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Grandmaster Jin Chung
Grandmaster Jin Chung has devoted
his life to teaching the physical and mental benefits of martial arts.
Grandmaster Chung is a 9th degree grandmaster in martial arts and the
founder of the U.S. Martial Arts Academy in Lake Worth, Florida. The
USMA offers the Ko Am Mu-Do curriculum, which combines training in Taekwondo,
judo, jiu jitsu, hapki-do and weapons, including the bo staff, traditional
sword, nunchuks and juk-do (bamboo sword). Grandmaster Chung founded the World Ko Am Mu-Do
Federation with three other Florida grandmasters, Jun Kim, N.G. Guak and Yung
Ho Jun, to return martial arts training to its ancient traditions, focusing on
mental and physical discipline.
Grandmaster Chung especially enjoys helping young people reach their full
potential. The discipline youths learn in martial arts helps them make
tremendous improvements in their behavior and school-work and guides them on
the path to success, he said.
Martial arts can make tremendous improvements in a person's balance, stamina,
coordination and flexibility, Grandmaster Chung said. The mental benefits are
equally as important, including focus, confidence, patience and a positive
attitude.
A native of Cheung-nam Province in South Korea, he began training in martial
arts when he was 9 years old. He was inspired by his six older brothers, who
practiced martial arts daily at their home and trained in the nearby mountains.
Grandmaster Chung was one of the first young Korean men to help win renewed respect for martial arts.
During Japan's colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945, the Japanese had
outlawed Taekwondo and tried to replace it with karate, a martial art that
Koreans soundly rejected at the time. Many Koreans later came to believe that martial
arts was something practiced exclusively by thugs.
By the early to mid-1970s, Taekwondo had won a huge following in South Korea,
and by the 1980s it had become the national sport. Every high school and college
in the country had its own Taekwondo team, much like football and basketball
teams at schools in the United States.
Grandmaster Chung opened his first martial arts school 35 years ago in Seoul,
South Korea. Although he was only 23, his skills and reputation soon earned
him coaching positions at high schools and eventually with national Taekwondo
teams. He led his teams to championships in South Korea and many other countries,
including the U.S., Spain and the Philippines.
In 1979, Grandmaster Chung was invited by the King of Bahrain to coach his
national Taekwondo team and teach martial arts to the military. He spent six
years in Bahrain, leading the Taekwondo team to gold medals in competitions
throughout the world.
He moved to Palm Beach County in 1985 and opened the U.S. Martial Arts Academy
the following year.Grandmaster Chung conservatively estimates that he has taught between 6,000 and
7,000 students at his Lake Worth area school, where his students range in age
from 3 to 72. He has taught between 20,000 and 30,000 students worldwide
throughout his career, he said. In fact, there are 5 martial arts schools
in the Palm Beach County alone, being operated by Masters and Instructors who
began their martial arts journey with Grandmaster Chung back in the 70s and 80s!
Grandmaster Chung said the most important thing he teaches his students is to
believe: "Yes, I can. I can do it."
- Co-Founder of the World Ko Am Mu-Do Federation.
- Founder of the U.S. Martial Arts Academy.
- Committee Member of the World Taekwondo Federation.
- Honorary Sheriff of Palm Beach County.
- Korean National Taekwondo Team Head Coach.
- Bahrain Military Taekwondo Team Head Coach.
- Founder of the Korean National Exhibition Team.
- Moo Duk Kwan Instructor of the Year in 1977, 78 and 79.
- Taekwondo Head Coach for Song-kok High School.
- Won 3 consecutive Presidential Cup titles coaching Song-kok High School.
- Taught Oriental Philosophy, Taekwondo, and Physical Education for 10 years at Song-kok High School.
Awards and Recognitions
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