Issue # 264 – January 2026
Original price was: $15.00.$10.00Current price is: $10.00.
3 Word from Publisher – Woojin Jung. New Year 2026
4 Taekwondo Times has been a cornerstone of the martial arts world since 1980, documenting the evolution of Taekwondo and spotlighting many of the most influential masters, athletes, and pioneers.
6 Beyond Black Belt: Why Students Quit—How to Keep Them Engaged, By the time a student earns a black belt, they’ve already done something remarkable.
8 The Way Word – by Kathrin J. Sumpter Health, Wellness, Recovery and Recuperation through Martial Arts Martial Arts – Care for Caregivers. When I think about my column series, Health, Wellness, Recovery and Recuperation through Martial Arts, my focus has been on those who are challenged with a variety of health circumstances.
10Cover page – A Journey back to the source. My path to the Kukkiwon for my 8th Dan . Training in Korea, return to the role of student. A journey filled with
Kindness and support. Why masters should make this journey. Closing reflections-
Legacy still growing. Grandmaster Karen Brown
19Forging the Future: Why Modern Mastery Requires More Than Just a Black Belt
By Rich Jensen They say a black belt is just a white belt that never quits. But what happens after you reach the Master level? You train harder.
21 Bowing in the martial arts By Alberto Borjas, 8th Dan Martial artists and most non martial artists know that bowing is part of the etiquette of the Asian martial arts. We can say that martial arts have inherited the bowing from they Asian culture where they come from.
22 One Art, Three Paths: Understanding the Three ITF Organization
Taekwondo is often described as a single martial art with many expressions.
28 Jeet Kune Do – Martial Art Against the Grain?
Intro to A JKD Teachers
Perspective
My name is Nic, I’ve been studying Jeet Kune Do (JKD) for about 17 years and I’m talking about Jeet Kune Do from my perspective.
30 The Retirement of Grandmaster Hee Il Cho: Closing a Chapter, Preserving a Legacy
Few names in Taekwondo carry the quiet weight of Grandmaster Hee Il Cho. For
Decades, his influence shaped not only how Taekwondo was practiced in the United States, but how it was understood, respected, and passed forward.
36 It’s about helping others become their best.-Jeff Jeds- If you want to study realistic armed combat—techniques that might actually work in a life-and-death situation—you would be well advised to find a teacher who has actually fought with the weapons he teaches.
42 The Application of Slapping In self-defense By: Masoud Hayeri Khyavi
In martial arts discussions, hand strikes are typically conceptualized as closed-fist
Punches, palm-heel strikes, fingertip strikes, or open-palm strikes.
- Description
Description
4 Taekwondo Times has been a cornerstone of the martial arts world since 1980, documenting the evolution of Taekwondo and spotlighting many of the most influential masters, athletes, and pioneers.
6 Beyond Black Belt: Why Students Quit—How to Keep Them Engaged, By the time a student earns a black belt, they’ve already done something remarkable.
8 The Way Word – by Kathrin J. Sumpter Health, Wellness, Recovery and Recuperation through Martial Arts Martial Arts – Care for Caregivers. When I think about my column series, Health, Wellness, Recovery and Recuperation through Martial Arts, my focus has been on those who are challenged with a variety of health circumstances.
10Cover page – A Journey back to the source. My path to the Kukkiwon for my 8th Dan . Training in Korea, return to the role of student. A journey filled with
Kindness and support. Why masters should make this journey. Closing reflections-
Legacy still growing. Grandmaster Karen Brown
19Forging the Future: Why Modern Mastery Requires More Than Just a Black Belt
By Rich Jensen They say a black belt is just a white belt that never quits. But what happens after you reach the Master level? You train harder.
21 Bowing in the martial arts By Alberto Borjas, 8th Dan Martial artists and most non martial artists know that bowing is part of the etiquette of the Asian martial arts. We can say that martial arts have inherited the bowing from they Asian culture where they come from.
22 One Art, Three Paths: Understanding the Three ITF Organization
Taekwondo is often described as a single martial art with many expressions.
28 Jeet Kune Do – Martial Art Against the Grain?
Intro to A JKD Teachers
Perspective
My name is Nic, I’ve been studying Jeet Kune Do (JKD) for about 17 years and I’m talking about Jeet Kune Do from my perspective.
30 The Retirement of Grandmaster Hee Il Cho: Closing a Chapter, Preserving a Legacy
Few names in Taekwondo carry the quiet weight of Grandmaster Hee Il Cho. For
Decades, his influence shaped not only how Taekwondo was practiced in the United States, but how it was understood, respected, and passed forward.
36 It’s about helping others become their best.-Jeff Jeds- If you want to study realistic armed combat—techniques that might actually work in a life-and-death situation—you would be well advised to find a teacher who has actually fought with the weapons he teaches.
42 The Application of Slapping In self-defense By: Masoud Hayeri Khyavi
In martial arts discussions, hand strikes are typically conceptualized as closed-fist
Punches, palm-heel strikes, fingertip strikes, or open-palm strikes.
