The art of Kenpo (Way of the Fist) can be traced back to the Yoshida clan in 13th century Japan. Most historians agree that it was originally brought from China, where Shaolin monks trained in the art of Chuan Fa (Chinese for Kenpo). The Yoshida Clan of Japan modified and adapted the art according to Japanese needs. As usual, they also kept their art within the family. It was not until the 1940s that a Yoshida descendent, James Mitose, brought the art to Hawaii where he taught a select few who were not part of his family. 

Today, nearly every Kenpo stylist outside of Japan can trace their lineage back to Mitose through one of the few black belts he awarded during his lifetime, one of which was William Chow. One of Chow's students, Ed Parker, would introduce Kenpo to the mainland United States and become known as the Father of American Kenpo.

Ed Parker was born and raised in Hawaii. With previous experience in Judo and boxing, he was immediately interested in the Japanese art. Sometime in the 1940s, he was introduced to William Chow, one of the select few to earn a black belt directly from James Mitose. Ed Parker became a devoted student of Chow and was awarded his black belt in 1953. Ed Parker later moved to the United States where he began sharing the art of Kenpo with Americans.

While Parker was trained in traditional Kenpo, it was his ability to innovate that would set him apart for the rest of his life. Drawing on his experience on the streets of Hawaii and his experience with other arts, Parker's innovations and adaptations distinguished American Kenpo from other forms of self defense. Parker Kenpo, or American Kenpo as it is more commonly known, became known for its explosive strikes and dynamic techniques. American Kenpo continued to spread across the United States and much of the western world, until Ed Parker passed away of a sudden heart attack in 1990. Today, nearly a hundred different Kenpo associations have emerged, all tracing their lineage back to Ed Parker. Many of these associations continue to innovate, while others work very hard to teach Kenpo as it was taught at the time of Parker's untimely death.

One of Parker's earliest black belts was Glenn Kukahiko, who grew up in Hawaii. In addition to Kenpo, Kukahiko had boxed for years and also held a black belt in Judo. Years later, Kukahiko would welcome Brent Ungerman to the Kenpo family. Brent Ungerman was an experienced wrestler and like Kukahiko, had trained as a boxer. Ungerman earned black belts in several styles, and was later awarded his Kenpo black belt by Kukahiko. Ungerman's and Kukahiko's experience in boxing, judo, wrestling, and other martial arts gave them a unique perspective on self-defense. They emphasized using what worked, and recognized the importance of grappling even before it was popular to do so. More than a decade before mixed martial arts became a household name, and while others were allowing only point and non-contact sparring, they were training their students in contact sparring, without time limits, allowing takedowns and throws, and emphasizing practicality over tradition. The philosophies of Kukahiko and Ungerman spawned a very special branch of the Kenpo lineage. One that combines the respect and honor of traditional martial arts with the practicality and innovation of MMA.

Jared Emfield began training with Ungerman in the early 1980s, when he was only eight years old. By the time he was 16, Emfield had received his first black belt and was competing around the western United States as a member of Ungerman's competition team. Experiences with larger, stronger opponents and well trained grapplers led Emfield to conclude that many of the techniques and training methods used in traditional Kenpo were either outdated or impractical, especially when it came to fighting on the ground. Being frustrated with the limitations of traditionalized Kenpo, and the rivalries that developed within Kenpo after Parker's death, Emfield set out to fill in the gaps with the full support of his instructor.

Building on the foundation that was passed on to him, Emfield spent 15 years training in the grappling arts, including Judo and Jiu-Jitsu and earned a Master's Degree with an emphasis in the biomechanics of ancient combat. The knowledge he gained in body mechanics, leverage, and most importantly honor, continue to shape the art he teaches today. The result is Shijian Kenpo, a system of self defense that is efficient, effective, and that helps students become better people both on and off the mats. The name Shijian means to make effective, and the art speaks for itself. A Shijian practitioner is comfortable using anything from strikes, to throws, to submissions to protect themselves, their families, or others.