No, you didn't. Yes, I did.

I have done two more postings, but I loaded them up a few days ago as drafts. Seems that those are days they get published as. So check out the Mind Like a Parachute and Wonder Valley blogs below.

I got people

Just like the television commercial says. "I got people." My new book came out yesterday, 28 March. It's exciting. But I couldn't do it without my people. Mike Squatrito spent lots of hours working with the photos and graphics. John Sepulveda, Steve White, Craig Brasher, Frank Triolo read the drafts and helped me make the writing more clear. Stve White, Len Brassard, and Lenny Brassard took those photos to make it more understandable. Ed Parker Jr did the cover, with the usual hidden aspect. Can you see it?
Ohio's Steve Hatfield wrote the foreword. Steve is a hidden gem in the kenpo community. I love to watch him teach. He's a "good guy", too. He's been loyal, he constantly trains and searches for new information, and he challenges me. Gotta love him. Seek him out.
I have to acknowledge SGM Parker, Huk Planas, Joe Palanzo, Frank Trejo, and Mike Sanders for their patience with me on my path. Tom Baeli has been very helpful in giving the traditional Chinese perspective on this, too.
Finally, my family; especially my dad. This book made it just in time for his 80th birthday in April. I dedicated it to him.
Thank you all.

Are you a professional?

I teach seminars. When I teach instructor seminars I have been known to ask if there are any professional instructors there. I never see all the hands go up. My opinion is that if you are an instructor, you should be a professional. The common thinking in these groups is that they seem to guage whether or not they are pros by whether or not they are being paid.
Most instructors in most schools are unpaid volunteers. They love the art and want to see it perpetuated. They get satisfaction by seeing other people "get it" with their help. These instructors are getting their experience on the job. But that does not mean they can't be professional.
The term professional comes from ages ago when it was used for the clergy and the lawyers. These people "professed", they were held to a higher standard and made special commitments above and beyond craftsmen and other vocations. They were more trusted.
When I describe this to the class and ask again if there are any professional instructors, all the hands go up.
I am a professional martial arts instructor. I get paid for what I do. I believe I hold a special trust. I do the best job I can.
I am a professional flight instructor. I hold a special trust. I do the best job I can. I DO NOT get paid for what I do. It's not that I can't get paid, it's that I volunteered my service, knowledge, and expertise to the Civil Air Patrol. By regulation, we cannot accept money for our services. That's fine with me because I see the big picture they have. If I wanted to get paid I'd go work for a flight school, with the obligations that entails. But I would not be any more or less professional.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well. If you're teaching, teach well. Learn as much as you can about learning. Learn as much as you can about teaching. Know your subject. Don't make stuff up if you don't know an answer to a question. The professional says "I don't know, but I know where to find out."
I was a bit surprised to get these two certificates in the mail recently. One I expected, since I had to renew my dues for the year. The other, the one under this, was the surprise. It says I've been a flight instructor for 19 years. 19 years! Nice to be recognized.


The last years I've been teaching Kenpo I've turned my focus from teaching what to teach as how to teach. There are so many instructors who can come in and show you how to do this or that, and everyone likes to say their way is right, that it's a turn-off. I'd rather show you my way, the way I understand it, and let you make the decision. Then, if you'll let me, I'll give you some ways to get your message across to your students. I have a reputation as being a rather effective teacher and I think I can help you. To that end I've started some Special Emphasis programs for teachers that will be held in seminar formats and that start in April. I'm hoping it helps bring our instructor education programs forward instead of being a monkey-see, monkey-do method or being taken from some other art. This arts is in our hands and we should be responsible stewards.

Wonder Valley camp

I'm heading off to California over Memorial Day weekend. I was invited to be on the teaching staff at Graham Lelliot's camp to be held at Wonder Valley, just outside Fresno. This is a bi-annual event. I understand why. It takes alot of work on his part and that of his wife, Jaydean.
Like they say; want something done, ask a busy person. That's Jay.
I've been to a lot of camps. Some of them quite memorable for their good points, some for the bad. More of them are good than bad, and some are outstanding. This camp was outstanding.
I've hosted many camps and seminars and I know what it takes to pull this off successfully. The Fresno group did a great job of handling everything. They had people from Sweden, New Zealand, and all over the US. Quite a job.
I've known Graham for 20 years now. We met when I went to Europe with Ed Parker and spent some time on the island of Jersey, where Graham lived. We hit it off immediately and we've kept in touch. Graham was one of the first four European black belts promoted by Ed Parker, after having been taught by Rainer Schulte. Graham has moved to Fresno and brought his European "touch of class" with him.

European camps have quite a different feel to them than American camps. I've enjoyed every one of the events I've attended there. Gary Ellis, Ingmar Johansson, and Graham have all had me over there. They are themed differently and Ingmar's Viking Camp sparked an interest in having a theme for a camp. Graham has brought that idea with him and it makes his camp fun.
The event is held at Wonder valley, the location of California's first dude ranch. It's in the foothills of the Sierra Madres, making a picturesque venue. The accomodations are fine, kind of like a bunkhouse in some rooms, which makes it great for families or a group of drinking buddies. The main building, where the meals are, is located a cross a small lake and the food was probably the best I've had at a camp.
Graham likes to have fun, and you will too. He had karaoke, a bonfire, and some team challenges on ropes and with the "drunk goggles". You'll get some good instruction from a fine staff, and not so much that you can't remember anything, or are so tired you don't want to do anything else afterward. It's a good atmosphere.
Lots of families were there since there is quite a bit for the kids and spouse to do. They can swim in the pool, fish on the lake, do some canoeing or horseback riding among other things. Or they can get in the car and drive to Yosemite or Sequoia National Parks.
The first camp in 2005 hosted Dian Tanaka, Marty Zaninovich, Ingmar, Graham, and myself as instructors. This year we're expecting (I think) Bryan Hawkins, Steve White, Graham, Ingmar and myself. Ed Parker Jr will make an appearance like last time and I'm told Steve LaBounty will be around. Look for more info at www.glkenpo.com. Don't freak out at the price - it includes lodging and food. You'll enjoy yourself. Bring your cowboy hat.

