Styles Taught

Nass’s Martial Arts America’s main style is Traditional Song Moo Kwan - Tae Kwon Do.  The school of Song Moo Kwan is one of the original Kwan's (schools) that came together after World War Two to form the Tae Kwon Do organizations as we know them today.

 

The first school of Song Moo Kwan was founded by Grandmaster Byung Jick Ro in South Korea in 1944.  Grandmaster Ro had studied Subak and Tae Kyon, both native Korean arts, as a youth in Korea.  During the Japanese occupation he earned a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate under Gichen Funakoshi.

 

At the end of the war he returned to his native Korea and began to teach the blend of fighting styles he called "Song Moo Kwan" , a solid mix of Shotokan's powerful hand techniques and the flowing, destructive kicks of Tae Kyon.

 

Song Moo Kwan was brought to Minnesota in 1965 by Master Jay Hyon. Master Hyon was a skilled teacher who produced many black belts that went on to open schools of their own. In fact, a great many of the Minneapolis area schools and Nass’s Martial Arts America can trace their roots straight back to Master Hyon and his school, simply known as the "Karate Center" Master Hyon was also responsible for the development of the Chong-Bong series of forms.

 

In 1976 Master Hyon decided to retire and control of the school was passed to Byung Jick Ro's son, Master Hee Sang Ro.  Sabum Nim Schroeder brought Modern Song Moo Kwan to Appleton’s Valley Martial Arts in 1983.  Valley Martial Arts Instructors Ron and Darrold Duncan restructured their school after seeing the superior knowledge of Sabum Nim Schroeder. Mr. Nass switched schools after training for five years in a different school of Tae Kwon Do.  High ranking Black Belts at Nass’s Martial Arts America are taught Shotokan Forms as part of their training.  Nass’s Martial Arts America’s Modern Song Moo Kwan is an odd style of Tae Kwon Do due to the fact that we use a boxing style stance and both punch to and protect the head from punches.

 

Students are taught the most practical techniques for self defense from day one!  Although NMAA students do very well in Sparring Competition, this is due to the superior style and technique.  Techniques that are only useful for Point Tournaments are not taught.

 

Self Defense Grappling is taught as a part of the program.  It is a combination of a several styles and sources including Grecian Pankration and Jiu-Jitsu.