Instructors
SR Professor Edward Chavez Sr.
ABOUT SR PROFESSOR EDWARD CHAVEZ SR.
I BEGAN MY MARTIAL ARTS CAREER IN THE STYLE OF KUNG FU SAN SOO IN 1972 UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF SENSEI DAVE CARTER IN WHITTIER CALIFORNIA. MY FATHER SAW THAT I LOVED MARTIAL ARTS AND SUPPORTED ME IN THIS. WHEN WE MOVED TO MONTEBELLO CALIFORNIA IN 1975, MY FATHER ENROLLED ME IN A DIFFERENT STYLE, AMERICAN KENPO; THAT IS WHERE I BEGAN STUDYING UNDER THE INSTRUCTORS SUPREME GRAND MASTER DAN RODARTE AND SUPREME GRAND MASTER FRANK TREJO IN MONTEBELLO CALIFORNIA. AFTER RECEIVING MY RANK OF PURPLE BELT IN DECEMBER 1977 UNDER SGM MR. DAN RODARTE & SGM MR. FRANK TREJO, MY PARENTS MOVED TO NORWALK CALIFORNIA BUT I CONTINUED GOING TO CLASS. IN 1978 I HAD TO TAKE A BREAK FROM MARTIAL ARTS, HOWEVER I CONTINUED TO PRACTICE AT HOME WITH THE HELP OF MY FATHER AND FRIENDS. IN 1990 I RETURNED TO THE ART THAT I LOVED SO MUCH, AMERICAN KENPO. UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF MRS. KATHY MURPHY-AYERS IN ORANGE COUNTY I GAINED A GREAT DEAL OF KNOWLEDGE THAT I AM ABLE TO PASS ON TO MY CURRENT STUDENTS.
UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF MRS. MURPHY-AYERS I RECEIVED MY FIRST DEGREE BLACK BELT IN 1996 AND HAVE CONTINUED THROUGH TODAY. I AM NOW A 7th DEGREE BLACK BELT. I HAVE BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS HONORS, AWARDS AND TITLES; ONE BEING INDUCTED INTO THE MASTERS HALL OF FAME AS INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR FOR 2000. I HAVE ENLIGHTENED, MOTIVATED AND INSPIRED MANY STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS WITH MY KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM. I HAVE WON MANY INTERNATIONAL KARATE VICTORIES FROM STUDENTS I HAVE TRAINED, TEACHING “THAT ONE DOES NOT BECOME A CHAMPION UNTIL ONE HAS REALIZED THAT THEY ARE A CHAMPION!” I HAVE (8) INTERNATIONAL WORLD VICTORIES AT THE ED PARKER LONG BEACH INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION 1995-1996-1997-1998 IN WEAPONS – FORMS – SPARRING – SELF DEFENSE.
CREDENTIALS
AUGUST 21st 2019 7th DEGREE BLACK BELT
-2010 6TH DEGREE BLACK BELT.
-1995,1996,1997,1998 CHAMPION AT THE ED PARKER INTERNATIONAL KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
-INDUCTEE AT THE MASTERS 2000 HALL OF FAME FOR OUTSTANDING INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR
-RECIPIENT OF THE SENIOR BLACK BELT INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR 1997.
-HOLDER OF NUMEROUS STATE, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TITLES.
-GRAND CHAMPION RING IN WEAPONS AT THE MASTER 2000
-(8) TIME WORLD CHAMPION AT ED PARKER'S INTERNATIONALS
-OVER 30 YEARS MARTIAL ARTS EXPERIENCE
-FATHER, PARENT, TEACHER, AND MARTIAL ARTIST.
MR. EDWARD CHAVEZ JR.
ABOUT MR. EDWARD CHAVEZ JR.
MY NAME IS EDWARD CHAVEZ JR, I AM A 4TH DEGREE BLACK BELT IN AMERICAN KENPO. I HAVE BEEN IN THE MARTIAL ARTS FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND WORE MY FIRST GI WHEN I WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD, SO I GUESS YOU CAN SAY I WAS BORN INTO THE MARTIAL ARTS.
