KENPOIST
TEACHER
CREATOR
A Life Dedicated to American Kenpo
Joe Palanzo devoted his life to the study, practice, and teaching of American Kenpo Karate. A direct student and first-generation black belt of Ed Parker, he represented a generation of martial artists who helped shape the art during its formative years and carry it forward.
For more than five decades, Joe taught not for recognition, but out of a sense of responsibility—to the art, to his students, and to the generations that would follow.
Lineage and Defining Moment
Joe Palanzo met Ed Parker in 1964. At the time, Joe had already been studying karate for couple years and was enrolled at the Peabody Conservatory, preparing for a career in music.
That first meeting included a four-hour semi-private seminar with Parker. Watching how Parker moved, how he explained motion, structure, and purpose, and how the system fit together completely changed Joe’s understanding of Kenpo.
In that moment, Joe knew that studying and teaching Kenpo was what he wanted to do.
He went on to graduate from Peabody, served in the Vietnam War, and shortly thereafter opened his first Kenpo Karate school. From that point forward, his life’s work was clear.
Teaching and School Leadership
Joe Palanzo operated multiple martial arts schools in the Baltimore area for more than 50 years, teaching thousands of students and guiding many to black belt and beyond.
Early on, when karate mostly attracted adults, Joe believed that children are the future of martial arts—not just as students, but as future role models, instructors, and leaders. He was one of the first to teach kids as young as four and took the time to adapt the adult curriculum so it made sense for young learners. Long before youth programs became common, his school offered structured, age-appropriate training that helped shape today’s children’s martial arts programs. His forward-thinking approach even extended beyond class, with the creation of a karate birthday party—making martial arts more fun, accessible, and family-friendly.
He was equally committed to supporting other instructors and school owners, helping countless schools establish, grow, and sustain their programs through mentorship, guidance, and shared experience.
Teaching was not a phase of his career—it was the foundation of everything that followed.
Carrying the System Forward
In 1970, Joe opened the only East Coast Ed Parker’s Kenpo Karate studio in Pikesville, MD establishing a direct extension of Parker’s system beyond the West Coast.
From the 1970s onward, he played a significant role in spreading American Kenpo across the East Coast. During this period, Ed Parker referred East Coast black belt students to study under Joe Palanzo, recognizing him as a trusted representative of the system.
Leadership, Rank & Recognition
Joe Palanzo’s growth in American Kenpo came from being close to the source of the system and taking real responsibility for his own development and leadership.
Living on the East Coast in the 1970s, Joe traveled frequently to California to train directly with Ed Parker. As his school in Pikesville grew and teaching responsibilities expanded, regular cross-country travel became increasingly difficult.
Rather than allowing distance to limit his progress, Joe adopted an unconventional approach for the time. He recorded himself teaching classes, practicing techniques, and demonstrating material on 8mm film, which he sent to Parker for review. Parker evaluated the footage, provided corrections, and offered guidance—ensuring continued accountability and growth within the system.
This ongoing exchange became one of the earliest forms of distance learning in Kenpo and reflected Ed Parker’s trust in Joe Palanzo’s understanding of the system. That trust grew into a close relationship that extended well beyond the mat. Joe and Parker spoke regularly, sharing ideas about Kenpo and the business of running schools. Joe routinely hosted Parker seminars and, alongside Parker, held the first International Kenpo Karate Association Instructors Camp at his school in Pikesville, Maryland. Parker ultimately promoted Joe Palanzo to 7th Degree Black Belt—the highest rank he awarded any of his students—and appointed him Vice President of the IKKA, a role Joe held until Parker’s passing.
Worldwide Kenpo Karate Association
In 1992, Joe Palanzo helped form the Worldwide Kenpo Karate Association (WKKA) alongside first-generation practitioners including Huk Planas, Frank Trejo, and Tom Kelly.
At a time when access to learning the American Kenpo system was limited, Joe Palanzo’s deep understanding of the art made him widely sought out by instructors and black belts seeking authentic guidance.
Throughout the 1990s, the WKKA grew rapidly, expanding to more than 250 Kenpo schools worldwide. The organization provided structure, recognition, and continuity while preserving the integrity of American Kenpo.
The Kenpo Trust
In 2023, Joe Palanzo established The Kenpo Trust as a way to formally recognize those who had contributed meaningfully to the study, teaching, and preservation of American Kenpo.
Formed during a period of reflection, the Trust began with a private gathering of senior students and long-time practitioners. Each individual was honored with a certificate symbolizing their role within the broader Kenpo community.
As part of this recognition, Joe chose to share a portion of his 8th Degree Black Belt—the first rank he earned following the passing of Ed Parker. The belt was divided into individual sections and mounted on each certificate, representing shared responsibility, unity, and continuity within the art.
The Kenpo Trust was created not as an endpoint, but as a beginning. Its purpose is to acknowledge contribution across lineages, honor the past, support the present, and encourage future generations to approach American Kenpo with respect, openness, and shared stewardship.
Joe Palanzo approached American Kenpo as both a system and a responsibility. His contributions reflect a commitment to preserving the art while supporting those entrusted to carry it forward.
