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Sorry to contradict a few answers here, but I have been involved with a Kempo style since 1967. First there are at least a dozen different Kempo and Kenpo styles that I'm aware of. As for what system is the oldest in the U.S.A. someone said Ed Parkers Kenpo........ Well it may or may not be the first Kenpo or Kempo style taught in the U.S.A. what I know for sure is it is not the oldest style of these arts taught in the U.S.A. The style that I originally studied is a very rare, basically never heard of style that started in China as far back as the early 1300's. The style moved to Korea in the 1600's, Japan in the 1950's, then to the U.S.A. In the 1960's it was being taught in a good number of Dojo in the U.S.A. And to clear something else up that is often stated incorrectly Our Kempo style has no connections with any of the other well known Kempo or Kenpo styles.

Last I must also clear up the eused of the spelling Kenpo and Kempo. I keep hearing people say that they are the same thing just spelled differently. That is jot the case at all. In the 1960's I asked the same question. I was told that one spelling was used for styles that came from China and the other for styles that came from Japan. In general the Japanese will call these styles of style by Kenpo. In Okinawa you may hear some of them called Kempo and others called Kenpo. But they are not referring to the same style. Both Kempo and Kenpo styles do share one thing. All of them were originally complete arts in that they taught everything necessary to deal with any situation. Striking, kicking, joint locks, throws, grappling on the ground, ....etc. If you trace the history of many Karate styles you may find that some of them were called Kenpo or Kempo at one time in the past.

All styles of martial, arts are effective if they are taught as self-defense not sport. So each class/school must be examined for what it is teaching and how it goes about it.

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I've taken American Kenpo Karate the last 4 years and think its great. My instructors are 4th and 6th degree black belts near Chicago. They keep in contact with their instructor in California regularly. I started taking it cause I've been mugged twice. My instructors teach us constantly to be aware of our enviroment, which is a big part of American Kenpo. That being said I have no desire to compete or prove myself fighting. I am very confident if situations like a mugging arise again I can defend myself and get out of the situation. A couple other students compete in amatuer mma competions and say they rarely use Amercan Kenpo techniques in need in the ring. They have said when they've been in street/bar fights American Kenpo has proven to be the most effective in ending those confrontations.

Kenpo karate, like all other reputable fighting arts is only as good as the instructor teaching it, and the student who is learning it. Some students learn slowly and require a lot more practice than others to go from belt to belt. Other students are "naturals" who learn quickly and easily. Most kenpo systems have some very dangerous throat strikes and eye gouges, so you better be able to explain to the police why you hurt somebody if you ever have to use kenpo defensively.

There is no magic pill that you get just showing up to any school, regardless of the name on the door. If you have a good instructor and train hard, any martial art can be good for self defense. The trick is, you need to find the Kenpo school near you and check out the instructor. If he's good, then you're OK. If he's bad, it doesn't matter.

Actually it is very effective (nearly all martial arts are). But if you're talking street life or death street fight than I recommend Shaolin kung fu, Jeet kun do, Krav Maga, Jujutsu. You can also try Muay thai, Kickboxing, Boxing (one of the best ones, don't underestimate it), Sanshou, MMA, Vale Tudo, Shooto and other karate styles (kenpo karate is not really a 100% real karate style, it's more of a hybrid).

@ Petite Fantome Aime:

As a Kajukenbo ( Filipino interpretation of Kenpo Karate ) practitioner I must respectfully make some corrections. American Kenpo Karate was not created by Prof William K.S. Chow in 1949. American Kenpo Karate was created by SGM Ed Parker during the mid 1960`s.

Sensei Choki Motobu taught Okinawan Kenpo to Prof James Mitose in Hawaii. Prof Mitose renamed it Kenpo Jujitsu. Prof Mitose trained Prof Chow. Prof Chow renamed the art Kenpo Karate. Prof Chow`s protege was Sijo Adriano Emperado. SGM Parker received training from Prof Chow`s group. SGM Parker was trained by Prof Chow, Sijo Emperado and one other Kajukenbo instructor that I cannot publicly name because it is not supposed to be part of SGM Parker`s history. Sijo Emperado told me this information directly. Sijo Emperado eventually co-founded Kajukenbo, which is a Filipino Hawaiian hybrid martial art with Kenpo Karate as its roots.

The early Kenpo Karate that SGM Parker taught resembled Kajukenbo a lot. SGM Parker wanted to do his own thing, so he created a new art, American Kenpo Karate.

As for it`s effectiveness, if it is hardcore, it is effective, if it is a McDojo, it is not effective.

I have never trained in Kenpo, but I have heard it renowned as one of the more "street effective" martial arts that a person can practice. I hope this helps somewhat.

Kenpo/Kempo is a very broad term. all true karate styles may be correctly called kenpo/kempo.

It is as effective as the combination of student/teacher make it.

Just like everything else, it matters greatly who is doing it for it's effectiveness.

Mr. Ed Parker system of American Kenpo Karate or what...???

American Kenpo Karate is the oldest style of Kenpo being taught in the United States. It was created in 1949 by William K. S. Chow and taught by his student, Ed Parker, from 1956 to 1961; and, taught by the Tracy brothers from 1962 to the present. In early 1962 Ed Parker changed both the style he taught and renamed his new style "Chinese Kenpo"....