SeishinDo Karate
From Martial Arts Encyclopedia Wiki
Name: SeishinDo Karate
Also Know as:
Seishindo - 1979-1984
Seishindo Kenpo Karate - 1979-1984
Seishindo Kenpo - 1984 - present
Country of Origin: USA
Creator: Frank Argelander
aka: Frank Landers
Lineage: Mitose/Chow
Notable Students: Woody Strode, Erik Estrada, Dana MacKay
HomePage: SeishinDo Karate
Seishindo Karate - One of four original ways used to describe the newly developing martial art ideas by Frank Argelander (Aka Frank Landers) beginning in 1979 through 1984. Since SeishinDo Karate was in its infancy of development, Argelander viewed SeishinDo Karate as simply a name to represent his Style of movement he was doing at the time. This combination of kicking skills, from his Taekwondo training, blended with the lighting hand skills of Kenpo Karate, gave Argelander a well balanced set of tools in which to build upon.
Because of Argelanders training in Taekwondo, he did not move like the typical Kenpo Karate stylist at the time. Therefore, how Argelander viewed the Concepts, Principles and Ideas of both Taekwondo and Kenpo Karate, would reflect itself in his developing style or movements. Argelander would find harmony between the two systems, applying the strengths of each, and taking both systems weaknesses and applying concepts, principles and ideas based on experience and an understanding of how each bit of action becomes relative to our original action. This new approach would allow Argelanders not to look at a kick as a kick or a punch as punch but rather how to choose the correct natural weapon in each situation and why adaptability becomes so important on how we view an on coming attack.
Argelander was able to eventually take his style of SeishinDo Karate and develop it into a sophisticated System called Seishindo Kenpo.
In addition, Argelanders early exposure, training with other black belts in different styles gave him valued insights to fundamental questions about what really works in a practical situation. No more "Meths" or "Legends", or conjured up stories about Secret and Dark Street and Masters that can walk on water, or break 4" concrete slabs with a punch. "When Pure Knuckles meet Pure Flesh, that's Pure Kenpo" all the rest just makes for good story telling. Adriano Emperado once was quoted, when asked; How did you break that concrete? Emperado replayed; Make sure your concrete is prepared properly.
Kenpoist would often think Argelander was doing Kenpo when they saw him move, until he began kicking. Then they assumed he was a Taekwondo practitioner trying to do Kenpo. In those days unlike today, mixed martial arts was not excepted as main stream. Schools that would list different martial arts styles being taught under the same instructor, would be look down upon. Now today many of the same critics of the past, are claiming today to be the original Mix Martial Arts of today.
Argelanders fighting skills would adapt to the situation enabling him to fight his Style. Adaptability became one of the core principles of the Seishindo Kenpo System, keeping Argelander asking "why do we do what we do when we do it, and can we do it better, a different way?" What value is there in old ideas? When does an idea become Old? We must find better ways to adapt as the Mind becomes sharper and wiser.
In the early 60's Chuck Norris came on the tournament seen and introduced the Spinning Back Kick to a stunned crowed, not to mention the fighter on the receiving end. This kick would hurled Norris into the championships position. Chuck Norris had a secret weapon, something no one else was doing at the time. Today however you will see orange and blue belt level student executing this kick at tournaments.
"As fast as new ways become useful, that way becomes old and predicable by nature" ~ Frank Landers
Alternate Name Used:
Seishindo - SeishinDo Karate - Seishindo Karate - Seishindo Kenpo Karate - 1979-1984
Seishindo Kenpo - 1984 to present
Contents |
Naming The System
Frank Argelander - 1978
Although representing the Ed Parker Kenpo Karate system during this time period, Argelander was beginning to seek answers to unanswered questions. A new path was beginning to merge from old ideas, and new material was being develop for advance training ideas.
Seishindo? What does it mean? and why Seishindo? As Argelander began to develop his new training methods, that employed the merging of Taekwondo and Kenpo Karate's Natural Weapon together, Argelander would introduce new concepts, principles and ideas of how these two system work in harmony. These concepts of physical movements, balanced together with the understanding of our own self awareness, is the completeness, or whole that every student needs, to achieve that level of completeness in their action, or way; Seishindo, "Way of the Mind"; to find the center or core, of life's force itself.
Since there is Japanese influence in the Kenpo System lineage, Argelander choose to have the words "Way of the Mind" translated into Japanese. Since Kenpo originally came from the Japanese pronunciation as Kempo with an "m", it would make since to use the Japaneses definition for "Way of the Mind", giving harmony in the name.
(Note: It was consider to drop the "n" and use the "m" but out of respect to Argelanders instructors and his lineage to Kenpo Karate with an "n" the way James M. Mitose originally would used it, Argelander decided against it, and Kenpo would remain with an "n".)
Argelander, like others, used the name Karate, because of it's general universal acceptance to represent all martial arts during that time period. Ed Parker would originally name his new art Kenpo Karate, and then later change it to Chinese Kenpo Karate, and finally Kenpo, for the same reason.
