Master Lee Returns for 2 LIVE Seminars in Madison, WI. and Bronx, New York!
Come Experience 8 Intense Sessions Over 2 Days of Live Hwa Rang Do® Combat Training in a Private Hands-On Seminar with 7th Dan Black Sash Chief Master Taejoon Lee
Take Part in a RARE Opportunity to Learn What Only a Select Few Martial Artists Have the Privilege of Studying.
I'm on my back, sweating, sucking wind, and I swear each of my little muscle fibers are about to tear apart.
It feels like there's a 167 pound snake on top of me working its way around my limbs... tightening itself around my arms and wrists, twisting me into a pretzel.
I'm being setup! Must resist...
My shoulder begins to tighten. I recall minutes earlier a voice saying...
"Now, remember to tap when you feel the pressure."
Pressure?!?!
What's he talking about, this freaking hurts. I'm searching inside my head for a way out of this... the 'snake' slivers and tightens.
But then before I can even complete a thought,
I let out a painful groan, "Arrrggghhghgh!" I kick the ground repeatedly and shake my body frantically.
Finally the hold relaxes and I start to get the feeling back in my shoulder.
"Pheww..."
Ah yes... finally my mind catches up with me after being a "grappling dummy" for another person and fortunately not snake food.
"Wow, this stuff really hurts!"
I get up, relax a bit and catch my breath. I stare up at the sky lights in the ceiling, then Master Lee yells out "Switch!"
Where am I?
I gaze around the packed dojang, (Korean for "school"). I see people – the young and the wise, men and women – from all races, shapes, sizes, states, nationalities all having just synched in the shoulder lock... or having it done to them.
We are diverse, but we are linked by one commonality...
We are all here to learn; to learn from one of the most renowned martial artists in the world and to get a glimpse into the most comprehensive martial art in the world.
Our egos are checked at the door and we are here to be empowered, to absorb but a small fraction of this vast and ancient martial art of Hwa Rang Do®.
We are sweaty, fatigued, and experiencing information-overload. It's like college math class all over again... but this time I'm wide awake and it's my turn to do the shoulder lock on my partner...
How it All Started
I am far from athletic.
My right leg is an inch and a half longer than my left. Growing up my mom told me that the athletic genes do not run in our family. But that didn't stop me from trying.
I remember as a kid being absolutely fascinated by martial arts. I would mimic all the kung fu movie superstars – from their kicks and punches, to their ultra-powerful paralyzing finger-jabs.
Of course, I was never successful in paralyzing my target but I just assumed that was only because I was untrained.
I wanted to kick-ass and be kick-ass.
This obsession led me to do karate summer classes at YMCA – exactly how many kicks and punches can an 11 year old learn in 2.5 months of "training" in the back of a run-down YMCA standing on a sloped hill populated by patches of crab-grass.
I expanded my repertoire to wrestling in high school, pankration (Greek mixed martial art) while studying abroad in Australia, and Thai Boxing.
I was living my childhood obsession – soaking up as much of this "ass-kicking" aspect of the martial arts as I can. I was unstoppable... in my mind anyway. But as I grew older, a bit more mature, and more experienced, I realized something...
I am beginning to grow tired of all these generic MMA/Jiu-Jitsu schools more interested in making a quick-buck and the knuckle head pitbulls who train there.
Disappointment and Disgust
It seems as if in all the martial arts training I've experienced over the years, all anybody ever cared about was "kicking ass". That and making a quick buck...
I've had to slug it out with ego-maniacal chumps during Thai Boxing matches.
I had to learn how to not get my arms broken by more steroid-dripping egotistical maniacs while doing pankration.
I was experiencing the deterioration of the martial art world into an industry where savages "compete" and a few line their pockets at the expense of others.
There's tae kwon do, hapkido, kickboxing, or "karate kung-fu" at every street corner.
Everybody and their uncle Bob are calling themselves "master" and opening up schools. And every one of them promises to teach you to disarm a gun quicker than Clint Eastwood can draw.
You even have infomercials saying, "Get My Terrifying Top Secret Training Hand-to-Hand Killing Course Absolutely FREE! "
Give me a break!
Or...
"Learn secret underground ninja techniques banned by the government but will turn any of your opponents into putty. And you can learn all of this in your living room in two days for a special online price of $79.99!"
It's disgusting.
It's Time for a Change
My whole perspective on the martial art industry began to change; I began to see how run-down money driven it had become.
What happened to the traditions and old school camaraderie in martial arts?
Where they taught you "mind-over-matter", over "ground and pound"? The martial arts that taught you discipline; that taught you to use your mind before your body; that taught meditation and healing; the ones that honed your mind so that you can better understand and utilize your body?
