Why join Leeds Kempo?
- Learn practical self-defence skills quickly, suitable for men and women of all ages
- Build strength and cardiovascular fitness as a natural byproduct of regular training
- Improve agility, coordination, joint mobility and flexibility
- Develop perseverance and resilience
- Experience the camaraderie of a traditional martial arts club.
What is Kempo?
- Kempo, meaning “fist method”, is a self-defence martial art. It is an ancestor of modern Karate with origins in Chinese martial arts.
- Kempo is primarily an unarmed fighting art, combining strikes, throws and finishing holds such as joint locks and strangulation techniques
- Kempo emphasises in-fighting techniques, making use of close-range weapons such as elbows and knees
- Kempo blends linear and circular movements, sometimes opposing force directly (hard style) and at other times yielding to it to gain an advantage (soft style)
- Kempo is not only a self-defence method but a way for men and women of all ages to maintain health and wellbeing at any age.
Modern Self-Defence Curriculum
Most traditional martial arts schools devote too little time to self-defence training. At Leeds Kempo we enjoy the many benefits of our traditional techniques and training methods but we also understand the importance of delivering a relevant self-defence programme. Our self-defence curriculum includes:
- defence against common street attacks such as head butts and other close-range strikes;
- escapes from arm grabs, holds and chokes;
- weapons defence, including against bats, bottles and knives;
- defence from vulnerable ground positions.
About Leeds Kempo
Leeds Kempo traces its roots in Leeds back to 1936, making it one of the region’s longest established martial arts clubs. Throughout this long history the Club’s focus has been on self-defence and self-development rather than combat sport. We train a variety of movements (including strikes, throws, joint locks and chokes) mostly as a response to sudden attack in a self-defence situation, including against weapons.
At Leeds Kempo we believe in martial art as a means of self-defence and self-development.
Peter Hunt, 7th Dan
Location: Leeds Kodokan
We train at the superbly equipped Leeds Kodokan in Bramley.
Training Schedule
| Mondays | 7:00-8:30pm |
| Wednesdays | 7:00-8:30pm |
| Saturdays | BY INVITATION ONLY |
Free Two-Week Trial
Come and train with us for two weeks, free of charge, and see what you think.
Peter Hunt, 7th Dan, showing a defence against a shoulder grab.