Black Belt Interviews Master David Hodson

Mel Steiner is a Martial Arts instructor and competitor with a 9th Dan in TaeKwon-Do. Among his many accomplishments he is listed on Who’s Who in American Martial Arts, and also included in Marquis’ Who’s Who in the South and Southeast. Grandmaster Steiner is a Certified International Instructor, as well as a Certified International Umpire. In 1989, he was inducted into the International Karate Hall of Fame. In 1994, he was one of only five in the U.S. to be recognized by the International Taekwon Do Federation as “Outstanding Instructor” Grandmaster Steiner began his Martial Arts training in 1969 and began teaching in 1974. He opened Chi Taekwon Do school in 1981. His articles “Condition the Hand the Eastern Way”, “Martial Co-Ops, The New Wave” “China in Search of Roots”, “How to Measure Stances” and others have appeared in the Tae Kwon Do Times Magazine.
Accomplishments 1969 – White Belt
1974 – B.A. from Florida International University
1981 – Opened TKD commercial school.
1984 – 1st to demonstrate TKD at the Honan Shaolin Temple in China International TKD Federation-I.T.F.
1986 – Promoted to 4th Degree #A-4-102
1988 – Certified as ITF International Instructor #419
1989 – Promoted to 5th Degree #A-5-37
1994 – Promoted to 6th Degree #A-6-21
1999 – Promoted to 7th Degree Master #A-7-14
2001- Feature cover Taekwon-Do Times Magazine
2003 – Promoted to 8th Degree Master ICTF #1
2007 – Promoted to 9th Degree- Grandmaster
I.T.F. school plaque #301Class “B” I.T.F. National Umpire #281Class “A” I.T.F. International Umpire #542Re-established I.T.F. governing body in ­ Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela & NicaraguaHosted the 5th I.T.F. Instructors Course in the U.S., #35, taught by the founder of Taekwon Do – Gen. Choi Hong- Hi, in 1991Hosted the 1st ever I.T.F. Instructors course taught by a non-Asian Grandmaster C.E. Sereff – 9th DanParticipated in thirteen I.T.F. International Instructors Courses and taught twoOne of only five in the US ever to be awarded “Outstanding Instructor Award” by the I.T.F. in 1995Met with Nicaraguan President Chamorro to promote Taekwon-Do in the Army and public schoolsDesigned, published, copyrighted a unique method of measuring stancesInducted into the “International Karate Hall of Fame”First President of Organizacion Chi Taekwon-Do Venezuela and U.S.A.

Master Symonds has practiced Taekwon-Do since 1989 and gained 1st degree in 1993 under the instruction of Master Nardizzi. He was then selected by Master John Taylor to represent Great Britain at the 1995 European Championships and since then he has gone on to attend 13 European Championships, 2 European Cups and 2 World Championships. Master Symonds has won numerous National championships and over 20 World, European and International medals while representing and Captaining the ITF National Team from 1995 to 2010 under Master Gary Miller, Master Andrew Whitley and Master Thomas Denis.
The highlights of his competition career are: 1995 European 1st degree Patterns bronze medalist (Germany)1996 European Cup Team Champions (Poland)1998 European 2nd degree Patterns bronze medalist (Greece)2000 European Team Sparring Silver medalist (Scotland)2000 European Team Power silver medalist (Scotland)2001 European Champion 3rd degree Patterns (Spain)2004 European Team Patterns Silver medalist (Finland)2005 European Team Patterns Champions (Italy)2005 European 4th degree Patterns bronze medalist (Italy)2005 World Team Power Champions (Germany)2008 European Team Power Silver medalist (Poland)2009 European Team Power Champions (Spain)
Master Symonds has been a director of ITF England since 2006 spending 4 years as technical director and currently in his third term as Tournament Director.

Russell Dennis has been training in Martial Arts for the majority of his life. He started Taekwon-do in 1986, which he continues to train in and develop his knowledge. He presently holds an 8th Dan black belt (Master level) and is still very active in the Taekwon-do community working as an International Instructor, umpire and grading examiner with the International Taekwon-do Federation (ITF). Master Dennis runs the instructors courses for ‘Taekwon-do Impact’ (London and the South East), has been a member of the ITF-England Discipline and Ethics committee and the ITF-England technical director. He is an Instructing Master for ITF-England and is still the technical director for the Taekwon-do Impact group and Senior instructor for the ‘Extreme Taekwon-do’ group. From the beginning Russell Dennis was always particularly interested in the self defence and realistic fighting side of Martial arts. He is also involved in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and runs ‘Extreme Fighters’ MMA gym in Redhill. Master Dennis has had several pro MMA fights (record of 4,1) and has several students who also compete in MMA. Master Dennis runs Taekwon-do schools in the Cheam, Dorking and Epsom areas and teaches students from 4years old to over 60.