What happened to the warrior's creed of courage, wisdom, discipline, commitment, honor, loyalty, and inner peace?
These concepts seemed to have been replaced with terms such as MMA, million dollar fight, black belt, ego, "top secret training", "Boyce-Rodrigo Jiu-Jitsu Kung-Fu" or whatever martial art they decided to bastardize.
I was Fed Up
I didn't want to do this anymore. I didn't want to be just another chump who "use-to do jiu-jitsu and could've made it to the UFC". This was not the making of a warrior, of a true martial artist.
I loathe a world where Jiu-Jitsu is the new Karate and everyone claims they are Royce Gracie's next heir because they are got a "black-belt" from his 2nd cousin's brother. Pathetic!
At least in Karate's heyday, the noble figure of Mr. Miyagi was who came to mind. Now a funny looking guy with a mohawk, short shorts and missing teeth is our shining martial arts role model. "All the kids want to be like him!"
This was not me.
I stopped my martial arts training. I became a non-believer. I became bitter and cynical. My childhood dream was put on the shelf.
All I became was just another chump.
Fortunately, during my hiatus, I met Luis.
And so began the most mind boggling years of my life.
A New Beginning...
Luis and I worked together and he learned of my strong interest in martial art. He learned of my bitter feelings towards the martial arts industry and its current "commercialized state".
He's heard me rant about my jaded experiences.
But most importantly, he learned that I hadn't given up yet; that I was still searching.
He gently suggested there was a seminar at his martial art school coming up and that maybe I should check it out. It was to be a two day event spanning from joint manipulation, to sword wielding, to meditation. Interesting...
Now, at this point I had no idea what Luis' involvement in martial art is all about.
He hardly ever talks about his training and his experience. Perhaps the only "evidence" I've seen of him having martial art experience was when one day after lunch, out of the blue he did a jumping front kick and nailed a leaf hanging off of a branch... that just happened to hang right over my head.
I was sold and agreed to check out the seminar held by this "7th Dan Black Sash Master Lee" guy.
My Fast Paced Hwa Rang Do® Seminar "Snake-Pretzel Experience" Begins...
I checked out the schedule one more time after I parked my car.
"Oh wow... it's going to be a long day."
The first session was joint manipulation going from 10:00 to 11:30 AM. And that's just one of the four sessions going on today.
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Heck, I wasn't even sure if I was suppose to bring a pen and a notepad to take notes, a pillow for sitting and watching video clips of old 8mm tapes, or sweats for an actual work-out.
Lucky for me Luis clued me in.
Perhaps my first hint that it was going to be more invigorating than I thought was when he told me to bring some towels, extra change of workout clothes in case I get drenched with sweat... and lots and lots of water.
Excellent.
"Something Strange and Different is Going on Here..."
I stroll through the front door and was greeted by Luis. He introduced me to Master Lee and showed me the locker room where I can get changed.
I said my greetings as I enter the locker room. The people in there were friendly and every-so-often, people would bow to each other while others would shake hands while still bowing their heads...
I couldn't figure out what they were doing and how they determine when to bow or handshake. I just assumed it was some sort of hierarchy system. Regardless, I can sense the mutual respect demonstrated by these students of Master Lee's.
They were sure to introduce themselves to me too and made me feel perfectly comfortable in a perfectly foreign place.
I'm thinking this shouldn't be too tough. These guys are way too nice to be much of a challenge...
One Day and 4 Grueling Sessions Later...
Sore as heck.
Tossed around a few times.
Information overload.
Overly humbled.
Slightly disoriented.
And loving it all.
In 8 hours, Master Lee managed to inundate my brain with enough joint manipulation techniques to make a pretzel out of a cow and enough to counter a cow if one ever tries making a pretzel out of me.
He covered plenty of takedowns (my wrestling background helped a bit in this regard) and also lots of stick work.
He was sure to inform us all that what we learned today hardly makes us qualified martial artists by any means – this was quite a change from the quack-martial artist that claim he can make you a master at disarming an assailant with a gun if you pay him $200 and spend 30 minutes "learning" from him.
However, at the end of the 8 hour journey, my day was hardly done – thanks to my friendship with Luis.
Luis, bearing in mind my search for a martial art grounded on values, discipline and personal growth along with having the world's most comprehensive combat system, introduced me to many other Hwa Rang Do® students and instructors with EXTRAORDINARY backgrounds:
Among them I met 3rd Dan Black Sash Instructor Scott McKnight, who has a degree in Physics from UCLA and is currently the Network Administrator for the UCLA Law School. He's been training with Master Lee since 1985.
