System vs. style

To understand more about Kinney Karate, it is important to recognize the original styles of Korean Tang Soo Do, Japanese Ju-Jitsu and Chinese Kempo as the foundation of the system.

The evaluation of System Vs Style is further illustrated by understanding the evolution of Tang Soo Do and it’s early American History as defined by one of it’s earliest instructors, Ki Whang Kim. Legendary Martial Arts Pioneer Ki Whang Kim was the original source that started the evolution of the System of Kinney Karate.

Grand Master Kim was of Korean/Chinese nationality. His family was well to do and lived both in Korea and China. He had the opportunity to study both Korean (Tang Soo Do) and Chinese (Kempo) Martial Arts.

Mr. Kim was the original founder of the first Tang Soo Do Association in the United States. He was the first major Korean Instructor in America, preceding the introduction of “Tae Kwon Do” by several years. His teachings did not follow the traditional Korean system of Tang Soo Do established by Hwang Kee.

Grand Master Kim openly advocated participation of students in early open style tournaments using fighting techniques not advocated by Korean traditionalists. He also incorporated basic Japanese Ju-Jitsu and Aikido techniques in class training further irritating the Korean Martial Arts community. By listing his school as a “Karate” school (using the Japanese language to identify the art for commercial reasons), he angered not only Korean Martial Arts leaders, but those who wanted to keep “Styles” identified by ethnic labeling.

In essence, Mr. Kim created his own “Style” in the early sixties, by developing training techniques suited to “Americans,” and by teaching a mixture of Martial Arts. He pioneered Point Karate and Kick Boxing tournament participation, and fosteried an open training atmosphere among the American Martial Arts Community in it’s formative years.

Kinney Karate is a “System” that has evolved from Mr. Kim’s “Style.”