A mind like a parachute

Ed Parker liked to repeat the saying "A mind is like a parachute; it only works when it's open."
I believe that to be true. I'm a bit of cynic but I have taught myself to be more open-minded over the years. I have been able to do that because I took the lessons I was given by people like my Dad, Ed Parker, Mike Sanders, and others and apply them.
It may have made me more "critical" because it made me a little more analytical. I stopped taking what was given me at face value and thinking about it more. Recently I was told I would have made a "formidable researcher". Interesting comment.
Over the years this analytical facet is what filtered my experience, and therefore, much of my students' experiences. I wouldn't let just anyone teach my class. I'd made that mistake years before, and as I improved I saw what was beneficial to myself and my students. That's what I presented them with.
I asked Mr. Parker why he had a Capoeria demo scheduled at the IKC. He simply said "I want you guys to at least have seen this stuff; in case you come up against it, you'll be better able to have an answer for it." So, exposure to lots of stuff is good. Integration of lots of stuff may be not so good. (There's some new brain research that agrees with this.)
Anyway, I have a reputation as being open-minded in the arts. I have had many arts and practitioners work with my guys to the end Mr. Parker had in mind. And this led to an insult by one of my guys here in Florida.
He told me "I'm more open-minded, and I don't mind having my guys go to seminars of different arts." Now this particular instructor is not particularly observant or mindful. Over the years he has missed many an important point. The one he missed that triggered this conversation is that I wanted to know when my guys were going to a seminar or tournament somewhere. Not that I would stop them, they're big boys and can make up their own minds. If they go representing me though, I'd like to know. Call me "old-fashioned". Many senior instructors can tell you stories of visits by students (that includes the black belts) from other schools that proved to be embarrassing to the "sending" instructor. This stuff wouldn't happen if the student simply notified their teacher what they planned to do. This guy of mine may be more open-minded than I but he's ignorant of politics, etiquette, and protocol. ("Where did I go wrong?" he wailed.) He'll learn.
Now another one of my guys is Kyle Zwarg. He gets it. Kyle is pretty sharp. He sent me this article below that started this rant. Enjoy.


Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 3/19/07 - "Having an Open Mind"

Do you have an open mind? Most people think they do, but how can you really tell? Let's talk about open versus closed minds. Open minds are like a good sense of humor - everybody thinks they have one, but the truth may be another story. And what does it mean to have an open mind, anyway? Well, here's what I think: An open mind is one that knows the difference between fact and opinion and doesn't get them mixed up. It searches for the truth as best it can, and even when it feels reasonably certain of what's true, remains open to rational argument. Open minds tend to be creative, because they seek out options and use them in innovative ways. The open mind is able to flow with the ambiguities and paradoxes of life. Instead of fighting these things, the open mind acknowledges and honors them and moves forward into awareness and constructive use of them.The closed mind, on the other hand, learns helplessness when it assumes a powerless stance. Even when it is closed in absolute certainty, it gives away its power. It becomes rigid and develops blind spots, or scotomas, to new information that may contradict what it thinks it knows. Open minds may choose to take a position based on personal values and current information, but they are willing to reconsider if it makes sense to do so. Finally, open minds are happier, healthier and much more fun to be around. So let me ask you again: Do you have an open mind? How do you know?
Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute
http://www2.blogger.com/

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." FDR, American President

I get e-mail forwards from my guys, all interesting, some more than others. Steve White in New Hampshire, finds some good ones and sends them on. If you have not met Steve, you need to. I've known him for 20 years and been working on him and with him as student and friend.
Steve sent this one on fear to me recently.

Facing the Enemies Within by Jim Rohn
We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Maybe some of our fears are brought on by your own experiences, by what someone has told you, by what you've read in the papers. Some fears are valid, like walking alone in a bad part of town at two o'clock in the morning. But once you learn to avoid that situation, you won't need to live in fear of it. Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear can destroy fortunes. Fear can destroy relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives.

Fear is one of the many enemies lurking inside us. Let me tell you about five of the other enemies we face from within.

The first enemy that you've got to destroy before it destroys you is indifference. What a tragic disease this is. "Ho-hum, let it slide. I'll just drift along." Here's one problem with drifting: you can't drift your way to the top of the mountain.

The second enemy we face is indecision.
Indecision is the thief of opportunity and enterprise. It will steal your chances for a better future. Take a sword to this enemy.

The third enemy inside is doubt.
Sure, there's room for healthy skepticism. You can't believe everything. But you also can't let doubt take over. Many people doubt the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the possibilities and doubt the opportunities. Worse of all, they doubt themselves. I'm telling you, doubt will destroy your life and your chances of success. It will empty both your bank account and your heart. Doubt is an enemy. Go after it. Get rid of it.

The fourth enemy within is worry.
We've all got to worry some. Just don't let it conquer you. Instead, let it alarm you. Worry can be useful. If you step off the curb in New York City and a taxi is coming, you've got to worry.
But you can't let worry loose like a mad dog that drives you into a small corner. Here's what you've got to do with your worries: drive them into a small corner. Whatever is out to get you, you've got to get it. Whatever is pushing on you, you've got to push back.

The fifth interior enemy is over-caution.
It is the timid approach to life. Timidity is not a virtue; it's an illness. If you let it go, it'll conquer you. Timid people don't get promoted. They don't advance and grow and become powerful in the marketplace. You've got to avoid over-caution. Do battle with the enemy. Do battle with your fears. Build your courage to fight what's holding you back, what's keeping you from your goals and dreams. Be courageous in your life and in your pursuit of the things you want and the person you want to become.

Now Mr. Rohn here has some good points. He may not have a solid grounding in psychology or have correctly pigeon-holed these points as fear per definition but I think what he wrote bears some thinking about. What comes to mind is that he pointed out some conditions that exist that need to be combated. What he does not do here is tell us what he thinks will be useful in combating these conditions. It's like someone telling you to fight when you don't know how. He implies the solutions, which is why I think if you sit and think about what he said you can figure some of the solutions out yourself. Some of it is basic logic, using Ed Parker's opposite and reverse idea. Indifference? Get involved. Indecision? Get advice or flip a coin. Timid? Get some balls.

