s
a young boy Master Shin began his Tang Soo Do training. It was a quest for
knowledge that has continued to this day, knowledge that flows to his many
students of Tang Soo Do.
hile his
classes cover mostly Tang Soo Do, Master Shin has extensive knowledge of other
arts. Kung Fu, Hapkido, Judo, Karate, Tai Chi, and Taekwondo are some of arts
he has trained in to ensure a rounded knowledge. His knife throwing skills
are excellent as are his skills with single and double nunchaku, 12 inch sticks,
kama, four and five foot poles. Hapkido was studied under the guidance of
Master H.J. Jee, followed by Master Y.J. Park until he reached his fifth dan.
Although Tang Soo Do shows students how to cause substantial pain to an attacker,
Master Shin places a great emphasis on healing and harmony. To balance the
external art of Tang Soo Do he instructs students in the internal art of Tai
Chi.
aster
Shin was Chief Instructor of Tang Soo Do to the US Army in Korea during the
1960s, at which time he decided to add Hapkido skills to his extensive repertiore.
Due to his standing in the Tang Soo Do community, he is often called upon
to act as an international referee and adjudicator. Master Shin has over forty
five years of active training experience and thirty years experience as an
instructor. Before he moved to Australia, Master Shin was Chief Instructor
for the South East Asia region, which encompassed Maylasia, Singapore and
Brunei. He resides happily with his family in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne,
sharing knowledge with his many students.
he ability
to strike an opponent and cause pain is often the only thing that people learn
from a martial art. According to Master Shin, the teaching of appropriate
healing methods is usually overlooked. (Master Shin is renowned for his success
in hand acupuncture, and is currently seeking interested students for a three
year Tang Soo Do/healing course based on hand acupuncture). Often, the focus
of a class will be shifted to healing rather than striking and we will find
ourselves learning Korean massage or pressure points or meditation.
he
club's specialist Tang Soo Do martial arts instructor on Thursday evenings is
Tuan Le Truong, 2nd Dan Black Belt. Tuan has been training with Master Shin
since 1991 and is a fine product of the art. Apart from instructing in Tang
Soo Do, Tuan Le competes with excellent results in Taekwondo tournaments, and
at the time of the update of this document he had a first level black belt in
Taekwondo and a second level black belt in Tang Soo Do. He was a silver medallist
in the Victorian Taekwondo Championships last year and quarter finalist in the
recent Taekwondo Commonwealth Games in Sydney. Tuan has excellent technique
and much to share with us.