In our nation’s Southwest things are known for heating up, and at the Arizona Kenpo Karate Institute of Phoenix, this is definitely the case!  Ken McMillin, one of the IKCA’s newly promoted 7^th degrees is the Head Instructor.

                Ken is originally from South Dakota, but elected to relocate to Arizona back in 1978.  While he worked in the field of food service for the Veterans Administration for many years,  recently Ken underwent a position change and is now the Dietary Manager for a local Phoenix hospital.

                Having been with the IKCA for about six years, Ken became initially involved with Kenpo through Christopher Krivonack in 1979, receiving his 1^st degree back in 1985 in the Parker system.  As one of Mr. Krivonack’s chief students, he also went on  to help produce the Great Western Classic, a premier open tournament in the Phoenix area, for many years.  Ken was drawn to the Karate Connection for two reasons; first, because of Chuck Sullivan and Vic LeRoux’s association with Ed Parker and second, because he saw that the IKCA stressed the essentials and the basics.  “If I were to pass something on to my fellow IKCA members, it would be to remember that once you learn the basics, don’t abandon them.”, Ken continues, “ The basics are the Kenpo system, the foundation, revisit the basics continually!”  Upon completing the Karate Connection curriculum requirements, Ken was awarded his 4^th degree and due to incremental time awarded in accordance with the IKCA bylaws, tested for and received his 5^th degree a short time after that.

                As with many IKCA instructors, Ken teaches part-time, usually three times a week.  Ken has also chosen to only teach adults.  The fact of the matter is most of Ken’s current students are in involved in law enforcement, either as police officers or as SWAT members of local departments.  He teaches strictly in a group format.  When questioned about this, Ken states: “I find that teaching in a group setting supplies me, the instructor, with more options.  It enables me to get reliable feedback from the students as to what works from an instructor’s viewpoint.  It also allows students to test the application of their techniques with various people.  This helps to eliminate the rote repetition sometimes found with private instruction only.”

                At the Arizona Kenpo Institute Ken teaches application of technique to his students through emphasis on two major Kenpo principles: Independent Motion (‘Point of Origin’ in the Parker system) and Black Dot Focus.  Independent Motion stresses the beginning, root or source of any movement.  This being the natural position or location of your body and natural weapon at the time action begins.  By definition, Black Dot Focus is the principle of total focus and awareness, of being able to block out distractions and anything that would affect your optimum execution of the technique.  By stressing these principles, Ken is able to bring his students to a different level.  “My greatest reward is when you see someone who really gets it.  Maybe they’ve struggled for a long time, then they finally start putting things together mentally and physically.  The connection happens, you see how things are coming together for them.  Often this happens when they reach Black Belt.  Usually within 6-12 months after making it you see a different attitude in the way they carry themselves, they realize, ‘I do deserve to wear this.’.  At that point they understand that reaching Black Belt is just the beginning of the search for knowledge.  They put their hand on the doorknob and are now able to open that door.”  Well said, Ken.