I believe what he says is good stuff. It may contain the motivation someone needs to change their life, which is why I think I needed to post it here. I have experienced these things, as I'm sure most of you have. Solutions are everywhere, outside and inside. Read, ask advice, get help.
Look inside yourself, take a chance, get out of your comfort zone. I was talking to a CAP chaplain a few years ago when my nephews were deployed to Iraq and Kuwait. I was concerned. He said, "If you're worrying, you're not praying. If you're praying, you're not worrying." A belief system is paramount to your survival. Believe in yourself, your God, your family, your karate system, whatever it takes. Ed Parker said "Never doubt your system."
I've been scared. From my conversations with people it sounds like I may have had more than my share. Regardless, sometimes those situations are uncontrollable. Sometimes we make them ourselves. I believe in calculated risk. I've purposely but myself in bad situations to see what it took to get out. We do that daily when we practice our self-defense techniques. It's a matter of scale. By doing so we increase confidence and reduce insecurity, timidity, whatever you want to call it. But it must be done intelligently. I found myself running into a burning building many years ago, thinking someone was inside. That was dumb, it was risky, and I was untrained for that situation. Firefighters run into burning buildings. They are trained and they have calculated the risk. Much of fear is of the unknown. Knowledge is power. It may be just what you need to handle the enemies he listed.

Stomping around

I was putting some finishing touches on Kenpo Karate 501 when I realized I had not finished the general rules I had started in the back. There is a rule relating to stomping that I learned many years ago, but I've never seen it written anywhere and really hadn't heard anyone say it except Huk.
The rule is that you need three times the depth of the target as the travel for the stomp (or stomp kick). If the average torso is 10 inches thick you need to cock your foot up 30 inches. That's a lot of upward draw, but it will surely give you what you need to get the job done. Like they say, "Better to have too much than not enough".
Now if you're going to stomp his instep you don't have to pick your foot up much higher than his shin or knee to get the travel you need. Scraping Hoof points that out.
I have seen this rule to be valid and not just from hanging around karate schools. It's from hanging around bars, too. Uh, for research. Yeah, that's it, research.
I was in a drinking establishment in Chicago many years ago. As I walked in I happened to notice two guys sitting at a "two-top" along the wall, sharing a pitcher of beer. I don;t know why I noticed them, I just did. My friend and I were sitting at the bar. I heard a commotion and looked over just in time to see one of the guys reach over and grab the other guy by the hair.
As he stood up and out of his chair he took the other guy down and out of his seat to the floor.
He then started stomping furiously - two, three, four or more times. By then the bouncers (CETs they're called, I'm told. Citizen Ejection Specialists.) were on them and separated them. The grabbee simply got up, unhurt.
I've seen lots of street fights, bar fights, verbal altercations and so on, and I've learned a lot by that. So I watched this carefully and this is what I saw. When the grabber pulled the other guy out and down, he didn't cock his leg very high in the rush to stomp. So he got a series of ineffectual strikes in. It was fast, but didn't work. As we say, speed kills. It kills travel and kills efficiency, doesn't use economy of motion. Those two guys sat down together again, so it didn't even scare the other guy. Or maybe he didn't have the sense to be scared. They were drinking, after all. Maybe they were drinking Shirley Temples but I'm pretty sure it was beer.
I'm convinced from that event that the 3X rule is valid. Add to that the people I've seen do Dance of Death too fast and I'm positive it's valid. Watch the speed demons do the "dance" and you'll see they actually run across the body instead of drop down on it. They're losing power and travel because they're just going too fast.
Take into consideration that you've done some other nasty stuff prior to that stomping and you have bought a little time to cock your leg and settle into the stomp.
Now that I'm thinking about it, Ed Parker liked to watch people fight, too. I saw this first-hand when a riot broke out in Australia at a tournament we were at. I physically hooked him by his belt and pulled him back (there weapons involved) and he said "I'll stand right here." Hey, who guards the guardians? He was a "protective companion" to Elvis. I like to think I was his in that situation. Mr. Parker had many stories of things he had seen and what the "moral of the story" was, the take-home lesson.
Tom Baeli, my tai chi teacher, says "Tai chi is an art for the do-er, not the viewer." Kenpo, too.
But you really can "learn a lot by watching."

A "Person of Interest"

No, not a person the police want to talk to, but a real interesting person.
Dr. Marc Rowe of Sanibel, FL walked into my studio about three years ago, wanting to study Tai Chi. He began to study with me and after a while I introduced him to Tom Baeli, who has been my long-time tai chi teacher. Marc effectively has two teachers now and has said he appreciates us both for our differing approaches to the art. Tom is an encyclopedia of things Tai Chi, and has a degree in Oriental Philosophy. This makes him a pretty good match for Marc's inquiring mind.
Now Marc is not your average student. He started his study with me at the age of 74, and his progress in both the physical and conceptual practice of tai chi has been remarkable. Marc was "all over the place" when he started and now the new people just love to follow him and they compliment his abilities.
This was hard-won for Marc. While he has been an athlete all his life, this was difficult. It was a combination of discipline, motivation, practice, and his incessant questioning that got him where he is. Naturally, along the way we had some dialog about principle, theory, technical aspects, body mechanics, and more. This made Marc a particularly stimulating student to work with. (I have several of this type of person working with me; Steve White, Steve Hatfield, and Gary Ellis spring to mind. It is not work to teach them, it truly is what teaching should be - a two way exchange. Socrates said "By your student you will be taught.")
Marc always has questions, not a lot at one time, but one or two. One question and its answer would send him off on a path of research and discovery and he would return either with more questions or satisfied that it was the right answer. He was amazed at how the ancients figured out how the body works and what to do to keep it healthy. This brings me to the (more)interesting stuff about Marc.
Marc has questions for Tom and I, and I have questions for Marc. That's because Marc is a physician, and it's always good to pick their brains. Turns out that Marc isn't your average doctor, he is an Ed Parker in the pediatric surgery world. Professor here, Chief of Surgery there, Emeritus at Pittsburgh, published author, journal referee; the list goes on. In fact, we're working on an article on carotid chokes and when I asked for his resume, it went on and on. I'm very impressed.
Being that he was a professor, when you ask him a question you don't get an answer, you get a lecture. But it's an interesting lecture. I've learned to expect the lecture when he says "Now that's an interesting question." The professor comes out. I'm going to show you an example of how Marc works. The following article was sent to me by a friend, regarding a medical subject. Something didn't ring true, so I forwarded it to Marc and this is what I got.

