Mr Sam Purcell, a 5th degree (associate professor) black belt in Kenpo Karate, has been studying Martial Arts since 1978 in his native home Dublin, Ireland. He has also studied Kempo Jui-Jitsu, Kickboxing, Kung Fu, Knife Fighting, Wado-Ryu, Shoot Fighting and is currently practising Brazilian Jui-Jitsu.
Having migrated to Australia in 1988, Mr Purcell surveyed the Martial Arts scene in Perth and found that while the established styles, arts or systems were well organised, they leaned towards being too traditional or too sport orientated (for competition only) and did not address realistic street confrontations, particularly the areas of pre and post conflict stages, physiological preparation and body language.
Mr. Purcell decided to teach in a niche area where he had a leading edge, namely, practical Street fighting. He named his club American Kenpo Street fighting, so as to incorporate the best of American Kenpo Karate all the systems he studied, and his Irish life experiences in Dublin’s tough streets.
American Kenpo Street fighting classes are for adults only, because Mr. Purcell's moral and civic obligations forbids him from teaching children under 16 years of age this lethal weapon art which incorporates strikes to all vital organs and vulnerable parts of the human body.
Not content with just empty hand fighting, Mr. Purcell regularly invites instructors from other complementary systems, such as Combat Dynamics which teaches Eastern and Western knife fighting and stick fighting. Wing Chun's sticky hands were also thought by a guest Sifu.
Although Mr. Parcell has 20 years experience in Martial Arts he is realistic enough to realise that no one person can know all there is about the many fighting systems throughout the world, and 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, Mr. Purcell is making a statement to his students, which is, keep looking and learning as Martial Arts is an eternal quest for knowledge, development, wisdom and enlightenment.
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