The 31st International Hapkido & KMA Clinic in Jackson, Mississippi

Date: September 11th thru 13th , 2009
Location: Jackson Hilton, 1001 East County Line Road, Jackson, MS
Seminar Fee: $100 At The Door
Payment: Personal Checks, Made Payable to J.R. West
Info: West's HapKiDo Academy (601)856-8487 or seminar@hapkido.com

The USKMAF will hold their 31st International Hapkido and KMA Seminar again at the beautiful Jackson Hilton Hotel. GM J. R. West, Korea Kido Association, 9th Dan #89 will be your host. GM West has recently been named by the Dae Han KidoHwe as Vice President in charge of Hapkido for the USA, and was recently honored in Korea for his forty years of teaching Hapkido.

Among Visiting Instructors should be:
Master Holcombe Thomas, 7th Dan Korea Hapkido Federation
Master Hal Whalen, 7th Dan Korea Hapkido Federation
Master Ray Terry, 6th Dan Sin Moo Hapkido

Areas To Be Covered:
• Empty-Hand Self-Defense
• Weapons Techniques
• Breathing And Ki Techniques
• Advanced Techniques
• And Much More…..

Seminar Schedule:
Friday, September 11 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 pm. - 2 sessions
Saturday, September 12 9:00 a.m. - 7:15 pm. - 7 sessions
Sunday, September 13 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 pm. - 2 sessions

During the course of the clinic, each one hour session consists of three different classes from which to choose. Attend only the classes that interest you. Most classes are repeated so that you don't have to miss anything. Attend all or part of the three day seminar.

The Hilton Jackson hotel. Jackson's premiere hotel is conveniently located in the state capitol of Mississippi, at Interstate 55 and County Line Road and is just 13 miles from the Jackson-Evers International Airport. They can be reached at (601) 957-2800 or Toll Free: (888) 263-0524.

TMAS - Specializes in teaching foreign students Hapkido in Seoul, Korea.

Total Martial Arts System (TMAS), located Seoul Korea specializes in teaching foreign students WTF style Taekwondo and KHF style Hapkido.

Master Kim, Nam Su, founder of TMAS graduated from Yong-In University, Korea's most prominent martial arts institution and has mastered several martial arts including KHF Hapkido, Taekwondo, Yudo, Yongmoodo, and Teukgongmoosul (Special Forces techniques). Master Kim been teaching foreigners, both military personnel and private individuals, for several years. Together with his foreign assistant master they have developed a martial arts program designed specifically for foreigners taught completely in English. All TMAS classes are taught in English so you can learn KHF Style Hapkido, and do so in the true style of Korean martial arts, training and spending time together like a family.

When many foreign students arrive in Korea they are shocked to find that most martial arts dojangs do not have English speaking instructors and this make a students efforts far more challenging from a learning perspective.

Master Kim stated that "It is difficult for foreign students to learn the techniques properly, more often copying motion as opposed to learning the theory and practice that generates true power. This is why people continually come to train in Korea, in the hopes to learn the true practice and power of techniques from the lands where they originated. We seek to meet the needs of these students while still maintaining the quality of our programs"

The TMAS program not only furthers the students Hapkido knowledge and skills, it also stresses teaching Korean culture so that a student may more comfortably pursue their professional or personal tasks while living in Korea.

To learn more about this program please refer to the TMAS website at www.t-m-a-s.com.

Foreign Students wishing to Train in Korea

The KHF would like to invite anyone visiting Korea to train with some of our top masters. We will be glad to help anyone visiting Korea to find a Hapkido dojang (school). Additionally, Master Kim, Nam Je, KHF 8th dan, has offered to open his dojang to anyone visiting Seoul. Master Kim, Nam Je is on of the most respected masters in Korea and was featured on the television Show "Fight Quest" representing Hapkido as a combat art.

If you are visiting a province outside of Seoul, the KHF office will provide you with a training facility near your destination. The KHF has schools throughout Korea and has the largest membership of any Hapkido association in Korea.

If you are visiting Korea, please contact the KHF in order to schedule classes:
Korea Hapkido Federation
18-11 Rung-Dong
Kwangjin-Ku
Seoul 143-180
South Korea
Tel : 82-2-3437-3430
Fax : 82-2-456-0953

Moorim Hapkido Martial Arts Centre Black Belt Examination

Master Master Shin, Jae Hwan of the Moorim Hapkido Martial Arts Center in Howick, Acukland, New Zealand recently held the schools first black belt examination. The school has been open for a little over two and a half years and is proving to be very successful.

During the examination thirteen students tested for their Dan rank, of these students eight successfully passed the exam and are now Korea Hapkido Federation certified black belts. During the test Master jenny performed a womens self defense demonstration while Instructor Andy excited the spectators with a nunchuck exhibition.

Master Shin is determined to spread authentic KHF style Hapkido throughout New Zealand and has been very impressed with the desire and effort he has witnessed from his students. "The people of New Zealand are very keen to learn Hapkido as well as Korean culture. They are very enthusiastic about learning authentic Hapkido".

If anyone is interested in learning KHF style Hapkido in New Zealand, please contact Master Shin at Moorim Hapkido Martial Arts Centre, Unit B 239 Moore Street, Howick Auckland, New Zealand. You can call Master Shin at (09) 537-0450.

The Passing of Master Myung, Kwan Sik

It is with great regret that I inform you of the passing of Master Myung, Kwan Sik  10th Dan and founder of the World Hapkido Federation (WHF). Master Myung died Sunday 7/19/09.  I have no further details regarding his passing.

Myung Kwang-Sik was born in North Korea but lived in Seoul for most of his early life.  Master Myung began his study of Hapkido with Ji Han Jae in Seoul, Korea in 1957 at the age of 16.   Master Myung  later received lessons from  Choi Yong-Sul, who he considered his teacher.

In 1967 the Sung Mu Kwan of the Korean Hapkido Association sent 15 members of demonstration teams, including Myung, to Vietnam to demonstrate their art and to teach Korean, US, and Vietnamese troops as well as Special Forces.

By 1968, Myung published a 254-page, Korean-language book, “Hapkido,”.  This was later followed by the first major Hapkido book in English, "Hapkido - Art of Masters" (October, 1976).  Master Myung was not just a pioneer of using books to spread Hapkido, he was also one of the first to use vidoe tapes to assist in teaching.

He was a major force in the growth of Hapkido in the United States and Mexico and his passing will be felt by the entire Hapkido world.  Our condolences to his family, friends and students.