I also had the pleasure of meeting 1st Dan Black Sash Instructor Jerry Kang, a UCLA law professor who handles the legal side for the World Hwa Rang Do® Association. He's a tenured professor, has authored 3 books and countless publications as well as having been interviewed by CNN. He's been a student of Master Lee for over 10 years.
I was greeted by Olivia Vaatete, a kind lady with a warm smile. She is a Hwa Rang Do® black sash, a bridal consultant, and a mother of two. She has been training with Master Lee for 8 years.
I met Instructor William Wright, a graduate of Harvard University in route to Berkeley School of Business with intentions to start his own medical insurance company offering solutions to the current health care crisis. He's been training with Master Lee since he was 13. He's currently 26 years old.
I also met some incredibly disciplined kids in their teens, including Tae Soo Do Black Belts Luke and Larry, who are given the responsibility to aid the kid's classes. These kids demonstrated so much respect and discipline, which is a rare commodity in both children and adults in today's society.
Perhaps the most amazing thing is... none of them were the ego-maniacal steroid-pumped chumps I grew accustomed to training with, (when you deal with chumps for many years... you begin to develop an inner-radar for them).
They are humble human beings looking to better themselves through the art of Hwa Rang Do®.
"I Believe I've Found my Martial Calling..."
I think I finally found a place that prides itself in its traditions (1,800 years worth) and continues its values. Its philosophy of forging the mind with the body, beauty with power, finesse with determination, discipline with courage, and humbleness with self-belief, definitely struck a chord with me.
Let's see how Day 2 goes. I can't wait to go home, shower, and pass out in my nice comfy bed.
Experience the Hwa Rang Do® World Tour 2007
Here We Go Again...
And now, it's Fall 2007 and the Hwa Rang Do World Tour is in Full Swing.
Chief Master Lee is gearing up for more grueling but fulfilling weekends of instruction in the MOST COMPREHENSIVE MARTIAL ART SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
Hwa Rang Do® World Tour Minneapolis, MN Oct. 17 - 18, 2003
While they will not be covering every single aspect of Hwa Rang Do®, (there's just way too much!), they have personally picked certain categories. The goal here is to give you a taste of all aspects of Hwa Rang Do® and types of martial arts training.
They will be teaching a just a few and only a few non-practitioners just like you, some of the most powerful techniques and skills, which have evolved from this 1,800 year old Korean system of combat and self-defense.
Which of The Following Hwa Rang Do® Combat Skills Do You Want To Learn?
The lost art of Joint Manipulation to quickly and safely neutralize attackers.
Extreme Take-Downs to set-up attackers for submission and bone-breaking finishers.
Cane techniques to learn how to use a cane, walking stick or umbrella as a powerful and covert weapon.
Grappling Position and Combinations to quickly submit, choke out or neutralize opponents with devastating finishers
Jang Gum (Sword) techniques to discover the skillful handling and use of an ancient, deadly yet beautiful weapon.
Full-Contact Fighting skills for practical and effective self-defense application for both men and women
Tae Gyuk and Meditation to achieve the optimal mind and body balance for more effective training and technique.
Only a Select Few Will Discover The Skills, Which Will Set You Apart From Other Martial Artists As You Continue Your Quest For Physical, Mental Growth & Enlightenment Via The Warrior's Path
Chief Master Taejoon Lee at Fort Benning with commandos from Mexico, Central and South America.
At these seminars, you will be exposed to joint manipulation (and counters), take-downs, lock-ups, the art of the short stick and sword, grappling, and to top it all off – meditation principles for general health. (See below for description of each session.)
You may already have some interest in martial arts, much as I did when I first attended, but you may be at a loss as to which aspect of martial arts to focus on. This seminar is perfect for you because it will open many doorways for you and give you an introduction to many different aspects of martial arts in general.
It will help you find your calling and you can choose to focus on that one specific area – here or there is up to you.
You will learn through association and osmosis what it may be like to get away from the commercialized state of the martial art industry today and move beyond taking a martial art -- I invite you to follow the Martial Way.
If you are clueless about martial arts and curious about the benefits, this seminar would be a great start for you to understand how it may enhance your life.
You will be exposed to a community unlike any you've experienced before. Learn what it is like to have not only control your own mind and body, but learn to control your "opponent's" mind and body.
Your eyes will be opened to the rigorous physical activities that your body would undergo and the challenging exercises the body will demand of your mind.
Face and Overcome Your Fears
You will perhaps be exposed to fears that have laid dormant – the fear of humiliation when it is revealed how out of shape you may be. Or the fear of defeat as the person on top of you controls you no matter how much you struggle. Or even the fear of discovering how vulnerable you are in not knowing how to defend yourself.
