Martial Arts Over the Years
In November 2025, I successfully tested for 5th-degree black belt in Taekwondo. As I prepared for the test, I had a chance to reflect on the arts I studied. When I look at these arts, I see a distinct reason that I studied each one. The arts cover striking, grappling, ground fighting and a practical self-defense weapon, the cane.
I started studying Shotokan karate in the Fall of 1994 for college credit at Meramec Community College. I switched to Taekwondo with my nephew in the Spring of 1995. I started competing in Taekwondo with a focus on forms competition. I was not impressed with Taekwondo hand strikes in sparring, so I added boxing hand techniques to my repertoire.
Ken breaking in the mid-1990s (Author’s Collection)
Around the time that I was going to test for 1st Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo in 2005, I started training in Judo. I was always interested in grappling. My instructor was a 4th Dan (7th Dan today) in Taekwondo and a 2nd Dan in Judo. Pat based many of our self-defenses on Judo, so I wanted to learn the art.
Judo helped me to learn to grapple on my feet. Judo also contains ground fighting but the throws are emphasized more than anything else. 70 percent of judo training is focused on throws as Judo competition rules favor throwing.
Trey, Caleb, and me after a training session.
In April 2009, the Gracie Brothers, Ryron and Renner, created Gracie University to spread their grandfather’s system throughout the world. We have adopted some of this curriculum plus part of the Grand Masters’ original 40 lessons from the Rio academy.
I also began studying Goju Shorei weapons system around this time to add skills with the cane. Since I was only interested in a weapon that be carried legally, the cane was the perfect match. I have also picked up cane techniques from Bartitsu and some of the Hapkido cane videos.
I developed a more holistic set of skills by studying the various martial arts. As I prepare my plan for 6th-degree black belt, I may pursue formal rank in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and intend to learn at least one other set of Taekwondo forms. Who knows what the next six years will bring.