"Ben has a sincere and generous heart that makes him an incredible role model for any human being. If you are looking for a role model for yourself or your child, you will not find another person with more commitment, sincerity, integrity, and discipline. I have traveled all over the world and trained with all sorts of instructors and each of them has taught me something I value, but not one of them was better than Ben. Out of respect for my other teachers, my wife and my family, I won't say that I owe it all to Ben but I will say that if he makes a tiny fraction of the difference in your life that he has made in mine (and many of his other students), I guarantee you will not regret a day of your decision to join his school."

--Jonathan Metcalf, 4th Degree Black Belt Student & Martial Arts Teacher

Contact Us

(860) 665-7553

102 Pane Road, Newington

Directions To This Location

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About the Teachers

Benjamin Thomas

Sensei Benjamin Thomas, co-founder of Kempokan Martial Arts has been continuously training in martial arts since 1985. Some career highlights include:

He began training in Westborough, MA at a local school and achieved his Black Belt in 1992.
In 1989, he co-founded the Wesleyan Kempo Club while a student at Wesleyan University, which generated several life-long martial arts practitioners and teachers.
In late 1993, he opened his first school in Glastonbury, CT and during his tenure there successfully trained over 100 students to Black Belt level and beyond.
In 2003, he opened Kempokan Martial Arts of Newington in order to develop new training methods to help empower students in all areas of their lives.
In 2009, he achieved a mastery level of 5th Degree Black Belt in Kempo.
He has studied a variety of martial arts styles, including kempo, taekwondo, several types of kungfu, and taichi.
He has competed in kempo, taekwondo, and kungfu tournaments.
He has co-created and managed several tournaments.
He has created new programs and curricula designed to positively reinforce the good things students do, both in and out of the school.
He has presented many seminars at various educational institutions around the state.

Currently, he continues his training in kungfu and taichi.

Kelsey Hale

Kelsey Hale earned her Second Degree Black Belt in August of 2007 and has been studying Kempo since 1998. She has been assisting and teaching since 2007 at the Kempokan. She enjoys working with children of all ages and studying different weapon styles.

Kelsey is currently a full time student at the University of Connecticut, working on her Undergraduate Degree in Psychology. In her free time she also enjoys horseback riding and snowboarding.

Brian Paul

Brian Paul has been studying Martial Arts at the Kempokan since age 12. He started at the Newington school in September of 2003. He has been teaching since September 2006 and is a Second Degree black belt. In addition to his regular training, Brian has learned several weapons, including: fan, staff, spear and broadsword. He was a part of the Performance Team at the Kempokan, and still performs fight scenes and synchronized forms with Sensei Kelsey.

An honors graduate from Berlin High School (Class of '09), Brian has taken up Computer Engineering Technology as his major at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). He plays the drum set in a band, likes music, karate, video games, art, fishing, hiking, swimming, biking, camping and hanging out with his friends.

Matthew Buttafuoco

Matthew Buttafuoco has been studying martial arts at the Kempokan for more than ten years. Currently, he attends Cromwell High School. He assists with children's classes and is working hard towards his second degree Black Belt.