Q.

Do you think that in a competition an Instructor and student should compete against each other?

A.

That would depend on the instructors views - I did! In 1970 at the 1st Moo Duk Kwan Championships I won the Heavy Weight Division and my student Mr. George Reynolds won the Light Weight Division. We had to fight each other for the Grand Championship, We were both asked not to fight each other. I stated "No way, how can I lose? If I win, than I just beat my own student. IF I lose, than I trained someone to be better than myself, either way I still win".

Q.

What are the concerns that you have about Karate (Martial Arts) Instructors?

A.

There are too many nonqualified people teaching - putting on a black belt does not make you an instructor. There can be no substitute for learning Martial Arts other than from an experienced, highly skilled, and professional recognized Instructor.

Q.

What is your opinion about tournaments?

A.

Good and bad - for a number of reasons, some of the instructors misuse tournament competition - others stay away from them. I feel that if tournaments are used the "right way" then competition can be a very valuable tool in learning the Martial Arts.

Q.

What is the main difference in training in the USA vs. training in Korea?

A.

Generally, it's the same except the time factor. In the US most students train 3 to 4 hours per week. In Korea we train 3 hours per class, 6 days a week - and you did not want to miss a class.

Q.

How do martial artists like yourself, measure success within the martial arts?

A.

That is easy for me - I measure all my success through my students, but it is sometimes said, "Success is not forever and failure is not fatal".