The School Patch

THE PATCH WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED BY MYSELF OUT OF THE NEED TO HAVE A PATCH THAT WASN’T ONE OF THE TWO OR THREE DOZEN COPIES/REMAKES OF GRAND MASTER ED PARKER’S TIGER AND DRAGON PATCH (THE I.K.K.A. PATCH).

THE TIGER AND DRAGON PATCH IS THE SHARPEST LOOKING PATCH ON THE MARKET. I HAVE WORN THE TIGER AND DRAGON PATCH WITH GREAT PRIDE, HONOR AND RESPECT FOR 44 YEARS. I AND A FEW OTHERS HAD TO KICK A LOT OF BUTTS TO GET PEOPLE TO RESPECT THE QUALITY OF THE ART OF KENPO. AFTER MR. PARKER’S DEATH, THE ART THAT WE KNEW AND HAD FOUGHT FOR SO HARD FOR OVER 30 YEARS SUDDENLY WENT TO THE DOGS.

I WILL CONTINUE TO WEAR MR. PARKER’S TIGER AND DRAGON PATCH BECAUSE I EARNED IT IN THE ARENA (FIGHTING FOR KENPO). THIS IS THE ONLY SCHOOL PATCH I WILL EVER WEAR.

THE EIGHT SIDES:

  1. THE USE OF THE EIGHT ANGLES OF ATTACK DURING OFFENSIVE AND/OR DEFENSIVE MOVEMENTS.
  2. THE USE OF THE ORIGINAL EIGHTEEN HAND MOVEMENTS.

THE EIGHT RED DOTS:

  1. THE EIGHT CONSIDERATIONS FOR FREESTYLE.
  2. THE EIGHT WAYS THAT A MARTIAL ARTISTS MUST GROW.

THE TORI GATE:

  1. SIGN OF STRENGTH AND BEAUTY.
  2. COLORS FOR TORI’S ARE USUALLY RED OR BLACK.

THE TIGER:

  1. SYMBOL OF POWER, STRENGTH, CUNNING, STEALTH AND SPEED.
  2. HIDDEN MOVEMENTS THROUGH HIS STRIPES FOR CAMOUFLAGE.
  3. THE PHYSICAL SIDE OF THE ART = BODY.

THE DRAGON:

  1. MYSTICAL, ALL KNOWING, AND WISDOM.
  2. HIDDEN MOVEMENTS THROUGH HIS KNOWLEDGE OF MOVEMENT.
  3. THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF THE ART = MIND.

THE CIRCLE:

RED

  1. REPRESENTS THE BLACK BELT CORP OF PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS.
  2. REPRESENTS PROFESSORSHIP, AN HONORARY RANKING TO THOSE WHO ARE LEADERS IN THE ART OF KENPO AND THEIR RANK IS SIGNIFIED BY THE STRIPES ON THEIR BELTS.
  3. REPRESENTS THE BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS AND TOIL OF THE TRAINING NEEDED TO BECOME A PROFICIENT PRACTITIONER OF THE ART OF KENPO.
  4. REPRESENTS THE CLOSENESS OF THE BROTHERHOOD OF KENPO INSTRUCTORS.

GRAY

  1. YIN-YANG MIXED; MIXING BOTH HARD AND SOFT MOVEMENT TOGETHER; MIXING BLACK AND WHITE COLORS TOGETHER GIVES YOU THE COLOR GRAY, THE AREA OF YOUR LEARNING WHERE OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STATE IS NOT QUITE SOLIDIFIED.
  2. WHERE OUR MIND SET AS A BLACK BELT CAN AND SHOULD STILL BE AS A WHITE BELT, EXCEPT IN AND AT A HIGHER STATE.

THE THREE FEATHERS:

  1. THE THREE STAGES OF LEARNING:
    A. PRIMITIVE
    B. MECHANICAL
    C. SPONTANEOUS

THE BUFFALO SKULL:

  1. JUST LIKE AMERICAN KENPO, IT ALSO IS AN AMERICAN ORIGINAL.
  2. USED TO ILLUSTRATE AN ANIMAL FOUND ONLY IN NORTH AMERICA AND JUST LIKE GOOD KENPO, IT ALSO IS ALMOST EXTINCT.

HORNS = BLACK

  1. THE BLACK DOT CONCEPT.
  2. TO GORE THOSE WHO MISUSE THE ART.

RED = ZIG-ZAG LINES

  1. TO SHOW THE UPS (HIGHS) AND DOWNS (LOWS) IN OUR TRAINING.
  2. TO ILLUSTRATE BROKEN RHYTHM (TIMING).
  ©Tom Kelly's Kenpo Karate