying the road traveled to get to the present. Our lineage is supposed to show us when, why, and how the techniques we study today were created and for what purpose. By knowing these things we can shape and grow our schools better.

The Importance of Lineage

As an example of the importance lineage Let’s take a look at Harvard university. (This excerpt was pulled from the Universities Wikipedia page.) Harvard College, around which Harvard University eventually grew, was founded in 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, making it the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. For centuries, its graduates dominated Massachusetts’ clerical and civil ranks and beginning in the 19th century its stature became national, then international, as a dozen graduate and professional schools were formed alongside the nucleus undergraduate College.

Historically influential in national roles are the schools of medicine (1782), law (1817) and business (1908) as well as the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (1890). Since the late 19th century Harvard has been one of the most prestigious schools in the world, its library system and financial endowment larger than those of any other. This history in itself does not produce a higher level of graduates, however it does give new students a point of origin and a benchmark for their future studies.

A master who teaches without knowledge of the history of the technique is not worthy of the rank of master. Nor is a master who neglects to pass on this knowledge worthy of the rank. i.e.: A master who teaches kata merely for the sake of performance has robbed his students of the richness of its applications both apparent and hidden. The hidden aspect especially, since they could have only been known by the creator of the Kata.

The knowledge as passed down thru linage also gives rise to legitimate change. As long as the original is preserved and has not been forgotten, change becomes a legitimate and necessary tool to improve the line or separate it out into its own style. This is the case with Kenpo\Arnis. It grew out of the line of Chun Li Chaun Fa, and uses the roots of that system thru study of the past to insure the integrity of the techniques taught.

Instructors Who Had Influence in the System

• Grandmaster Fumio Toyoda: Aikido head of the Family Japan(1994) instructor to Sifu Jerry Munday
• Sensei Bill Dunn: Aikido Instructor under Fumio Toyoda(1994) instructor to Sifu Jerry Munday
• Sensei Linda Miller: Aikido Instructor under Fumio Toyoda(1994) instructor to Sifu Jerry Munday
• Sensei Gary Arthur Shoal: Judo instructor to Sifu Jerry Munday’s first instructor (1966)
• Datu Shishir Inocalla: Arnis Maharlika International The greatest influence of our Arnis style (2010) instructor to Sifu Jerry Munday
• Grandmaster George Phipps Jr: Chun – Li Ch’uan Fa Difficult Clinging Fist System This is the original system our Kenpo is derived from.
• Grandmaster Bram Frank: Common Sense Self Defense Street Combat (CSSD/SC) The greatest influence of our small edged weapons style. (2010) instructor to Sifu Jerry Munday
• Soke John Stover: Our Kenpo was highly influenced thru this system. Soke Denson achieved is Grand Master status thru this system. (2010) indirect instructor to Sifu Jerry Munday
• Master Rusty Linkous: Soke George Denson’s first instructor Chinese Kenpo
• Professor Remy Presas: The father of Modern Arnis. Soke George Denson’s most beloved instructor, the professor had a great influence on Soke Denson
• Sensei Benn Brooks: Soke Dai G-Force systems, Soke Denson’s Student of difficult clinging fist, and Si Tai Gung Munday’s Sifu of Difficult clinging fist. (1998) instructor to Sifu Jerry Munday
• Soke Dai George Allen Denson: Sijo of Kenpo/Arnis, and Denson Martial Arts System. (1998) instructor to Sifu Jerry Munday
• Si Tai Gung Jerry Munday: Kenpo/Arnis, and Denson Martial Arts System.