GM James has had an illustrious career in Taekwon-Do with many remarkable experiences to be heard. Below are his comments on meeting the Founder General Choi Like many Taekwon-Doins, everyone has very nice memories of our General Choi Hong Hi. It started with my 4th dan examination in Pyong Yang (N-Korea) 30-06-89, during the World Games.A unique experience as I, together with Sahyun Wijnand, we were the only ones who passed the exam before him. After that, many seminars and examinations followed, 5 degree 230593 in Groningen with the smallest IIC. * During a seminar, I had to perform ap chagi before the group while General Choi was explaining, najunde palmok makgi. Unfortunately, I had to keep my leg stretched all the time and the lactic acid buildup in my leg. * Another example, with the ap juumuk palmok jurigi I had my thumb a like bit outside. When he walked by and corrected me, he said, “karate not good”. In the next seminar he remembered me and said again when passing by: “karate no good”. * I slept on the same floor as the General and heard a regular thumping around 6 am and later, I heard that it was he who was hardening his knuckle against the hotel wall, and you could also see his knuckles.

Grand Master Douglas began his Taekwon-Do career in 1973 at Dublin’s number 2 club in Sean McDermott Street. Under Mr Robert Howard now (G.M Howard).

In his 50 years of TaeKwon-Do, Grand Master Douglas has not only limited his skills to the physical side of TaeKwon-Do. He is also the organiser of many Courses, Seminars, National and International Tournaments; Grand Master Douglas has been on various committees to promote TaeKwon-Do around Ireland. He has been a highly regarded instructor for over 46 years. From 2002-2007 he coached the ITF Ireland National squad with distinction.

From 2007 -2009 he was the Director of Coaching for the I.T.F. Ireland National squad.

1977 1st Degree Black Belt Under Grand Master Choi-Hong Hi
1977 Irish National Champion; Power 1st Place
1978 International Seminar under Grand Master Choi Hong Hi
1980 2nd Degree Black Belt under Master Rhee Ki Ha
1980 European Championships, London; Irish Team Member
1982 European Championships, Italy; Irish Team Member
1982 Irish National Champion; Special Technique.
1983 Irish National Champion; Special Technique.
1984 World Championships, Scotland Irish squad member
1985 3rd Degree Black Belt 1985 Waterford Championships, Ireland; Overall Champion
1986 Arklow Championships, Ireland; Patterns 1st Place
1986 Open TaeKwon-Do Championships, Dublin; Sparring 1st Place
1987 Open TaeKwon-Do Championships, Dublin; Patterns 1st Place
1987 British TaeKwon-Do Championship, U.K.; Patterns 2nd Place
1988 4th Degree Black Belt 1989 Coach for two Junior Teams for British TaeKwon-Do Championships; 1st and 2nd Place
1990 Tournament Director for 4 Nations Tournament (Ireland, England, Germany & Holland)
1993 Tournament Director for 12 Nations Tournament Including Russia & Australia
1991-94 Irish Team Manager
1994 5th Degree Black Belt 1994 International Instructors Certificate from I.T.F. Technical committee 1995 International Seminar under Grand Master Choi Hong Hi
1996 Class A International Umpire Certificate
1999 International Seminar under Grand Master Choi Hong Hi (Ireland)
1999 6th Degree Black Belt under Master Choi Jong-Hwa (Ireland)
2002 Irish National Coach for European Championships Squad, Czech Republic
2003 Irish National Coach to I.T.F. Ireland Squad for European Championships, Croatia; Gold Medal for Team Power
2003 Irish National Coach for World Championships Squad, Poland; Gold Medal for Team Power; Gold Medal for Team Pattern
2004 Irish National Coach for World Championships Squad, Finland; Bronze Medal for Team Pattern; Bronze Medal for Team Power; 6 Individual Medals
2004 Irish National Coach for the Junior World Championships Squad, Italy; Gold Medal for Individual Pattern; Bronze Medal for Individual Sparring
2004 International Instructors Course ( Belgium) under I.T.F. Technical Committee
2005 Head Coach, Irish National Team, European Championships, Terracina, Italy 1 Gold, 3 Silver, 3 Bronzes.
2005 7th Degree Black Belt under, Grand Master Van Bihn IX Degree, Master Pablo Trajtenberg VIII Degree, Master Hector Marano VIII Degree, and Master Trân Trieu Quân VIII Degree. (Ireland)
2005 International Instructors course( Ireland ) under I.T.F. Technical Committee
2005 Head coach for Irish National team, World Championships, Germany, 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze Medals
2006 International Instructor Course (Germany) I.T.F. Technical Committee and Master Trân Trieu Quân VIII Degree.
2007 Director of coaching ITF Ireland Squad
2008 Director of Coaching ITF Ireland Squad
2008 European Championships Wroclaw, Poland, Umpire
2008 International Instructors Course, (Ireland) I.T.F. Technical Committee
2009 Director of Coaching ITF Ireland Squad
2009 Tournament Organiser, INTA International ITF Open Championships
2010 Tournament...

Full time ITF Taekwon-do International Instructor & Examiner.
Current rank of 8th Degree Master.
Former member of ITF Tournament & Umpire Committee and current Chairman of All Europe Taekwon-do Federation Tournament & Umpire Committee.
Chairman of TKDSL.
AA group for International Taekwon-do Federation in Scotland.