Shorinji Kempo might best be termed as a non-competitive, self-defence martial art. What this means is that our main aim is to learn and practice effective self-defence techniques.
Shorinji Kempo was founded in Japan in 1947 by Doshin So with the purpose of teaching people effective modern self-defence at the same time as improving their health, fitness, confidence and concentration.
Today, Shorinji Kempo is one of the largest martial arts in Japan (with almost 3,000 branches), and has become a world-wide organisation, established in 34 countries with 1.5 million practitioners.
As a martial art, Shorinji Kempo teaches from a comprehensive syllabus incorporating punching, kicking, blocking, grappling and throwing.
It does not require its practioners to be immensely strong, relying instead on speed, technique and accuracy. All of the physical aspects of Shorinji Kempo are based around knowledge of ‘vital points’ around the body and on an understanding of how the body can and cannot be manipulated. For this reason Shorinji Kempo is an effective form of self-defence for everybody, be they male or female, as strong as a rugby player, light as a ballarina or just starting their evolution from couch-potato.
Some of the methods behind Shorinji Kempo are that we teach and practice techniques that exploit the body’s weak points; joints in the limbs, nerve points or manipulation of balance. To this end the techniques should cause the maximum effect with the minimum of effort. Whilst the techniques can be genuinely painful, the pain should be fleeting and no physical damage should be done.
Further to the physical techniques that people generally associate with the martial arts, there is also a philosophical aspect that is fundamental to Shorinji Kempo. To progress in the study of Shorinji Kempo, all students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the philosophical, technical and moral aspects of the martial art.
Shorinji Kempo, unlike sports and tournament based martial arts, is not a competitive activity (with the exception of Embu – see What is training like?). While it is an effective form of self-defence, it is also a means of self-development. The goal of Shorinji Kempo is not just to teach people just how to defend themselves, but to develop people who have the courage to stand by their convictions and the confidence to defend their beliefs. At the same time, we teach consideration towards others so that our students do not become violent or aggressive individuals.
We have only scratched the surface of the nature of Shorinji Kempo so far. To find out a more, please see the other pages contained within this site, or better still, come along to one of our training sessions. Beginners are always welcome throughout the year. If you have any questions please read our frequently asked questions page or contact the club committee for details.