More importantly, you will learn that there is a way conquer each and every one of those fears – in time.
Fears are a god-send and serve to tell us what we should be doing. They are a compass for purposeful living.
The seminar's goal is not to make you into a martial art master in merely two days (if you believe this can be done and expect as such, this seminar is not for you).
The goal is to add value to you and to empower you through martial art education. Regardless of your experience and your fitness level; rest assured that you will leave with greater knowledge and value than when you started.
Here are some Details on what you can expect to learn and experience:
Select Your Seminar Location to see Curriculum: Hwa Rang Do® Bronx Academy
1649 Overing Street Bronx, New York 10461
Oct 13th & 14th, 2007
Session I: Go Too Gi - Grappling Positioning
(10:00AM ~ Noon)
In this session, you will be introduced to the various positions to gain advantage on the ground as well as transitions, reversals, sweeps and escapes..
Session II: Take-downs to Quick Submissions
(1:00 ~ 3:00 PM)
Extreme Hwa Rang Do® Takedowns Fighting Styles Video Series
This is a continuation of the previous sessions, focusing on taking down the opponent with a joint lock, then finishing on the One Knee Position Quick Locks.
In order to effectively gain control and immobilize an attacker to secure one's safety, one must throw the aggressor off balance and render them harmless. This can be done most effectively by taking an opponent to the ground and finish either with a decisive blow or submission.
Session III: Go Too Gi - Grappling Submission Set-ups and Combinations
(3:00 ~ 5:00 PM)
Hwa Rang Do®'s® Korea Trip in 2004, Chief Master Lee woos and wows the crowd with a myriad of different grappling techniques. These include wrist locks, figure-4s, chokes, neck cranks, armbars, shoulder cranks, grapevines,
takedowns, and much more...
In this session, you will be introduced to the various submissions and how to transition from one submission to another to give you the upper hand.
In this session, you will learn effective striking combos and set-ups for takedowns, useful for competition in Full-Contact Fighting (Kyuk Too Gi) and practical self-defense.
Session V: Dan Gum - Knife to Knife
(1:00 ~ 3:00PM)
In this session, you will learn practical knife-to-knife combat techniques.
Hwa Rang Do has some of the most extensive weapon training programs with over 108 different weapons in 20 categories. This session will contain instruction relating to the strategies and tactics of the utilization of edged weapons.
First taught and implemented for the Special Warfare Branches of the United States Military such as Airborne/Rangers/Special Forces/UDT/SEAL/Force Recon/Delta/Commando personnel, his system of training was developed by Dr. Joo Bang Lee, the Founder of HWA RANG DO and these are real solutions for serious situations and only as a last option.
In this session, you will learn the beginners and intermediate concepts of Korean fencing (Kumdo) with effective set-ups to win with various cutting attacks.
Hwa Rang Do® Students All Over The World Will Pay Tuition Upwards of $10,000 to Receive This Type of Instruction Over Years of Training, But You Can Receive This Exclusive Private Instruction and Training For Only $45 per Session
~ or ~
Save $70 and Pay Only $200 for All 6 Sessions
Why So Inexpensive? In an effort to reach out to the general public and other martial artists, we want to make our seminars as affordable and accessible as possible.
Let's face it. Hwa Rang Do® training, skills and techniques are not easy and take years of dedicated study to master. But we still want as many to benefit from our traditions and skills via these seminars, while maintaining the exclusivity of our Hwa Rang Do® family.
Hwa Rang Do® is NOT for everyone and investing tuition and thousands of hours of study is daunting for many, which is why Master Lee has produced this easy to follow, practical seminar curriculum for just about anyone to benefit from, whether you are a beginner or experienced martial artist.
But we do ask that you come ready to work, sweat and to check your ego at the door!
Hwa Rang Do® Join Master Lee in the Bronx:
There will be 6 Live Sessions For a Few Seminar Attendees. Interact with Chief Master Taejoon Lee and Other Hwa Rang Do® Black Sashes From All Over The World.
Learn Along Side Hwa Rang Do® Masters, Current Hwa Rang Do® Practitioners and Martial Artist from Other Disciplines.
Bronx, New York Seminar Fees & Options
Each Individual Session - $35 for WHRDA members & $45 for non-members
All Day Saturday - $90 for WHRDA members & $115 for non-members
All Day Sunday - $90 for WHRDA members & $115 for non-members
Both Saturday and Sunday - $160 for WHRDA members & $200 for non-members
Weapons
You may supply your own weapon or purchase them in advance.
Dull Unsharpened Training Knife $30
Bamboo Sword $25
