Kenzen Karate

[Bishamonten]

Does anybody know Kenzen Karate? I found the name while searching in the web for the Seattle Enshin branch and it seems to be founded by former branch chief Vernon Owens but you don´t find any dirct information.

[Miguel]

I have never heard of it, but i found this:

Ken Zen Karate: Traditional Martial Arts for the Modern World
by Gregory Lewis

Ken Zen Karate is a system of empty-handed self-defense, based on karate's most practical and effective techniques combined with a strategy, called Sabaki, which enables it's practitioners to turn the force of an opponent into a strategic advantage. Ken Zen stresses the development of flexibility, power, and speed, with emphasis on stretching, conditioning, and practice. The basic techniques, punches, kicks and blocks, are based on authentic fighting Karate; combining power and form in a manner that is both effective and elegant. The Sabaki strategy uses circular movement to place you in the blind spot of your attacker. This not only minimizes the impact of an attack, but allows you to convert your defense into offense by using your opponents power and momentum against them. A Ken Zen Karate dojo is dedicated to the traditional values of courtesy, respect, and challenge as a way to develop and improve oneself. The training is structured to be fun for men, women, and children; while providing everybody with a means of expanding mental alertness, improving physical ability, and increasing personal confidence to better meet the challenges encountered in life.

The description of sabaki they use does sound like that of Ashihara & Enshin.

[powerof0ne]

Originally Posted by Bishamonten

Does anybody know Kenzen Karate? I found the name while searching in the web for the Seattle Enshin branch and it seems to be founded by former branch chief Vernon Owens but you don´t find any dirct information.

I'll see if I can find out, I might have Vernon's email addy somewhere.

[powerof0ne]

Originally Posted by Bishamonten

Does anybody know Kenzen Karate? I found the name while searching in the web for the Seattle Enshin branch and it seems to be founded by former branch chief Vernon Owens but you don´t find any dirct information.

Actually, I remember now..Owens branched off from Enshin for his own personal reasons and started his own style called Ken Zen karate. In all honesty, I don't know if he's still teaching Karate at all. I know that some of his former students still train together and even compete a little. I think he broke away around '01 or so.
I honestly can't comment on the difference of that style between Enshin. Owens in particular has tree trunks for legs and can take most gedanmawashigeri without checking....because of this(my opinion), a lot of his students don't really block/check gedanmawashigeri and will take it to land tsuki more so then a lot of other Enshin fighters.

[Bishamonten]

It´s a bit off-topic but do you know what happened to the San Francisco Enshin Dojo? The Website is offline since a couple of month.

[smoothsake]

Originally Posted by Bishamonten

It´s a bit off-topic but do you know what happened to the San Francisco Enshin Dojo? The Website is offline since a couple of month.

I didn't know about an Enshin dojo in SF, but there is Oyama Karate Dojo and I hear it is still healthy with students.

[medguy]

[quote=Bishamonten;31380]It´s a bit off-topic but do you know what happened to the San Francisco Enshin Dojo? The Website is offline since a couple of month.[/QUOTE

I think Tomiyama's dojo is still in JapanTown. I'm an Enshin nidan, but I've been out of the Enshin loop for a number of years now, so I can't be positive.

[shurenkan]

Hi all,

Sensei Vernon Owens left the organization in 2001 I believe. And yes, for a while I know he founded a style called Kenzen. I don't think that stylistically, it was very different from Enshin. I can say though that, over the years Enshin has changed/evolved. Just watch the techniques of the Enshin fighters from the early Sabaki Challenges, compared to the Enshin fighters of today. The techniques were different. The sabaki was different. There was less emphasis on grabbing and holding, and fewer judo-like throws. Sensei Owens technique was more like the Enshin of old, so it may be safe to say that Kenzen Karate reflected those differences.

From my understanding, Sensei Owens stopped teaching due to health reasons. Out of respect to someone's medical confidentiality and their private affairs, I won't comment any further. However, I will say that he was a phenomenal karateka and it's sad that he may not be teaching anymore.

As for Tomiyama sensei, he is still in Japantown in SF. I keep in touch with a few of his students and they are still going strong.

Miguel Rios

[medguy]

I'd be curious if anyone has contact info for Sensei Owens. He and I lost touch when I went into the military back in 1997. Actually, I did track him down about 5 years ago, and we exchanged emails...And then lost touch again. I remember him as being a fine, fine human being. Generous, and a teddy bear outside the ring, but a tough competitor in the ring. I'd love to get in touch with him again, if anyone knows how.

[Azimuth]

I googled around and came to a my space profile of a guy who was graded by Sensei Owens , maybe you can contact him for starters ?

MySpace.com - Gregory C. Lewis' 21st Century Martial Arts - 37 - Male - SEATTLE, Washington - www.myspace.com/karatemeansemptyhand

[vapor]

Interesting how our lives....are intertwined, and that we are able to provide bits and pieces to connect people together""

vapor