WARWICK - The Chosun Taekwondo Academy recently hosted the United States Taekwondo Association Eastern Regional Seminar at Won Kak Sa Buddhist Temple in Salisbury Mills. The event featured classes in basic technique, self-defense, poomsae, sparring drills, and wood breaking taught by top USTA master instructors including martial arts pioneer Grandmaster Richard Chun. Well over one hundred martial artists attended originating from local area schools including Han Ho Martial Arts, National Martial Arts League, Byung Min Kim’s Taekwondo, Long Island Taekwondo Center, UMAC, Haddock Taekwondo Center, The Han Geuk Kwan, and the Chosun Taekwondo Academy. Master Doug Cook, head instructor of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy stated, “We were delighted and honored to be given the opportunity to host an educational event of this magnitude. Here, the participants improved their skills rather than using them to compete against one another as they would have in a tournament setting. Our school, and others in the USTA Eastern Region, took full advantage of this memorable occasion.” In a separate statement, Grandmaster Richard Chun, a ninth-degree black belt, Olympic coach, and one of the highest ranking international master instructors in the United States, supported his decision in selecting the Chosun Taekwondo Academy to host the event by saying, “Master Cook’s school typifies the true spirit of taekwondo. His traditional curriculum, geared towards children and adults alike, not only stresses the physical aspects of the martial arts, but the mental and spiritual components as well. The Chosun Taekwondo Academy is one of the most active affiliates in the USTA Eastern Region and this is why I chose them for this honor.” For more information on future events, contact the Chosun Taekwondo Academy at (845) 986-2288 or visit their website at: www.chosuntkd.com.

Sunday, February 21, 2010 / Sunday, May 16, 2010 Sunday, August 15, 2010 / Sunday, November 14, 2010.

All promotion tests start promptly at 12:00pm.
Students should arrive by 11:45am for warm ups.

Test Fee: $50. Application/Fee/Essay must be submitted by required date in order to qualify for testing.

Location:
Warwick Town Hall
132 Kings Highway  Warwick, NY 10990

Master Doug Cook, head instructor of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy, located at 62 Main Street in Warwick, was in good company when he recently lectured at the prestigious Korea Society in New York City. Past speakers have included, President H.W. Bush, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Based on his teaching experience coupled with the popularity of his best-selling books on the subject, Cook was invited to lecture on the traditional Korean martial art of taekwondo. His discourse, attended by Korean history scholars, martial arts grandmasters, and interested members of the organization, focused on the difference between the self-defense aspects of art and its standing as an official Olympic sport. Cook stated that, “although Olympic status has catapulted taekwondo into the forefront, many orthodox techniques have sadly been stripped away or forfeited altogether in favor of those certain to score in the ring.” He went to add that it is essential to preserve traditional philosophical concepts and tactics since true martial arts practice was never meant to be trivialized by sport. On hand to assist in demonstrating these vital defensive elements for those in attendance at the event were black belts Terrie Wynne and Michael Klugman, both longtime students of Master Cook's.

He may not be as well known to the general public as Chuck Norris or Bruce Lee, but to those in the martial arts community Grandmaster Richard Chun is a true pioneer with thousands of students worldwide. A ninth-degree black belt in the Korean discipline of taekwondo, Chun along with Master Doug Cook of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy, taught a two-hour seminar on Sunday, August 2nd, at the Warwick Town Park in upstate New York. The grandmaster, focused on basic technique, self-defense strategies, kicking drills and the classic forms, or poomsae that give tae kwon do its unique character. The training session was attended by a mixed group of seventy students originating from schools in Orange County and as distant as Kings, Ulster and Westchester Counties. Master Doug Cook, owner and head instructor of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy, best-selling author and a columnist for TaeKwonDo Times stated, “Given the inclement weather, we were fortunate indeed to attract so many talented students, masters and grandmasters to our event. The large attendance is truly a testimony to the dedication of those who study traditional tae kwon do with passion.� Ignoring heavy rain, many participants commented on how fortunate they felt to have a martial artist of Grandmaster Chun’s stature visit the community since it is rare that he teaches outside large metropolitan areas. One of the original five international master instructors to immigrate to America in the 1960’s, Chun and his family were forced to flee their home and settle on Cheju Island when Communist forces invaded Seoul during the Korean War. Later, Grandmaster Richard Chun studied at the famed Moo Duk Kwan or Institute of Martial Virtue in Seoul under Chong Soo Hong. He is the author of five books and currently serves as president of the United States Taekwondo Association. Like his mentor, Master Doug Cook has authored three best-selling books on tae kwon do and has been awarded high honors from Korea and many domestic martial arts organizations. Master Cook and Grandmaster Chun are in the process of planning their fifth Korea Training and Cultural Tour to be held in July of 2010. Those interested in joining them on their journey can request information through email at info@chosuntkd.com or by calling (845) 986-2288.