Subject: Fw: Heart Attacks and Drinking Warm Water

This makes sense

This is a very good article. Not only about the warm water after your meal, but about heart attacks. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating.


For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.A serious note about heart attacks - You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you fro m a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive.A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this message sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this & Send the link to a friend. It could save a life. So, please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about.


What do you think?

Subject: Heart Attacks & Drinking Warm Water Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 16:21:27 +0000

I wish mother nature was that simple but she is not. Fat digestion does not work that way.
Fat Digestion
The body is able to digest most types of foods simply by secreting the right kind of digestive enzyme. We have protease to digest proteins, amylase to digest starch, and so on. Most digestive enzymes are able to work effectively in the chemical environment inside our digestive tract. This is because food and body fluids are mostly water, and most molecules can dissolve in water and undergo chemical reactions there.
However, fat digestion presents a special problem. Fats and other lipids do not dissolve in water; instead, they tend to congeal together into large masses. The same thing happens in salad dressing, when the oil and vinegar (mostly water) are allowed to separate. This separation of lipid and water reduces the effectiveness of fat-digesting enzymes, which are known as lipase. Without extra assistance, the lipases would not have access to most of the fat molecules, and fats would pass through the digestive tract without being digested.
The problem is solved by using bile, a substance that is produced by the liver and stored (and released) by the gall bladder. Bile consists of molecules that have a dual nature. Half of the molecule is attracted to water, and the other half is attracted to fats. The bile molecules therefore place themselves in between the fat and water. In this way the fat droplets remain suspended in water rather than merging together. This process is also called emulsification, and is similar to the way that detergents remove grease from dirty dishes. In the digestive tract, emulsification allows lipase to gain access to the fat molecules and thus facilitates digestion.
Fat digestion and absorption is dependent upon bile. Bile secreted from the liver and released into the gut by the action of CCK on the gall bladder acts as an emulsifier to break up fat globules to facilitate digestion. Pancreatic lipase is a water soluble enzyme and can therefore only act on the surface of fat globules. The detergent action of bile salts, particularly lecithin is required to disperse the fat into small globules for efficient lipase digestion.
Fats are also digested by catalytic hydrolysis. Pancreatic lipase hydrolyses neutral fats to give free fatty acids and 2-monoglycerides.
Free fatty acids and monoglycerides are also not water soluble. A further action of bile is the formation of micelles. These are small (3-6nm) and formed of molecules of bile acids. These are compounds which have a sterol or fat soluble portion, and a polar group. The micelle consists of aggregations of free fatty acids, mono-glycerides in the middle with the polar ends of the bile salts enabling solution in water.
The micelles serve the function of 'shuttling' products of fat digestion from the site of digestion to the brush border where they can be absorbed into the enterocyte. This serves two purposes. Firstly it removes the products of fat digestion so that they do not inhibit the action of the lipase (product inhibition) and secondly it transports the insoluble digestion products to the cell membrane where they can diffuse directly into the cell.
Excess fat in the stools is termed steatorrhoea. The stools are pale in colour, bulky and highly smelly. They also float. Steatorrhoea is associated with poor fat absorption, due, for example to coeliac disease or gluten enteropathy, when villi are lost and absorption greatly decreased. Fat absorption can also be affected by acid hypersecretion as pancreatic lipase is acid-labile and fats are therefore not digested or lack of bile salts.

Marc crossed out the last paragraphs in the first article starting with the "pain in the jaw" line.
But the fact that he took the time to grab with short article and forward it to me to educate me a little was much appreciated. It is an example of our student-teacher relationship. One of my points here is that sometime as instructors we forget what kind of mind we're working with on the mat. Marc's mind works quite differently than most, a fact he readily admits but had also been proven by researchers at Harvard back when he was in high school.
Ans that's another interesting story for another day.

Vox populi

I received several responses to my query about titling my book on Form Five. It seems that most are in favor of keeping the numbers in the titles. It is also apparent that we have some pretty smart people out there since many of the e-mails stated "When I was working on my Masters degree...."
I thought things stopped at the 400 level. They told me that some schools today even go as high as 800 level courses. Overall, they like the number along with the named title as it reflects the higher, "graduate level" flavor the higher forms have.
I'm sure glad I asked, and I will go with the current numbering system. I may even have a "Capstone" book in Form Six. The people have spoken! Thanks for taking your time to give me your ideas.

Vox populi is Latin for "voice of the people".

Your opinion, please

I've got my next book written and waiting for pictures. It's on Form Five. Actually, Six is largely written also. But I'm thinking it's time to change the title format from the number series to something else. I'm leaning toward Kenpo Karate - Form Five instead of Kenpo Karate 501 - Form Five. Or something similar.
I'm doing this because most university level course numbering stops at the 400 level (I think). And that's what the book series numbering was modeled after. I've been told I should keep it, maybe call it Kenpo Karate - Form Five - Kenpo 501.
I'd like your opinion. Send it to lee@leewedlake.com.
Does anyone read this blog, anyway?

Shame on you

After speaking with Steve White about the last article about trust, he passed on these comments and observations. One owner of a large school said "Shame on you Mr. Bryan, for not seeing that ahead of time." Sometimes you see these things, sometimes you don't. I've had people I trusted burn me unexpectedly. I thought we had built a bond of mutual respect but I found that was unilateral.
Another owner with multiple locations observed that people go off and do things like this for who-knows-what reasons. They'll break from an established, very successful school and think they can do it better. In effect they attempt to reinvent the wheel. Why not buy the plans? They flounder and most often they fail. Others will take off with the students to open down the street and guess what? The students come back to the original school. Why? Because martial arts are supposed to be about integrity. These people demonstrated lack of integrity and the students realized this, then left to return to the first school. True? I have found this to be so. Not always because of lack of character, but other factors as well.
I've seen the problem to be that successful schools are successful for many reasons. Owner personality is one, but not one the school can solely subsist on. Maybe a different or even unique "product" is another. The key one is business systems, "know-how". If you don't think so, read Michael Gerber's book, The E Myth. Many school owners are technicians, not mangers or true entrepreneurs. They think their martial arts prowess is going to make it happen. (The buzzer and big, red light go off now.) Ego enters into it, too. It's a pride of ownership thing. But when reality sets in, they realize what a big job running a studio really is.
All we can do is wish anyone who goes into business luck, help them if we can (or will) and hope they make their dreams come true.

