In 2013 my wife and I met Master Munk, and I started my Kenpo journey. Most of my life I have been athletic but I was not ready for the mental and spiritual education I was about to receive. As a child I always wanted to learn the martial arts, but what discipline? A close friend of ours was learning Kenpo and from time to time she would tell me about the things she was doing. The more I heard the more interested I became and so did my wife. After meeting Master Munk and talking with him about Kenpo we decided this is the martial art for us.
Meeting Master Munk and starting Kenpo was one of the most pivotal moments in my life. I grew up in a big family, fighting a lot with my brothers, getting into scuffs as you do growing up, and as an adult I was even a bouncer in a bar for a time; to say the least I got into some fights there as well. Master Munk was honest and forthcoming with what was expected of me as a student and a martial artist. One of the things I love about Kenpo is the way Master Munk teaches you individually, but at the same time teaching anyone in the room who is willing to learn. He takes the time to teach you your technique and then we fine tune the technique. Master Munk also on more than one occasion will re-teach the technique for those of us who just seem to have a mental block for the ones we don't like.
I am currently working on my Shodan, one of the toughest things I have ever done, reviewing my old techniques and katas. It's interesting to see the difference in how I do techniques now, compared to the way I first learned them. Master Munk has told us that this is the progression of Kenpo and we are truly learning to use Kenpo. This will help in the development of learning our techniques more deeply, so someday we can teach them to our own students. The things I have learned in Kenpo not only teach me self defense, but also how to deal with unexpected things in life in general. Kenpo has changed my life, and is one of the best things I have ever done for myself. Would I do it again if I had the chance? Yes, the only regret is not doing this earlier in life.
Brian Moodispaugh, 2014, 1st Degree Brown Belt