The School

 


About Master Georgion

Master Thomas Georgion was raised in Southern California, and as a youth he took every advantage of the ideal weather conditions in the San Diego area. From playing army in the canyons around his home to playing football at the neighborhood park, sports and outdoor games were a way of life.

As Master Georgion grew older the emphasis changed to cross country running and surfing. Competing in local surfing events and lettering in high school cross-country running completed his high school years. These were also the early years for television in the San Diego area, Master Georgion and all the neighborhood kids would get together at each other’s homes to watch Wednesday night wrestling.

As he grew older he and the kids would imitate the martial arts moves from television and the movies. "Lloyd Bridges did a jujitsu move on the deck of his boat in full gear, fins and all and it was cool!" he says with a boyish grin, " We all had to try that one." "For the most part that was the extent of our training. Back in the late 50’s and early 60’s Martial Arts schools as well as qualified instructors were at a premium."

After three years in college, Master Georgion was drafted into the army as a light arms infantry soldier, or foot soldier. After basic and advanced basic training in Northern California he was sent to the republic of Vietnam for a years’ tour of duty. "I didn’t want to go because of the times. I knew I would be going to Vietnam and fighting a war.

It was 1968 and it was an unpopular war. I wanted to stay home and surf." In the republic of Vietnam Master Georgion trained and went into smaller and smaller groups, ending is Reconnaissance and scouts. He learned to rely upon himself and his team for survival. He received several medals including the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, and Air Medal with clusters.

After his two year commitment to his country, he returned to San Diego to take up his life again. He returned to his job in the airlines industry and began his Martial Arts training in earnest. Master Georgion enrolled as a student of Jan Sumara, a Black Belt instructor under the renowned Kajukenpo co-founder Master Adriano D. Emperado, but after a year of training with Sensei Sumara, conflicting schedule changes at work and home forced Master Georgion to discontinue his training.

Undaunted, Master Georgion took full advantage of his next opportunity and began training with Master Parker Linekin, a student of Brian Adams who was a notable student of American Kenpos’ Grand Master Edmund K. Parker ( the father of American Kenpo).

As a student of Master Linekins’ Master Georgion trained in the basic levels the first year and then began training as an instructor, warming up group classes and eventually teaching full classes of all underbelt levels. After six years of teaching and training under Master Linekin he earned his Black Belt and became a full time instructor.

For the next six years Master Georgion continued to train, advancing to third degree and becoming Master Linekin’s chief instructor. During this time Master Georgion also cross trained in Tai Chi, Escrima, Wing Chun and Chin Na, as well as guns and knives. Master Georgion also did night club shows, half time entertainment for major sporting events and demonstrations with the studio throughout the San Diego area. Mr. Linekin joined World Kenpo Karate association founded by Master Jim Mitchell, a noted Edmund Parker Black Belt. Master Jim Mitchell trained privately under Master Parker for over ten years, completely studying and analyzing the system piece by piece.

Master Parker was a genius of motion, imparting a genuine need for detail and knowledge to Master Mitchell. Master Mitchell has developed a large part of that knowledge and detail which he regularly imparts to his students. Master Georgion has been training with Master Mitchell for the past fifteen years. Ten years ago Master Mitchell had the opportunity to move out of the San Diego area giving Master Georgion the opportunity to purchase Master Mitchell’s studio. For the next thirteen years he has owned his own studio, AACTION KENPO KARATE of Escondido California.

About this time the Aaction Kenpo Karate Studios and the World Kenpo Karate Association was dispanded by Mr. Mitchell as he himself pusued his own growth within the Martial Arts.  At the same time Master Georgion's new teacher was revealed to him. As Master Georgion continued his training with Si-Gung Antwoine Alferos and joining Si-Gung's family. Master Georgion and Si-Gung Antwoine co-founded the Whipping Willow Association to Promote the growth of the Martial Arts under the guidance of Senior Advisor Ming Lum.

Through their training together Si-Gung acknowledges Si-Bok Tom (Georgion) as his Senior Disciple in the Whipping Willow Fist Family.

Si-Bok Tom was promoted to the rank of Eighth Degree Blackbelt in Kenpo Karate in May of 2005.   He is the Tiger of the Whipping Willow Association as well as the Senior Student of Si-Gung Antwoine Alferos, Whipping Willow Fist Family

Prokenpo Martial Arts focuses on the complete development of its practitioners. Master Georgion teaches pee wee through adult black belt classes. Classes are tailored to fit the needs of the students, whether beginning, advanced, group, or private. Putting more or less emphasis on particular areas of the art that interest his students, Master Georgion teaches forms, sets, self-defense techniques, tournament competition and practical, effective street defense. Kenpo is taught without compromising its integrity. Master Georgion takes pride in determining the students area of expertise and developing him to his fullest. Master Georgion has been judging tournaments in the San Diego, Los Angeles, Nevada and Arizona area for the last twenty years.

