Grandmaster Ken MacKenzie - Taekwondo Times

ecently, I have accepted greater responsibility as the
President of the World Sin Moo Hapkido Federation,
a position requiring greater service to the
extended Hapkido/Sin Moo Hapkido family.
In your youth, did you ever imagine that you would
someday become a grandmaster in the arts?
Too many people live with limited thinking and a
lack of belief in their own potential. You must first
believe. Only then can you achieve! I remember
being told as a teenager that, because I was not
Korean-born, I could never become a master. I have
never believed in such limitations! Rather than fixate
on impossibilities, I search for possibilities.
The black belt represents a firm grasp on the basics.
Many traditional schools in and out of Korea
only consider you a real martial artist once you have
attained black belt status. Mastery is the ability to
perform, fully teach and scientifically explain every
movement, theory, etc. One cannot become a master
until he or she has promoted at least 24 students
to the black belt level, one representing each hour
of the day. The privilege of grandmaster is reserved,
and rightly so, for those few who have truly dedicated
their lives to the pursuit of excellence in their
martial art. They must have attained a certain age,
level of maturity and wisdom, along with many
years of formal study in the arts. In addition, they
must have produced a minimum of six masters
from the ground up, their own students. It is the
responsibility of black belts, masters and grandmasters
to expand and propagate their respective arts.
In my experience, reaching these levels was not
the primary focal point. Instead, it was the pursuit
of excellence and daily challenges that excited and
motivated me. The thrill was in the journey itself.
With high rank comes great responsibility. Masters
and grandmasters must always respect their positions
as role models, mentors, and leaders. In many
cases, we are like second-parents to our students.
In addition, it is our responsibility to serve and care
for the elder grandmasters, in my case DoJuNim Ji
Han Jae, and to serve as curators for our arts.
In my years as a martial artist, I have never
requested a belt promotion. In my opinion, this
action would have been dishonorable. It was always
my instructor’s decision to suggest and nominate
promotions. Several years ago, DoJuNim promoted
me to my
ninth-dan
black belt
in Korean
Sin Moo
Hapkido.
I reflected
back upon
my long
and personal
journey,
knowing
that I still
have a lot
in front of me. I also realized that this was cuttingedge,
as I am both American-born and Caucasian.
The moral of the story is this: We are all born with
a set of tools…it’s what you do with them that
makes the difference.
What can you tell me about your ‘MacKenzie’s’
schools?
At the age of only 19, I first opened my dojang
(MacKenzie’s TaeKwon-Do & Hapkido Institute)
on November 12, 1983. It was located in a local
YMCA. At that time, it was open to only children
and was the first in the United States to specialize
as such.
Today, my schools serve nearly 1000 active
students ranging in age from three to 85. With a
compliment of eight full-time staff and multiple
part-timers at five locations, I offer specialized
programs for preschoolers, children, teens, boys
and girls, men and women. I am proud to teach
some 175 black belts weekly along with 15 active
master-instructors, including Scott Yates, a World
Hapkido Games gold medalist and the youngest
ever to have attained eighth-dan under DoJuNim Ji
Han Jae. My schools also serve as the official headquarters
for Sin Moo Hapkido. Partnering with
Masters Scott Barnabie and Dan Allebach, and
with the support of talented Masters Bob Turley,
Dr. Mark Fabi, Bill Taylor, Jeff & Tina Blackman,
Andrew Lesser, and Rich Williams, I have enjoyed
the expansion of my New Jersey based organization
(www.GoldMedalFamilyKarate.com).
I also have students who maintain professional
sister-schools including Pierson’s TaeKwon-Do &
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