Trust - Honor - Integrity

Oddly enough, two of my black belts sent me this the same day. These guys are from two different parts of the country. They both have many years of experience. Apparently they, like me, have "some concerns" about the subject. The article is by Terry Bryan. Please read on.

Trust. Honor. Integrity. These are words talked about in the martial arts but not understood by many.

Greetings,
Man do we live in a different world than the one I grew up in. I was raised in the hills of Tennessee and business was done with a hand shake and almost everyones home was left unlocked. In the old days a persons word was their bond and daily behaviors were based on trying to build and maintain a respectful recognition for the family name.

In combat, it was the pure sense of knowing that your buddy had your back that allowed me to survive three tours in Southeast Asia, and that bond created by being with someone in combat is priceless. That trust was understood, never talked about and shared with a simple glance, maybe a wink or a high five.

I just don't know about the black belts we are producing today. Do they have the same stuff thy once did and who's fault is it? Are we promoting too soon? Are we giving away the rank without the true tests it takes to see the character and commitment? I guess these are just the mysteries of the mind, aren't they?

I recently had one of my black belts give me his two week notice, open another school only a couple of miles away and took most of the students to come train with him. He even went on to steal a contract with a school district that we had been teaching at for over 6 years. Now granted we had an instructor's agreement with a non-complete clause, and I could probably win a law suit, although he couldn't pay the damages if I did.

But the point is, I would have never even considered doing that to one of my teachers. Over the last 40 years I have trained with the likes of Pat Burleson, Fred Absher, Jim Mather, Dan Smith and a host of others and I have been loyal to them from the first day I took them on as a teacher. They know if they needed something all they would need to do is pick up the phone and call.

In the 60's and 70's it was a great accomplishment just to enter a tournament and survive, now days people invent tournament wins and titles just to impress others. In the early days, anyone that earned a black belt was a person you could respect and had fortitude. I am not so sure that is true any more. What can we do today, to make sure that character and integrity are passed on to the next generation? I am not sure - maybe we will just have to wait and see.
To Your Success,

Terry Bryan

I've read some of Mr. Bryan's writings and they always make sense to me. I have the same sort of feelings he does about this subject. I've experienced the back-stabbing students both in Chicago and down here in Florida. I remember Ed Parker telling me flat out that he didn't really trust anyone since he had been ripped off by trusted people too often. His wife told me Mr. Parker was a soft touch and that she thought he placed his trust in the wrong people too easily. A lot of new guys don't know that Ed Parker lost 10 of 11 schools and almost lost his house way back when. He had a business manager for his chain of schools who took the tax money and ran, leaving Ed Parker to pay the IRS. There were other instances as well, but the end result was that he didn't trust too many people in his last years.
I am of the opinion that we're seeing more of this due to the cultural shift we've seen since the 80's. I've witnessed the changes as they are manifested in the classrooms of schools and karate studios. or any place they work with kids a lot. My dance teacher friend, CC, who is just a bit younger than I, sees the same things. In my conversations with school teachers, they agree as well.
Part of that shift is the change to a "no rules" or "extreme" this or that attitude. Young boys treat their female counterparts badly. The language is appalling. And they are committing violence on these girls of more frequency and intensity than ever before (read Grossman's book titled On Combat for more on that). Watch the home videos of these kids imitating the pro wrestlers and that Jackass stuff. No rules? No brains.
The bottom line is that some of the niceties that make us civilized are breaking down or evaporating. Therefore, we see stuff like disrespect for parents, guns in schools, and students taking advantage of their karate teachers.
Mr. Bryan's column hits one of my hot buttons, and I could go on. In fact, I will go on in a later blog. I'll address the disrespectful student for two reasons; 1) as a lesson for the next generation of instructors and 2) to vent.
Keep up the good work, Mr. Bryan.

A Four-Star pat on the back

I'm heavily involved with the Civil Air Patrol. If you're unfamiliar, it is an organization of about 60,000 volunteers throughout the United States dedicated to a three-pronged mission. The three aspects are Cadet programs, aerospace education, and Emergency Services/Disaster Relief.

I joined back in 2003, looking for a way to serve my country after 9-11 and finding that I was "too old" to be an air marshal. CAP fit the bill. Being an experienced pilot and flight instructor, I found they had use for someone like me to train and check pilots, and then some. I became a safety officer, then a deputy commander. Other duties included specializing in Flight Operations, Safety, and Standards and Evaluation. I was assigned as a Flight Release Officer, and Check Pilot (examiner). Along the way I took on the tasks of being the project officer for Pilot Proficiency Continuation training, Aircrew training, and lately, a cadet week-long ground school, scheduled for this summer. I see parallels to the martial arts experience in all this and it helps keep my perspective fresh.

Being the newbie a few years ago, I thought about how the white belt feels, coming to class in their pajamas and looking at all the variations in the uniforms. That one is white, that one black; and that person has a white top and black pants. What's that patch for? I was at a large conference, looking around the same way and thinking the same things. As I got deeper into the workings of the Florida Wing I saw how they train and provide opportunity to progress and learn in their specialties. All good stuff. It refreshed me.

I am a hands-on guy, and I like to facilitate growth. There is a unit in our group that needed some attention, and I spent a lot of time with these people. I saw the unit turn around; shakily, but turning. Like that yellow belt in the back row, you're not sure if they're going to stick but they do. And often enough they turn into something wonderful.

Along with that, they may or may not tell you what you did for them. Or they may tell you but you may not truly realize the profound impact you had on their life. When they do, it is very satisfying and memorable.

Just a few weeks ago, at our monthly Commander's Call (a meeting of the individual unit commanders and the group staff), that unit commander asked that he make a presentation. I was presented with a letter of appreciation from the commander and a photograph of the commander of USAF-TRANSCOM, a four-star general, signed to me. They roasted me just a bit as well, but it was good-natured and we all had a laugh. (I have a license plate frame on my car that says "Too close for missiles, I'm switching to guns." They said I go to guns fairly frequently. I've been called "The Hammer" by another unit, the one I originally started with, but they still call me one of their own.) But, as in Kenpo training, you have to be hard on them at times if you want them to achieve.

CAP does 90% of the inland search and rescue in the US. We're the people who look for lost people in the wilderness and overdue, missing or downed aircraft. There are CAP units all over and a directory is at www.cap.gov. Florida has a website at www.flwg.us.