(1979, Frank Argelander becomes know as Frank Landers):
From 1979 - 1980, Frank "Argelander" Landers when speaking about his training methods would use either, SeishinDo Karate, or just sometimes simply Seishindo to describe his martial arts ideas he was developing. It would be in 1980 that Landers would leave the past and set out a new path forward; SeishinDo Kenpo Karate, and then in 1984, drop the Karate and the system became Seishindo Kenpo, the art we practice today.
In 1981 The Seishindo Kenpo Karate Association was assembled and sanctioned, but the uses of SeishinDo Karate without "Kenpo" continued on until 1984 with its listing in the Who's Who in American Martial Arts edition as; Frank Landers Seishindo Karate. This reluctance to fully embrace Seishindo Kenpo was because Kenpo was still coming of age, even Ed Parker was still using Karate to describe his art Kenpo Karate at that time. In that same year, Frank Landers would author the Seishindo Kenpo Karate Association Handbook, setting forth rules and by-laws of the Association.
In 1984, the Seishindo Kenpo Karate Associations governing body would vote to drop Karate from it's title, and would now reflect the change as; Seishindo Kenpo System and the Seishindo Kenpo Association.
In 1984 Mr. Landers would authored a book on his new developing system of Seishindo Kenpo; vol. 1 Cerebral Awakening, and Vol. 2 Fundamental Awareness: compiled from his earlier notes.
The following year, 1985, Mr. Landers would introduce his work on Concepts Principles and Ideas in Vol.3 Encyclopedia of Kenpo, a teacher's guide.
(Note: Some of Argelanders former students around the USA have found their own paths and continued using the name SeishinDo Karate or SeishinDo Kenpo Karate. These are interdependent and unaffiliated with the Seishindo Kenpo Association as established and set fourth in 1984. SeishinDo Karate was a Style, Frank Argelander started developing in 1979, and would eventuality end up as Seishindo Kenpo a developing set of thoughts and movements that reflected Argelanders merging of Taekwondo and Kenpo Karate together.
In 1979 their was no uses of the name Seishindo, or Seishindo Karate in the USA martial arts community as a system. Argelander would travel to Japanese Town in Los Angles California, and meet with an old gentleman who would translate the meaning of "Way of the Mind" as; Seishindo. (Seishin: 精神 せいしん mind; soul; heart; spirit; intention), (Do: 道 どう The Way), together "Seishindo"). "Seishin", when joined with (Kenpo 拳法 けんぽう Chinese art of self-defense, "Fist Law"), became a sophisticated form of self-protection encompassing advance concepts, principles and ideas of movements, Argelander would refer to as his developing art form or Style.)
('Additional Note:' There is another school that claims to be "Seishin-Do Karate" and claim to have started there style in 1986. They put a line between Seishin and Do as an attempt to uses an established name, as it was recorded in the Who's Who in American Martial Arts edition of 1984, as "Frank Landers Seishindo Karate". They are in no way affiliated with "Frank "Argelander" Landers" or the SeishinDo Karate, Seishindo Kenpo Karate, Seishindo or Seishindo Kenpo Style/systems, and have never trained with anyone affiliated with Senior Grandmaster of Seishindo Kenpo, Frank Landers.)
Seishin "Do" -vs- "do"
When the system was first being developed the "D" in Do was capitalized, just to be different. In 1984 when Karate was dropped, so was the capitol "D" and replaced with a small "d" - Seishindo Kenpo. Although the "d" was no longer capitalized, it would be often used both ways. Some of the older students would continued using the "D" this way out of habit.
Whether the "D" is capitalized or not, does not change the inherent strengths of the Seishindo Kenpo system. A name is only a "Title", in witch to represent, what it is we do. Seishindo Kenpo, represents our way; "Way of the Mind and Law of the Fist".
Notable Students
Martial Artist
Actors
Entertainer
Frank Argelanders humble apology to the art of ~ KARATE ~
Argelander, like many others would use the name Karate, because of it's general universal acceptance to represent all martial arts during the time period of 1970's and earlier. Ed Parker would originally name his new art Kenpo Karate, for the same reason.
Frank "Argelander" Landers
Founder:
Seishindo -1979-1984
SeishinDo Karate - 1979-1984
Seishindo Kenpo - 1984 to present
Karate - is a great and historical martial art system, with many great practitioners, and its name should be only used by those martial artist who follow it's traditons and discipline as set forth by it's founders.
Sincerely, Honorable Senior Grandmaster Seishindo Kenpo, Frank Landers (aka Frank Argelander)
References
- Seishindo Kenpo: (Landers, Frank (1985). Frank Landers Seishindo Kenpo, vol.3: Encyclopedia of Knowledge, a teachers guide. Facta Publications).
- Seishindo Karate: (1984-85 Edition - Who's Who in American Martial Arts, page 9 Listing Frank Landers Seishindo Karate, Dale Brooks, Publisher)
- Adriano Emperado: (June 1987 - Martial Arts Magazine, Cover Story)
- Pure Knuckles: (Parker, ED. 1982 Ed Parkers Infinite Insights into Kenpo, Delsby Publications ISBN 0910293007)
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