Tae Kwon Do
Tae Kwon Do is the modern derivation of older Korean martial arts. It means " the study of kicks and punches". As such, no weapons are used. Being partially based on the tiger, it is strong, fast and powerful - a "hard" martial art. A hard form of the martial arts that uses direct, straight-line techniques.
In 1894, Japan took over Korea and exposed the Koreans to Japanese martial arts while banning their native martial arts including taekyon (a descendant of subak). In 1945, after the Second World War, the Japanese occupation of Korea ended. The ban on native martial arts was lifted and exiled Koreans returned bringing back with them the martial arts that they had studied in other countries. The quick, straight-line movements that characterize the various Japanese martial arts thus influenced Korean martial arts.
Master Son, a champion adolescent boxer, began martial arts training in the early 1940's and eventually had schools all over South Korea. As Grandmaster of the Chung Do Kwan, he instructed the South Korean and American Armed Forces stationed there. He is literally the "Father of Tae Kwon Do". Tae Kwon Do was introduced in the United States by Master Son and other practitioners whose modifications created many sub styles removed from Master Son's traditional teaching.
At this time, Master Son was teaching Tae Kwon Do to novice policemen and with his growing reputation he became the original chief instructor of Tae Kwon Do for the Republic of Korea's Army and Military Academy. In 1955 an effort was made by the various Kwan's to have some sort of National Unity in the Korean Martial Arts. Master Son was directly responsible for searching out and popularizing the original name of Tae Kwon Do.
Grand Master Duk Sung Son
In the early 1960's Master Son moved to the U.S. to begin teaching Tae Kwon Do, and forming the World Tae Kwon Do Association with its headquarters' in New York City. It continues under his personal direction in hundreds of schools in this country and others. Major cities, small towns and notable universities such as Brown, Columbia University , Harvard, Cornell, Fordham University, New York University, Princeton, Yale, and West Point Military Academy have hosted his classes. The schools are usually non-commercial and conform to his quietly strong philosophy. As President of the Association, it is he who performs all black belt testing during regional visits. Master Son personally teaches all classes at headquarters', and in Poughkipsee.
Other Masters that have trained under Grand Master Duk Sung Son are: Master Jack Emmel 6th Dan- Isle of Palms, SC; Master Rico Dos Anjos 6th Dan- New York, NY; Master Ralph Rubino 6th Dan-Austin, Texas; Master Ron Geoffrion 6th Dan-Los Alamos, NM; Master Jim Cahill 6th Dan-Cranford, New Jersey.