Celebration seminars

We're not celebrating anything in particular. It's the name of the town we have the seminars in.

Celebration, FL is a unique town. It was originally conceived and designed by Disney, but the company does not have the ownership interest in it that they originally had.

I hold my seminars at the Celebration Hotel, in the downtown area. That's it in the photo.

Celebration is unique and I want my seminars to be unique as well. If you've read my website you'll know what I mean. If not, here goes. Most camps you go to are a mish-mash of instructors and subjects, and that's OK. But ask most people what they remember what was taught and they don't remember much. I believe the subject should be very focused and that you should have something tangible to work with afterward. At these seminars, and some of my outside seminars, I distribute notebooks and handouts. I believe it contributes a lot to the learning process and the overall martial arts experience.

One of the main precepts of the town of Celebration is one of getting to know your neighbor, somewhat of a lost art in our society. I've been to too many seminars in a room packed with people and you don't really know who they are. At my seminars, since they have a small-group construct, everyone takes some time and introduces themselves and what they do. Maybe, just maybe, one of those people in that group will make a huge difference in your life because you met them there.

We've had people from both Carolinas, New York, Louisiana, Indiana, Florida, and Georgia attend so far. One was a Navy rescue swimmer, another is a firefighter-paramedic, the organ transplant coordinator for the University of Chicago hospital was there. Then there are the school owners and instructors, all professionals. It's a diverse group.

There's a black belt named Gary Bell who drives down from North Carolina every month for this.

Oz Rivero flies down from the Chicago area. Many of the attendees come from Southwest Florida, Tampa, Lake City, and Tallahassee. I'm glad they feel it's worth the time and energy to participate. And they work while they're here with me, but they tell me the time flies. The room we work in is very nice, with doors opening out and overlooking the lake you see in the top photo. Probably good Feng Shui.

So, tomorrow morning Jan and I pack up the Jeep and the dog and off we go to Celebration.

It's a nice little town. Come and visit.

www.celebrationfl.us www.celebrationfl.com www.celebrationhotel.com

What an insult

Years ago, when I had my first studio in Palos Hills, IL, I had a man named Ed Maul working with me. Ed and I had studied in a Tracy's-type school in Evergreen Park, IL together. Ed had been a manager there and I was a floating instructor, going between that school and another in Oak Forest, IL.
Ed was a funny guy, unique. Ed was very intelligent and a good fighter. He was kind of quirky and easily impugned. It was from Ed that I got the title of this article.
One Monday he was teaching a class and several students had been to a tournament over the weekend. We were big on competition back then and in the Chicago and Tri State area there was no shortage of events to attend. It was not unusual for the guys to come in during the early week to show us their trophies. Most of the time we were there with them to compete ourselves or at least to back them up if they needed us in an arbitration situation.
It was not unusual for Ed to get his back up over seemingly small things. This day he rather suddenly went off about how insulted he was by the students and their performance. ?????
Most of them didn't get it. I was in the office and overheard this and went out to listen.
Ed was upset and here is what he said. " I don't understand how you guys can go out and do your best for an absolute stranger to get that piece of plastic, but when you come in here you don't put out near the effort. You know me, and I know you. I have put effort into you to teach you the best I know how. You don't return that effort with your own, but you go out and do it for someone you don't even know."
It was pretty quiet, as you might expect. I've thought about that over many years. I have seen numerous instances of it in my teaching career. I agree with Ed, although I'm not so vocal about it. Sure, there are times when I've reamed someone for being disrespectful. I've found that even if I do it nicely it's still perceived as a real chewing-out. Remember the phrase "Praise in public, criticize in private." if you have to do this.
There are old, traditional Chinese martial art teachers who say that students will break your heart. Agreed. This is a two-way operation. Consider that people say "I'm taking karate". The teachers say "I give lessons". It's give and take; a partnership. That said, I see how Ed felt, and I've experienced it. Parents go through this all the time. Think about that when you read that the Chinese term for a teacher is Sifu, "teacher, father". And Sensei is translated as "teacher, professor or one who has gone before."
If you are a teacher, know this will happen and try not to take it personally. This can be difficult if you have a passion for the art, teaching, and truly have a vested interest in your students. Once in a while one will break your heart.
If you are a student, know you may do this or be perceived as doing so. The solution is to give your best, even when you just don't feel like it. It is part of your obligation as a student. I think the attitude may be that the teacher is a babysitter, or a merely a paid employee. Not so, Grasshopper. this person can change your life. Show your appreciation by showing effort.
I could go on about this but I think I've made my point.

Gil Hibben

If you don't know Gil Hibben you are missing out. This is one cool guy. Gil is known for many reasons. The big ones are that he's one of the world's most renowned knife makers and he's a legacy in the Kenpo world. You may not know he can sing and that he can "play dem bones". I refer to Gil as the "philosopher king" of Kenpo. He's been an influence on me.
I first heard of Gil through one of my first Kenpo teachers, Mike Sanders. Gil was living in Alamagordo, NM at the time. I didn't actually meet Gil until the 1980 Internationals. I was walking poolside at the Vagabond motel when I heard a whispered "Sanders". It was Gil, upstairs on his rooms' balcony. He had said "Sanders" because Mike and I looked a lot alike, down to the build and beards. Lots of people said we could have been brothers. We were, as it turned out; Kenpo brothers. I think by then Gil had relocated and would eventually reach Louisville, KY not long after.
Gil and I continued to cross paths at IKC's and seminars. We became friends, triggered by our friendship with Mike, but cemented by like thinking. We share a lineage of coming from the Ed Parker line, too. Gil got his black from Mills Crenshaw, and he trained in that studio side by side with Sanders. Since Sanders certified me as a first black, I can say I come from the Crenshaw line as well. Crenshaw was one of Ed Parker's first guys in the Salt Lake area. I met him in 1978 when he was at the MARS Nationals with Mr. Parker. It was an experience to meet my teacher's teacher.
Gil made me two custom Ed Parker knives, Mark 2 versions. He's made me some other unique pieces as well and given me a prototype or two to fool with. This photo shows one of 10 Star Trek knives he made and a knife made from the steel of the Twin Towers in New York. I had 9-11-01 inscribed on the blade. It's scrimshawed with the firemen raising the flag on one side and the beams of light where the towers were on the other. I had him use the shape of a US Special Forces Vietnam-era fighting knife for it. The patch was from my black belt, Kurt Barnhart.

