American Kenpo Karate (or Kenpo Karate) is a system of martial arts created by Ed Parker, characterized by the use of quick moves in rapid-fire succession intended to overwhelm an opponent. It was primarily developed by Parker as a self-defense system, and is derived from traditional Southern Chinese kung fu and other martial arts found in the cultural melting pot of Hawaii. Parker introduced significant modifications in his art, including principles, theories, and concepts of motion as well as terminology.

Parker revised older karate methods to work in modern day fighting scenarios, and heavily restructured American Kenpo's forms and techniques. He moved away from methods that were recognizably descended from other arts and established a more definitive relationship between forms and the self-defense technique curriculum of American Kenpo. Parker also moved away from esoteric Eastern concepts and sought to express the art in terms of scientific principles and western metaphors.

Parker took his art through continual changes — and he always suggested that once a student learns the lesson embodied in the "ideal phase" of the technique he should search for some aspect that can be tailored to his own personal needs and strengths.