celtictigerforce

Hapkido, Kumdo, Kukkiwon Taekwondo, Fencing; foil and epee.

In the seventies, I studied Tang Soo Do through Thomkins Karate, then studied taekwondo through Jhoon Rhee Taekwondo in Kensington. I studied in the eighties at Jae Kim's Karate in Rockville.

I currently study Kukkiwon taekwondo, hapkido, and kumdo (kendo with a Korean master) at Korean Martial Arts, Inc. in Gaithersburg. Our kumdo cirriculum is fairly comprehensive, with both traditional kendo style sparring, kenjutsu, and iaito.

I am interested, but unpracticed, in Bataireacht, the art of Irish stick fighting.

Korean Martial Arts inc.
16021 Industrial Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877
(301) 620-7171

Grandmaster Hee Wk Kim; hapkido gudan, kumdo gudan, Kukkiwon taekwondo yukdan.
Master Choi; ohdan kumdo
Master Lee; ohdan hapkido, sadan taekwondo
Master Debra; sadan taekwondo, ohdan hapkido
Mister Sullivan; Yidan kumdo, Ildan taekwondo
2007-2008 Master Yeo; sadan Kukkiwon taekwondo

For the past four years, I have studied under Grandmaster Hee Wk Kim. Master Kim holds a sixth dan in taekwondo, ninth dan in hapkido and ninth dan in kumdo. He is the 1992 Korean national taekwondo champion, a former military hapkido instructor for the South Korean special army. He is a fine master, a supurb martial artist, and a man of great character.

I have also study with Master Choi, a fifth dan kendoka and 6th dan Mudukwon. Master Choi has been my kendo instructor along with Master Kim and is one of the finest masters I have ever known.

Through June, our assistant taekwondo instructor, Master Yeo, 4th dan Kukkiwon, also instructed me. Though he will still come by to train occasionally, his studies and regular job have taken him away from regular teaching.

Martial arts instructor: Kumdo instructor at Korean Martial Arts, Gaithersburg MD since August 2007. Taekwondo instructor; childrens' class since December 2008.

2008-
Taekwondo instructor (childrens' class) 12-05
Hapkido 6th kyu 11-21
Assistant taekwondo instructor 11-01
First KMA Unity Taekwondo Tournament: 3rd in forms, 2nd sparring in my division, 3rd overall 10-18
First KMA Unity Kumdo tournament; second in my division, second overall 10-11
Ildan WTF/Kukkiwon Taekwondo 09-18
Made kumdo and demonstration team on 04-19

2007-
Kumdo instructor 08-01
Second USKKF open tournament: 3rd place kyorugi, 2nd place hyung 04-2007
Began WTF/Kukkiwon style taekwondo 03-2007

2006-
First USKKF open tournament: 4th place kyorugi, 3rd place hyung 2006-04
Yidan kumdo 2006-02-24

2005-
Ildan kumdo 2005-02-25

Immediate goals: Sam dan Kumdo, Il dan hapkido.

Longterm goals: Instruct taekwondo, open my own dojang.

Raising my kids is my number one activity. After that, martial arts: kendo/kumdo, taekwondo, hapkido, fencing, Taekwondo.net (http://www.taekwondo.net/forum/index.php), TKDspace.com, video games, tabletop gaming, cycling.

I have strong interests in scripture study, cars, RPG games, the Titanic, martial arts, martial arts history, sword history, Gaelic studies, and all kinds of music.

Classical, neoclassical metal, blues, classic rock, Celtic music, traditional Irish music, rockabilly, and a smattering of jazz and country.

The Human Weapon, Smallville, The Master (cheesey, I know), Kung Fu, Amercian Gladiators, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (my guilty pleasure)

Star Wars (all of them). Pirates of the Caribbean (all of them), The Last Samurai, Showdown in Little Tokyo, The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (a guilty pleasure, I know), Titanic, Superman: The Movie, Superman II, Superman Returns, Batman Begins, Ironman, Speed Racer, Indiana Jones (all of them), Eraser, Fists of fury, Game of Death, The Mummy, The Mummy returns, Ironman, Forbidden Kingdom

The Bible, The Purpose Driven Life; by Rick Warren, The Secrets of Taekwondo; by Jennifer Lawler, the Ultmate Guide to Taekwondo, The Philosophy of Taekwondo, The heart of Kendo, The way of Kendo and Kenjitsu; by Darrel max Craig, Hapkido; by Robert Spear, Skill in technique; Bruce Lee, Taekwondo: The State of the Art; Whang

"Are you sure?", "Never give up, never surrender", "Practice doesn't make perfect; practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect."

I am a martial arts instructor, teaching kumdo and taekwondo. I train in kumdo, taekwondo and hapkido. I also have an interest in sport fencing and European broadsword styles. I am a single parent in a relationship, raising two fantastic sons, both of whom also share an interest in martial arts.