A bit belated, but some questions came up on my background. My background: I had a bit of informal training as a teen and as a soldier but I started my formal training with Bob and Phil Gray in WTF TKD (after trying out some other local schools). Phil focused a lot on the Olympic sparring side and Bob focused a lot on self defence. His interest in self defence led him to Combat Hapkido and GM Pellegrini. After trying out the system and seminars for a while, he chartered up and became a student of Combat Hapkido. As his student I was exposed to a lot of Combat Hapkido and served as his training partner for quite a while, but I didn’t rank up at all. Before I could test for TKD 1st dan (I was 1st geup), I had an offer to go to Korean and teach English in the public schools. I was interested in the adventure, the teaching experience, the chance to see the “home” of TKD, and especially I wanted to see more of “Hapkido”, something I had been interested in since Billy Jack and since learning Combat Hapkido. I ended up staying in Korea for 4 years (1997-2001) and having a blast teaching and training. In Korea, the local police captain introduced me to the local Hapkido (Moo Moo Kwan) bigwig and I started classes. The school was not for me and I moved on to a new school that opened up near my apartment under the leadership of Master Choi Hyeon-kyu. He evaluated me and placed me in his intensive cadre-building course with his senior students. We trained in (GM Myung Jae-nam’s IHF) Hapkido and Hankido, although I didn’t focus on the Hankido and never ranked in it. I also learned Korea Guard’s Martial Arts (대한민국경호협회 충효종합 무술관) in conjunction with Hapkido and earned my 1st dan in it. Basically it is like Hapkido for bodyguards (sort of like Tuk Kong Moo Sool). I really loved training with Master Choi and the other schools he took us around to. I also danned up in TKD later on in Korea. I returned to New York and found Bob Gray running a great TKD and Combat Hapkido program at Clarkson University and I hopped back in to train (and later instruct). I spent about 3 years helping out as assistant instructor and later as full instructor. The ICHF recognized my dan rank in Hapkido (with a “reconciled” designation) and I spent the next few years getting the formal curriculum in order. The similarities to the Hapkido I learned are very close, but there a lot of order differences and subtle differences that had to be learned. Also there were some different techniques between the styles, but not much conceptually. In November 2004, we opened up our own school and have been doing well ever since. The school is fairly small but offer classes Mon-Fri (5:30-9) in Taekwondo and Combat Hapkido. We operate basically on earning enough money to keep the school open and maintained, not for profit. My main responsibilities are as instructor and in curriculum review and coordination. I also do one-on-one training with a severely disabled guy. In my non-training time, I work full time as a public school history teacher. The last few years have been good as far as having lots of opportunities to attend seminars (Combat Hapkido and otherwise) and loads of clinics and training sessions with top people in various arts. I love Hapkido, Combat Hapkido, and TKD and see a place in my soul for all of them. My ranks: -3rd dan WTF and ITA Taekwondo - 3rd dan Combat Hapkido (under GM John Pelligrini) - 2nd dan Hanminjok Hapkido Association (GM In Sun Seo’s) - 2nd dan International Hapkido Federation (GM Myung Jae-nam’s) - 1st dan Korea Guard’s Martial Arts (under GM Ki Sang Kim) My MAP journal has a lot of entries (at least 120) if you are interested in the nuts and bolts of what I do and my MAP photo gallery has lots of pictures. Feel free to ask me anything you’d like!
update Wow - it's been a while since I updated this. I have been promoted as follows: 3rd Dan Hanminjok Hapkido - 2006 4th dan ITA Taekwondo - 2007 4th dan WTF Taekwondo (Kukkiwon) - 2007 4th Dan Combat Hapkido - 2009
Here's a comprehensive update with dates of ranks and such up to the present time. Hapkido/Combat Hapkido Combat Hapkido 5th dan - tested in 2013, certificate not issued yet) -Combat Hapkido 4th dan - 2009 -Hanminjok Hapkido 3rd dan - 2006 -Combat Hapkido 3rd dan - 2005 -Hanminjok Hapkido 2nd dan - 2004 -Combat Hapkido 2nd dan (R) - 2003 -IHF Hapkido 2nd dan - 1999 -IHF Hapkido 1st dan - 1998 -Korea Guards Martial Arts 1st dan - 1998 Taekwondo ITA 5th dan - 2012 ITA 4th dan - 2007 ITA 3rd dan - 2003 KKW 4th dan - 2007 KKW 3rd dan - 2004 KTA/KKW 2nd dan - 2001 KTA/KKW 1st dan - 2000
Thomas, thats some great info on one of MAP's most respected posters! Congrats on the promotions also.