Gil's come to my camps, and we've had a drink of Makers Mark together from time to time. His wonderful wife, Linda, has always made me feel at home when I've stayed there for the old Birthday Bash weekends they have hosted. The Bash was started to celebrate both his and Huk Planas' birthdays over Labor Day weekend.
He's now the president of the Knifemakers Guild and you can find him at the big knife shows. You'll see his work on the covers of knife magazines. His work is used in movies, big stuff like Rambo III and one of the Star Trek movies.
I laugh because Gil calls me his instructor. It's an honor but it makes me laugh. I was 12 years old when he made black, that's why I laugh. I laugh too because I'm smiling and Gil makes me smile. He's a good old boy, and I don't see him enough. If you do, though, stop him and say hello for me.

European Journey

A few days ago I posted a question here about other books on Kenpo being worked on, a European version of The Journey in particular. Sweden's Ingmar Johansson sent me an e-mail saying that the book is due out this month. The book is by Martin Carey, of Ireland. Naturally, they went through the same arguments over there about who should be in it, just like we did. I had two different people tell me they were the ones directly responsible for my being included in the original book. They both said I was in, then out, and they got me back in. OK, I'm in and I thank them both. Hopefully, everyone will be pretty happy with this new book. The Europeans should have been in the first one, in my opinion, but at least now they have one and congratulations to them.

"Join LWKS"

I have opened a section on my website that's "members only". It's the "Join LWKS" tab way over on the right.There is a description of what's in there but let me expand on that a bit.
The more mundane function it will soon have is that membership will get you discounts on books and videos, even some seminars.
The meat of it is the articles. I have some information in there that I have not published elsewhere and don't intend to. I've been working on some of this stuff for years, and I have not seen the information anywhere else in Kenpo. The reaction so far is encouraging. The black belts that have given me feedback said it really got them thinking. And that's what Ed Parker wanted. Want to know about test questions hidden in the forms or how many types of breaks and why are in the original Orange belt techniques? It's in there.
I plan to put clips of Mr. Parker's voice describing things. These clips were taken from audio recording I made during my private lessons with him 25 years or more ago.
There is a Kenpo Instructor's Handbook in there. I've been working on that for a long time, too. I have released part of it to the site and will add to it as I round out chapters. Teaching tips, pedagogy, psychology, anatomy and physiology for instructors will be in there. I'd like to take contributions from teachers as well, so that we can share the technology of teaching kenpo. We have our specific drill that other systems don't, so we need to pass that on as well as the forms and techniques.
I'm hoping you'll enjoy it, find it useful in your practice or your teaching, and tell your fellow Kenpoists about it.
Keep the flame burning.

New Books

Kenpo Karate 401 is in production. I have not gotten any "we need to fix" messages from the printer. This is a Very Good Thing. I expect a blueline, a pre-publication copy, very soon. Several people have pre-ordered the book, and so should have it in their hands much sooner than when we did 301, which had lots of production problems.
My next one, on Form Five, is already written. Actually, Six is pretty much done too, but Five is all but done except for some minor editing. We're shooting pictures for Five in the next two weeks.
I have been told that there are a few people out there working on Kenpo books. There is supposed to be a European version of The Journey in the works. I haven't heard from anyone about that since I was told about it almost two years ago. Does anyone know how it's going?
New Hampshire's Don Mackay is working on something, and there's a young guy in Pennsylvania named Mike Miller whose got some ideas as well. Is there anything else out there?
I keep hearing the phrase "I'm (we are) going to write a book." What I think happens is that people find it's an awful lot of work and don't follow through.
I had a friend who had written and published two books. When I told her I was going to do it she actually huffed and said "Sure. Everyone is going to write a book." When I showed her the letter I had from Unique Publications that they were going to publish my book she started to believe me. In fact, she took my manuscript, formatted it, and generally did most of the layout work. If it hadn't been for April, I might still be telling people "I'm gonna write a book". More likely "Me write book", with a finger in my nose. Hey wait, I do that anyway.

Attitude of gratitude

I have had so many people do so many nice things for me over the years that I wouldn't know where to start. Strike that. I'd start with my Dad. But I want to take a minute to thank one of my students, Tom Fanelli.
Tom set up my www.leewedlake.com website. Nice look, better organized, more features - mostly his thinking. He is a sharp guy and does the "solution" thing professionally.
I'm teaching Tom and he's a pleasure to work with. Good questions, motivated, and we're knocking the rust off his skills. I'm looking forward to making a pretty capable black belt out of him.
What Tom has done for me is an integral part of how I make my living today, and I can't thank him enough. But I can start with this; Thanks again, Tom!

I have Ed Parker's belt

Years ago I received a phone call from Steve White, one of my long-time students in New Hampshire. I had introduced Steve to Huk Planas back in the mid-80’s and Steve alternately brought the two of us out to his school to teach over the years. Steve called because he was curious to know about the belt I had been given that had belonged to Ed Parker. I honestly did not know what he was talking about. He said Huk had told him that when he passed his belt down to me it was a belt Ed Parker had passed to him. Naturally, I called Huk and asked him which belt it was, as Huk had passed me his fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth degree black belts. I knew it was not the eighth since it was brand new and Huk had moved to that rank after Mr. Parker passed away. It had to be one of the remaining three. I was disappointed to hear Huk tell me he didn’t know which one it was. So yes, I have it, but no, I don’t know which one it is.

In 1997 or 1998 I held a weekend camp in Ft. Myers. Ed Parker, Jr. was present and told me he had something for me. In the presence of Steve White, Dr. Len Brassard, and Jim Lowell, he gave me one of his father’s gi tops. (See it below.) Ed said there were a few people that he felt deserved to have a personal item from his father. His action meant a lot to me. I have that gi top in a plastic case with one of the belts I was given by Huk. One can see Huk had written his name on the red rank tab. I am fortunate to have the jacket and belt of two of the best teachers I have ever had. When I told a friend of mine, who is a yoga teacher, about the gift of the gi top, she immediately broke into tears. She was very aware of the significance of Ed’s gesture. Most students of the arts will appreciate what the passing of the belt means, as well.