I WAS 5 YEARS OLD WHEN MY FATHER MASTER EDWARD CHAVEZ SR STARTED TEACHING ME KENPO. I WAS TAUGHT THE BASIC HAND STRIKES AND STANCES AS WELL AS A FEW TECHNIQUES. I ALSO LEARNED MY FIRST WEAPON, WHICH WERE NUN-CHUCKS. THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW LIFE FOR ME, A LIFE IN THE MARITAL ARTS. THAT'S WHAT MARTIAL ARTS MEANS TO ME, ITS A LIFESTYLE, A WAY OF THINKING AND A REACTING TO LIFE'S SITUATIONS.
I WAS ABOUT 8 YEARS OLD WHEN I WAS ENROLLED INTO MY FIRST MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL. IT WAS THERE I LEARNED AMERICAN KENPO, A STYLE MIXED WITH ED PARKER'S TRADITIONAL KENPO SYSTEM AS WELL AS VARIOUS OTHER CHINESE, JAPANESE AND POLYNESIAN SYSTEMS SUCH AS KUNG FU, AIKIDO, LIMA LAMA, AND LUA. THERE I WAS TAUGHT THAT THE DEFINITION OF AMERICAN KENPO WAS "FREEDOM TO THINK WITH AN OPEN MIND". WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE AND TAILOR THE ART TO BETTER FIT OURSELVES, BECAUSE NO TWO PEOPLE ARE ALIKE, AND WE DON'T LET TRADITION KEEP US FROM EVOLVING THE STYLE TO SOMETHING BETTER OR GREATER. I ALSO LEARNED TO BE OPEN MINDED IN THE MARTIAL ARTS, THAT NO MARTIAL ARTS STYLE IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER.
IT WAS THERE THAT I LEARNED TO EMBRACE OTHER STYLES AND SEE WHAT WORKS IN TODAY'S SITUATIONS AND TAKE IT BY ADDING TO IT WITH WHAT I KNEW AND LEARNED IN KENPO. TO ME THAT IS WHAT MAKES AMERICAN KENPO SUCH A GREAT STREET SELF DEFENSE STYLE.
I MOVED UP IN RANKS, BUT COMPETED AT MY FIRST TOURNAMENT AS A WHITE BELT; IT WAS A SMALL TOURNAMENT, BUT IT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING. AS I PROGRESSED IN THE ART, THE TOURNAMENTS I WENT TO GOT BIGGER, AND THE COMPETITION WAS HARDER. NONE OF THAT EVER MATTERED TO ME, WHAT MATTERED WAS NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE COMPETITION, I WAS THERE TO COMPETE AGAINST MYSELF. I AM NOW A 4 TIME INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION AT ED PARKER'S INTERNATIONALS AND HAVE COMPETED AND WON SEVERAL AWARDS AT INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS.
CREDENTIALS
- 4TH DEGREE BLACK BELT.
-1998-2000 CHAMPION AT THE ED PARKER INTERNATIONAL KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
-RECEIVED HIS BLACK BELT IN 2000
-INDUCTEE AT THE 2011 MASTERS HALL OF FAME FOR THE PIONEER AWARD
-HOLDER OF NUMEROUS STATE AND NATIONAL TITLES
-4 TIME WORLD CHAMPION AT ED PARKERS INTERNATIONALS
-MARTIAL ARTIST FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND INSTRUCTOR FOR 10 YEARS.
MS. KAYLEIGH KELTON
ABOUT MS. KAYLEIGH KELTON
MS. KELTON BEGAN HER MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING AT THE AGE OF 6 AND QUICKLY PROGRESSED, SO MUCH SO THAT AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 10 SHE RECEIVED HER FIRST BLACK BELT. MS. KELTON HAS ACHIEVED BY THE AGE OF 14 WHAT MOST PEOPLE ONLY DREAM OF IN THEIR LIFETIME A SECOND-DEGREE BLACK BELT. SHE THOROUGHLY ENJOYS INSTRUCTING CLASSES ALONGSIDE MR. CHAVEZ AND IS ESPECIALLY GIFTED AT WORKING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. MS. KELTON HAS A KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL AND IS DILIGENT IN CORRECTING TECHNIQUES TO PERFECTION WITH STUDENTS WHOM ARE LEARNING FROM HER. IN MARCH OF 2018 MS. KELTON EARNED HER THIRD DEGREE BLACK BELT THROUGH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
MS. KELTON HAS WON NUMEROUS AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDING WORLD CHAMPION AT PHOENIX OPEN MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014, 2015 AND 2016. WORLD CHAMPION AT 2016 LAS VEGAS USA WINTER NATIONALS. LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM EDWARD CHAVEZ KENPO KARATE INSTITUTE 2015.
