Transform Your Mind and Body for Living

Who We Are

At Los Gatos Kenpo Karate, we have been dedicated to teaching students the art of self-defense and martial arts since 1973. As one of the oldest and most respected martial arts schools in the area, we take pride in our mission to foster personal growth, discipline, and self-awareness in our students.

What is Kenpo Karate?

We often get asked what Kenpo Karate is. Simply put, it's not about breaking bricks or chopping boards in two with our hands. Instead, we focus on teaching self-defense techniques, instilling confidence, and infusing a healthy dose of common sense. Our students learn how to harness the power of proper breathing techniques to help them navigate life's challenges, from business presentations to traffic jams. You won't find our students on TV fighting in a cage, but you will find them in boardrooms, labs, classrooms, and local markets. At Los Gatos Kenpo Karate, we believe that martial arts training helps individuals develop their mind and body for living.

Our Unique Approach

At our dojo, we place an emphasis on controlling the mind, body, and spirit. Our students come from all walks of life, from CEOs and doctors to engineers and elementary students. They come to learn martial arts and discover that the techniques can be applied to their daily lives. Our students understand and value comprehensive martial arts training that combines both "Martial" (combat) and "Arts" (aesthetics of mind and body) for a complete martial artist. This is just one reason why Los Gatos Kenpo Karate has been teaching martial arts since 1973.

Sensei Arioto

Mr. Richard Arioto, our Sensei, has been operating the Los Gatos Kenpo Karate Studio for over thirty years. He provides outstanding instruction using a variety of teaching methods. His personal studies began in the early 1960s. Sensei Arioto has earned the prestigious rank of 7th DAN black Belt, certified by the American Kenpo Karate Organization. He delivers high-quality instruction by customizing to the specific needs of each student, rather than forcing students into a particular teaching method. This approach has yielded outstanding results for students ranging in age from 6 to 76. Sensei Arioto personally welcomes all new students.

A Short History of Kenpo Karate

Kenpo is the first true American karate. Kenpo has a long history and draws from both Japanese and Chinese martial arts dating back 800 years. It began with "Empty Hands" - a series of 18 hand movements taught to the Shaolin monks in the Hunan Province in China. These hand movements are still relevant and taught today. In the 1940s, Kenpo came to America through Hawaii. That's where William Chow synthesized the Japanese kosho-ryu jui-jitsu of his teacher James Mitose with the Chinese fighting style of his father. Chow taught Kenpo karate to many students. One of his students was Ed Parker, who is credited with bringing Kenpo to the US mainland. In 1963, Mr. Parker published a book titled The Secrets of Chinese Karate. The book, along with Mr. Parker's exhibition of Kenpo martial arts, fueled interest and popularity. Kenpo is a very practical martial art based on real-world application. It provides a very thorough and readily applied system for self-defense by targeting the body's vital areas through kicks, punches, and grappling. Additionally, it greatly aids in personal development for everyday life.

Student Testimonials

Our students come from all walks of life. We are proud to showcase a few of our students, Bob, Steve, and Rick, who have all achieved black belts in Kenpo Karate.