My Empty Hands

Martial arts legend, actress, and stunt woman…the one and only Karen Sheperd!

Host Reggie Darden welcomes guest Robert Stein to discuss his extensive martial arts journey, focusing on Kempo, cross-training, competition, and the importance of solid fundamentals. Episode Highlights Robert Stein’s Martial Arts Journey Initial Inspiration: Robert Stein shares that his martial arts interest began in Long Island, New York, inspired by seeing David Carradine in the TV series Kung Fu [02:32]. A Delayed Start: He was prevented from starting as a child due to parental objections concerning finances and the potential danger of misuse, finally starting around age 20 when he could pay for lessons himself [03:42]. Kempo Training: His initial training was in a system related to the Valari style, a “cousin” of American Kempo. His journey into American Kempo began after meeting Ed Parker black belt, Steve Walsh [05:23]. The Black Belt: After about six years, he earned his first black belt, though the curriculum was initially a blend of American Kempo, Tracy, and Vari material [06:15]. He now follows the curriculum as it was written in 1989 [06:47]. Kempo Principles, Cross-Training, and MMA The Language of Kempo: Mr. Stein stresses the value of Kempo terminology as the technical “language” gifted by Mr. Parker, allowing practitioners to discuss, analyze, and gain a deeper understanding of the art [08:17]. UFC’s Impact: The rise of the UFC and fighters like Royce Gracie led him to critically examine Kempo’s perceived standing as the “premier street fighting art” [12:43]. The Kempo Mindset: He cross-trained in Judo, Muay Thai, and submission wrestling, but always sought to incorporate the new knowledge into his existing Kempo framework, comparing it to finding the relationship between Latin and Italian [14:15]. Host Reggie Darden agrees, noting that applying the Kempo mindset has improved his own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training [16:45]. Kempo as Logic: Reggie shares that Ed Parker once said if he didn’t call the system Kempo, he would have called it Logic [18:46]. Fundamentals and Competition Learning to Fall: Both agree that learning how to fall correctly (Ukemi) is a crucial safety measure and “insurance policy” that should be taught from the first day of training, not just to upper belts [19:10]. The Power of Basics: Mr. Stein recounts winning a black belt heavyweight division at a Jeff Speakman event at age 57. He attributes his victory not to daily sparring, but to the solid basics and stability provided by his strong Kempo stances, which allowed him to successfully stuff a takedown attempt and apply a counter-guillotine [28:20]. Lightning Round Favorite Techniques: Taming the Mace – He likes its use of the environment (the wall) and its conversion of a standing fight into a grappling situation [44:24]. Locking Horns – He shares a story of successfully using a modified version of this technique to escape a front headlock in a bar fight [45:36]. Favorite Forms/Sets: Kicking Set – Praised as a great full-body workout that teaches more than just kicks, focusing on center line and proper stance transitions [47:25]. Long Form 1 – A foundational form that teaches explosiveness and power generation, which he uses as a core strength-building basic [48:12]. Dream Training Partners: Chuck Norris, Chuck Sullivan, and Mike Pic [50:52]. Plug and Contact Seminar Promotion: Robert Stein encourages listeners to attend a seminar featuring Master Sean Kelly and Larry Kika in Palm Coast, Florida on Saturday, the 22nd [52:28].

Host: Reggie Darden Guest: Frank Soto, Master of American Kenpo Karate and Police Instructor, host of Coffee and Martial Arts In this episode of My Empty Hands, host Reggie Darden sits down with Master Frank Soto to discuss his extensive journey through martial arts, from his early days in Korean Karate to becoming a Black Belt under Grandmaster Larry Tatum and developing his own Kempo thesis, Kinetica. Episode Highlights Host’s Background [01:06:00]: Reggie Darden shares his start in Chinese Kempo (Tracy’s curriculum) in the mid-90s, inspired by The Perfect Weapon, and his cross-training in arts like Capoeira, Hapkido, and Taekwondo. Frank Soto’s Beginnings in Martial Arts [02:50:00]: Frank discusses starting martial arts in ’84 and Kempo in ’94, driven by his childhood hero, Caine from the Kung Fu TV series [04:29:00]. The Path to Kempo [06:05:00]: Originally practicing a Korean style (Tang Soo Do/Hwarangdo), Frank felt the need to use his hands more and was introduced to Kempo, which eventually led him to train directly with Grandmaster Larry Tatum in Pasadena [03:16:00]. Life Under Larry Tatum [17:43:00]: Frank describes the intense training at the Pasadena studio, including an agreement to receive a weekly private lesson from Mr. Tatum in exchange for studio management. He recounts training with high-level practitioners like William Glenn and Michael Bagwell [18:20:00]. Opening a Dojo and Kinetica [28:54:00]: Frank details the success of opening his first commercial dojo in ’98. He discusses his later involvement with police instruction [30:51:00] and the creation of his Kempo thesis, Kinetica. Kempo’s ‘Shades of Gray’ [33:50:00]: Frank explains that Kinetica moves beyond Kempo’s traditional “peace mode” or “war mode” (black and white thinking). His system incorporates the “Use of Force” principles (legality, proportionality, etc.) to give the civilian practitioner more options than just “go to jail or die” [38:00:00]. The Effectiveness of Kempo [41:15:00]: Frank argues that the art of Kempo is highly effective for battle and survival. He asserts that any perceived ineffectiveness is due to a lack of proper training or technique on the student’s part, not a flaw in the art itself. Coffee and Martial Arts [46:02:00]: Frank talks about how his personal podcast started during the 2020 lockdown, eventually becoming a platform where he interviewed major martial artists, including Bill Wallace and UFC champion Alexa Grasso. Lightning Round Favorites Favorite Technique: Thunder Hammers [53:30:00] Favorite Form/Set: Form 5 and Striking Set [54:01:00] Favorite Weapon: Kempo Clubs (Sticks) [54:27:00] Historical Figure to Train With (besides Ed Parker): Sean Katsu [55:20:00] Where to Find Frank Soto Frank encourages listeners to connect with him through his show Coffee and Martial Arts and on social media using the name “Master Frank.” He also mentions his upcoming book project, Kempo Origins, which delves into the previously untold history and origins of the art [56:03:00].

Brandon Searles

World champion competitor and actor, Keith Cooke. ⁠linktr.ee/keithcookestudio