Kajukenbo?

So they claim to be super effective street fighters but only allow 3 seconds on the ground? Seems like they're missing some important aspects of fighting.

Greetings:

I won't claim to be a Kajukenbo spokesman, but I'd like to address the questions/comments. I've trained in Kaju since the late '70s, and teach it today. Hopefully I won't come across as over-sensitive or insecure.

That said, some of the comments and questions are very fair -- especially if someone only has the Fight Quest episode as a go-by. Kajukenbo is a hybrid art and inherently variable in its nature. Factor in the several different "methods" and "branches", and the appearance can be wildly variable. What's seen in FQ is but one aspect. And while some of it may have come across as brawling and undisciplined, there are aspects of Kaju that are very traditional, disciplined and highly effective.

As traditional arts go, we're still young (only 60+ years old). So we're still maturing and trying to grow.

Be glad to discuss.

RB

@SpaceChomp

I would agree with your first paragraph. Initially, our art was geared less for grappling/ground fighting and more for defending against punches, grabs, chokes, sticks or knives. But let's be honest; the Gracies were crafting their brand of jiu jitsu at the same time that our pioneers were in Hawaii crafting Kajukenbo. So it's not like the ground techniques weren't available. Still, it was about defending one's self in the streets.

As to the "ju" part of Kajukenbo, well ... better late than never. Many practitioners have finally realized how important this aspect is. In my school, the vast majority of my punch defenses and grab defenses make use of a takedown AND control of at least one attacking limb. We have a set number of throws and counter-throws that students must know. As well, there are some Kajukenbo schools that are more judo/jiu jitsu than anything else. Our co-founder Joe Holck (born Joichi Matsuno) has a Danzan-ryu lineage all his own.

For defense on the ground, many of our schools have incorporated either BJJ concepts or provide a BJJ curriculum. I make sure that my students are able to, at the very least, escape full mounts, side mounts and headlocks while on the ground.

While I agree that there's no art that is "street ready" for all scenarios, Kajukenbo comes pretty close.