He continues his involvement in the tournament area of the Martial Arts into the next century with his up and coming Tenth Annual San Diego Grand International Tournament. It will be held at the San Diego Sports Arena, please see the attached web link for all tournament details.

"My Martial Arts was a natural flow from childhood into my later years, from the beginning stages of training to where I am today.
 

 


Class Schedules

Prokenpo Martial Arts
1040-D E. Valley Pkwy
Escondido, CA 92025

Directions

From San Diego: Take I-15 North. Exit on VALLEY PARKWAY towards DOWNTOWN. Turn RIGHT onto WEST VALLEY PKWY. It will turn into WEST GRAND AVE. W GRAND AVE becomes W 2ND AVE. Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto VALLEY BLVD. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto E VALLEY PKWY. 

From North County Coastal: Take 78 East. Follow on Lincoln to Ash ST, turn right. Go to Valley Parkway, turn right. School is one block down on the right side of the street. 

 


What is Kenpo Karate

Part self defense...part sport...part exercise...part ritual - this is the intriguing complexity of KARATE. It is the oldest and most devastating form of self - protection without weapons that man has ever developed ; yet, it is relatively new and obscure to the Western world. In more modern times KARATE has taken on the aspects of a major sport. And it is this unique combination of defensive and sporting techniques that has created a wave of enthusiasm throughout the United States. In 1956 there were only two instructors. Today, between three hundred-four hundred schools, concentrated principally on the East and West Coasts, are teaching this fascinating skill.

Through centuries of Oriental development and refinement, physical blows, punches, and kicks have been perfected to a high art form. Karate teaches how to down an opponent through highly-skilled coordination and manipulation of hands, feet, knees, and elbow. Maneuvers by an expert karateist are swift, precise, and powerful.

It is a paradox in our age of mass nuclear annihilation that the average Occidental knows so little about his own self-protection when threatened by everyday occurrences. Yet, the need for it is made apparent by every daily newspaper and the steadily-rising crime rate all over the world. A study of Karate will give him this indispensable knowledge.

Size and sex are no barriers. A woman can master the Karate art of self-protection as effectively as a man, and live free of fear. A man of slight build can down a stronger opponent, or combat several at a time.

The study of Karate is so recent in the United States that the occasional "brown belt" or "black belt" wearer commands envy and admiration of his community, not to mention the respect of paid his unique physical and mental abilities. For a master of Karate techniques has the power to split a brick in half with one blow of his bare hand... and can disarm or overwhelm an opponent in a fraction of a second. But his mastery is not confined to physical feats. Mental conditioning is a vital part of Karate training. Techniques for concentration and alertness help the karateist to develop his visual and auditory range to an extraordinary power of sensitivity, so that he perceives the approach of danger before it strikes.

Training is how to fall and how to avoid injury during practice or actual combat are essential parts of the study. The additional rewards in body conditioning and healthful exercise are equally valuable.

In training and as a sport, the practice of Karate is accompanied by a ritual of centuries-old formalities that precede lessons, demonstrations, and practice sessions. These symbolize the mutual respect with which karateists regard each other and their art.

Although modern Karate is Japanese in character, its origin recedes so far into history that the exact date and country are uncertain. fragmentary records indicate it may have been practiced in some form by the ancient Egyptians, or even 5,000 years ago in the Orient. More recent history dates from around the third to sixth centuries.

The progression of development appears to have been from India into China, with several great men of different centuries given the credit, then adopted by the Okinawans from the Chinese more than five hundred years ago. In Okinawa its techniques were developed and guarded in great secrecy until this century when two experts introduced Karate into Japan in 1916 as a sport, not a martial art. By 1923, it had begun to undergo many changes from Chinese characteristics and meaning. Chinese Karate originated as Kenpo, meaning "fist law," but later to the Japanese meaning of "empty hands."

One of the prime objectives of Karate is the development of spiritual attitudes that lead to humility and self-restraint. As the creed indicates, a knowledge of Karate is for the preservation of human rights. It is not intended to be used aggressively, or misused for selfish or cruel purposes. To do so, the karateist would dishonor himself and his people.