CREDENTIALS
-THIRD DEGREE BLACK BELT
-WORLD CHAMPION IN FORMS AND SELF DEFENSE
-JUNIOR BLACK BELT INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AT EDWARD CHAVEZ KENPO KARATE INSTITUTE 2015
-WORLD CHAMPION AT PHOENIX OPEN MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014, 2015 AND 2016
-WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT 2016 LAS VEGAS USA WINTER NATIONALS
-LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM EDWARD CHAVEZ KENPO KARATE INSTITUTE 2015
ABOUT MS. KAYLEIGH KELTON
MS. KELTON BEGAN HER MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING AT THE AGE OF 6 AND QUICKLY PROGRESSED, SO MUCH SO THAT AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 10 SHE RECEIVED HER FIRST BLACK BELT. MS. KELTON HAS ACHIEVED BY THE AGE OF 14 WHAT MOST PEOPLE ONLY DREAM OF IN THEIR LIFETIME A SECOND-DEGREE BLACK BELT. SHE THOROUGHLY ENJOYS INSTRUCTING CLASSES ALONGSIDE MR. CHAVEZ AND IS ESPECIALLY GIFTED AT WORKING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. MS. KELTON HAS A KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL AND IS DILIGENT IN CORRECTING TECHNIQUES TO PERFECTION WITH STUDENTS WHOM ARE LEARNING FROM HER. IN MARCH OF 2018 MS. KELTON EARNED HER THIRD DEGREE BLACK BELT THROUGH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
MS. KELTON HAS WON NUMEROUS AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDING WORLD CHAMPION AT PHOENIX OPEN MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014, 2015 AND 2016. WORLD CHAMPION AT 2016 LAS VEGAS USA WINTER NATIONALS. LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM EDWARD CHAVEZ KENPO KARATE INSTITUTE 2015.
CREDENTIALS
-THIRD DEGREE BLACK BELT
-WORLD CHAMPION IN FORMS AND SELF DEFENSE
-JUNIOR BLACK BELT INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AT EDWARD CHAVEZ KENPO KARATE INSTITUTE 2015
-WORLD CHAMPION AT PHOENIX OPEN MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014, 2015 AND 2016
-WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT 2016 LAS VEGAS USA WINTER NATIONALS
-LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM EDWARD CHAVEZ KENPO KARATE INSTITUTE 2015
ABOUT MS. KAYLEIGH KELTON
MS. KELTON BEGAN HER MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING AT THE AGE OF 6 AND QUICKLY PROGRESSED, SO MUCH SO THAT AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 10 SHE RECEIVED HER FIRST BLACK BELT. MS. KELTON HAS ACHIEVED BY THE AGE OF 14 WHAT MOST PEOPLE ONLY DREAM OF IN THEIR LIFETIME A SECOND-DEGREE BLACK BELT. SHE THOROUGHLY ENJOYS INSTRUCTING CLASSES ALONGSIDE MR. CHAVEZ AND IS ESPECIALLY GIFTED AT WORKING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. MS. KELTON HAS A KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL AND IS DILIGENT IN CORRECTING TECHNIQUES TO PERFECTION WITH STUDENTS WHOM ARE LEARNING FROM HER. IN MARCH OF 2018 MS. KELTON EARNED HER THIRD DEGREE BLACK BELT THROUGH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
MS. KELTON HAS WON NUMEROUS AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDING WORLD CHAMPION AT PHOENIX OPEN MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014, 2015 AND 2016. WORLD CHAMPION AT 2016 LAS VEGAS USA WINTER NATIONALS. LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM EDWARD CHAVEZ KENPO KARATE INSTITUTE 2015.
CREDENTIALS
-THIRD DEGREE BLACK BELT
-WORLD CHAMPION IN FORMS AND SELF DEFENSE
-JUNIOR BLACK BELT INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AT EDWARD CHAVEZ KENPO KARATE INSTITUTE 2015
-WORLD CHAMPION AT PHOENIX OPEN MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014, 2015 AND 2016
-WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT 2016 LAS VEGAS USA WINTER NATIONALS
-LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM EDWARD CHAVEZ KENPO KARATE INSTITUTE 2015