I was passed my third and fourth degree belts by Frank Trejo. That, too, was a tremendous honor. He is a legend in the Kenpo world and like a brother to me.

Funny to say but Ed Parker had Ed Parker’s belt, too. Ed Jr. took one of his father’s belts and cut it into one-inch pieces. He included each piece with a portrait he had done of his father. They’re all signed and numbered. He thought it would be a nice way for many to have a little piece of the man who affected so many lives around the world.

Ed Parker Sr. had more than one tenth degree belts. Those belts were manufactured in Japan. For a time, in the early 80’s, Jim Mitchell had gotten our unique belts made in Japan. As you know, we have the stripe and “brick” system of marking. I’ve seen people in other systems take that method over the years but I believe Mr. Parker was the first to use it, if not create it. Old photos of him show the traditional ranks indicated by numerous stripes and then the new method. The belts Mitchell had made had the rank sewn right in instead of tape or fabric being applied on top.

After Mr. Parker passed, his wife, Leilani, told me she had two of his belts. She said Jim Mitchell, who is said to live now in Missouri, does indeed have one of Ed Parker’s tenth degree belts. She told me that he came to the house, asked for one of the belts, and she gave it to him. That alone doesn’t make him a tenth, any more than my having his gi top makes me Ed Parker. I’m not slamming anyone, I just want to be clear to new students that having the rank is not the same a being the rank. I’ll never be Ed Parker and I don’t want to. I’m not his size or strength, we thought alike but not identically, and I’m pretty sure I would not have created a system like his. He was unique. I just want to be able to pass on the genius of Ed Parker and create black belts better than I; students with open minds, good ethics and morals. This system won’t die - not on my watch.

Peace,
Lee Wedlake

The photo above of Mr. Parker was taken by one of my high school friends, Brad Crooks, at his father’s photo studio in Palos Heights, IL. Brad was also responsible for the photos taken of me doing the forms that were turned into line drawings by Ed Parker Jr, and added to Volume Five of Infinite Insights into Kenpo. Brad’s photographs were also used extensively for most of my magazine articles. He and his wife Jeanine live in Parker, CO.

Progressive Kenpo Systems

I have been going to Europe since the 80's, when Ed Parker asked me if I'd like to accompany him on a seminar visit to the Channel Islands, off the coast of France but which are a part of the United Kingdom.

It was there I met Graham Lelliott, Rainer Schulte, Roy MacDonald, Eddie Downey, Lorcan Carey, Gary Ellis, and many others who are still practicing and teaching. I had actually met Rainer and Gary back in 1982 at the Pasadena school at Internationals time but it was just in passing.

I've seen the European scene change, with associations being born and others dying, and tournaments and camps springing up. But Kenpo is a pretty strong system in Europe, although divided in terms of who belongs to what group. Regardless, they stay connected with the U.S. and there even developed a trend of bringing European instructors to the States for seminars.That's an example of opposite and reverse! And I say, good!

I struck me that one European instructor said to me "You are the only American to come over here and not try to tell us how it's done". And it was at one of the Swedish camps that a group of us gathered in the backyard of Ingmar Johansson's home to discuss techniques and nobody tried to tell the other guy he was wrong although almost everyone did the techniques differently. It was great.

As time went by and some of these same people fell out of whatever association they were in, it was decided to group ourselves by lineage instead of association. Graham Lelliott, Gary Ellis, Ingmar Johansson, and myself aligned ourselves as the PKS. "Progressive" because we all do things differently and have valuable components to add to the training to keep ourselves and the system from becoming stagnant. "Kenpo" because we have not altered the original concepts and principles and still teach the Parker "System". We added the "s" to system because it's plural, and it indicates the variety of ways we do the same system, which would be a "style", according to Mr. Parker.

It is not an association you can send money to and join. You cannot be designated as a state, region, or national representative. You must be in our lineage, and you must be training. You cannot receive a PKS diploma, because they don't exist. Your certification come from your teacher, not from an association. Your teacher's certificate may have a PKS logo on it but it is not issued by the PKS, it is issued by the person who taught you, the one you gave your loyalty and trust to.

My website, http://www.leewedlake.com/, has a list of PKS schools and clubs in the US. I will expand it to include overseas clubs as well. I am the senior advisor to the PKS. All the other instructors in the PKS are downline from me.

See Gary Ellis's website, http://www.progressivekenposystems.com/ as well. And a thank you to England's Phil Buck for designing the PKS "corporate" logo, the one with the Universal Pattern.

Ambidexterity

I have come across several instructors who have taken the "second side" out of a technique, saying they did not see much use for it. That bothers me a little.
Scraping Hoof comes to mind. In more than one instance they have told me they teach it with just the right foot kicks and leave it at that. In case you're unfamiliar with the technique, it has both a right and left leg kick sequence in the standard technique. The left side seems redundant, so they delete it.
I don't agree. While 95% of the people on this earth are right handed, there are lefties. By taking the left side out we are not helping the left-side dominant students. OK, so what? It's a right-handed world and they have to deal with that, they say. That's true to an extent. But what about the fact that your brain defaults to the strong side under stress? Wouldn't the left-handed student tend to want to counter with their left? But, under this program, they have not been trained to use their left, only their right. Tough luck.
For argument, let's throw that premise out. What if the right-handed person could not use their right for some reason? Injury maybe. Or just out of position. Is it not possible they might have to use the left? Too bad again. They were not trained to use it.
Ed Parker told us to work the techniques both sides. "You might only get 2 or 3% better but it's 2 or 3% you didn't have when you started" he'd say. To do some techniques like that you have to run the whole opposite side, which we did. Others had the ambidexterity built in, like Scraping Hoof.
It's true that we are a right-sided system. Most of our stuff is done with and for the right side. Some work either way, like for a two-hand grab. Lefties seem to get great benefit in having to learn to defend against the right-handed world. Many of my best fighters were left-handed, and I attribute it to that.
My last point is that if you take something out and it gets passed down in that modified version, we lose information. As I've said before - don't mess with the standards. Teach the standard, tell your student how you like to do it (without the left kicks in this example), and have them demonstrate both ways. They are bound to come up with another way to do it that suits them anyway, if they're around long enough. But don't cut on the system, it just gets watered down.
That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.