ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
As the son of a career army officer whose father was assigned many different posts around the country, Michael Park always sought out the best martial art instruction available to him. This frequent relocation away from his native Texas provided him the rare opportunity to study diverse martial arts under many famous instructors. Michael Park received his first black belt promotion in 1969 in Korean Karate (Moo Duk Kwan) and was added to the Kajukenbo Ohana (family tree) in 1972 under Grandmaster James K. Roberts Sr. (Ret.) who as a native Hawaiian earned his black belt as a first generation direct student of Sijo Adriano Emperado in 1959. Park came to appreciate the ground effects or ground work techniques of Kajukenbo and Kenpo Karate while participating in a week long martial art seminar and demonstration with Master Chief Al Tejero of CHA-3 Kenpo Karate who was visiting from Hawaii. When he had the opportunity, he sought instruction from Grandmaster Richard Peralta on his form of Kajukembo. Although he attended a few classes and sponsored some seminars with grandmaster Peralta, the training was cut short for awhile due to Park's serious health issues at the time. Unfortunately, Grandmaster Peralta passed away not long after Park reconnected with him. Always the innovator, GM Peralta was interested in complimenting his approach to Kajukembo with some of Park's Jujutsu experience. The "Peralta system" had evolved since Park's first exposure to Kajukenbo back in the early 70's so in this regard; some of GM Peralta's last directions to his senior black belt students were to assist Park in "catching up" so he can see how we do our thing in KSDS Kajukembo!" Since Grandmaster Richard Peralta past away, Michael Park came under the direct supervision of senior Grandmaster Alii Don Nahoolewa, the first black belt of Grandmaster Aleju Reyes Sr. and the founder of the American Kajukembo Association.
Park also had a long affiliation with the Korean Moo Duk Kwan in both Tang Soo Do (Korean Karate) and pre-Olympic style Tae Kwon Do earning his master instructor certification in this style. Park's most influential teachers in "Korean Karate" include Grandmasters Sgt. James Johnson, Ye Mo Ahn, Chuck Sereff, Soo Woong Lee, James K. Roberts Sr. and Hyun Chul Hwang the son of Grandmaster Kee Hwang, the founder of Moo Duk Kwan. For a time before returning to more traditional systems, Park operated Tang Soo Do studios affiliated with the United Fighting Arts Federation under Chuck Norris. Park was also awarded master instructor certification from Chuck Norris's instructor, Grandmaster Jae Chul Shin. Park's Tang Soo Do black belt pin # is 16321.
During the late 60's and early 1970's, before protective equipment was used, Park competed in a few American open karate tournaments mostly on the east coast. His position as a Washington D.C. police officer at the time prevented him from traveling too far from the Washington area. Park usually placed first or second in forms and sparring competition and he defeated several well known "old school" fighters of the time. The Jhoon Rhee School was close to his and since most of the black belt cadre there were also from Texas, Park would often visit. He was at the headquarters school and sparred with Jeff Smith one of Jhoon Rhee's black belt champions the day the first prototype Safe-T-Kick gear was introduced.
For several years Park also studied the Korean royal court martial art of Kuk Sool Won, a comprehensive form of Hapkido that it has been described as a type of Korean "Kung Fu". This art also uses the walking cane, Korean sword, rope and other weapons. Kuk Sool and Hapkido trace their lineage back to Yong Sul Choi who's Japanese name was Asao Yoshida and he studied Daito-ryu Aiki-Jujutsu in Japan for thirty years while living with great grandmaster Sokaku Takeda.
Park received his 2nd Dan from In Hyuk Suh, the Korea national teacher, and trained under Jay Lee a senior American Kuk Sool master. Park was later also recognized as a black belt in International Hae Jun Moo Sool Hapkido by grandmaster Jae Ok Myung.
Park continued broadening his skills and earned an 8th degree in an Okinawa (iron fist) Kempo jujutsu system then began an intensive study of Aikido as a personal student of Bill Sosa (deceased) founder of the International Aikido Association. He later earned a sandan and then yondan with Lynn Fabia sensei of the Society of Aikido Centers. He has participated in several additional seminars to include aiki-jujutsu, aikido, and hapkido under John Damian sensei (deceased) of Imua Ki Aikido, Don Angier, the soke of Yanagi-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu, Rod Kobayashi (deceased) of Seidokan Aikido, In Hyuk Suh of Korean Kuk Sool Won, Jae Ok Myung of International Hapkido and Lynn Fabia of the Society of Aikido Centers.
While studying martial arts as a serious avocation, Michael Park had a distinguished professional career with the U. S. marshals, a prestigious federal law enforcement agency. He served as one of the first staff instructors in defensive tactics to SOG, the highly trained para-military Special Operations Group. He was known as a relentless "man hunter" and as a fugitive investigations supervisor in Texas he was often commended by officials for apprehending armed and violent felons with just his martial art skills. His career specialty evolved to an elite covert program protecting high threat dignitaries and classified overseas assignments.
Now that he retired as a federal agent, Park teaches regular classes in Kajukembo and Aiki-Budo in Plano, Texas. he conducts workshops to law enforcement officers in his reality based Total Immersion Police Controls (T.I.P.C.) program. The tag-line for his police Reality-B.A.S.E. Adrenalines Stress Environment course is "Survivors Know More Than You!" In 2007 he was elected to the honored position as a board member of the American Kajukembo Association and remains an active member to this day. Michael Park is available for limited travel for special seminar instruction and he can be reached on his cell in Plano at (214) 982-1683 or through the web site at;
www.kajukemboplus.com
