Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi

"Martial arts should be based on human science to benefit our health and self-defense capabilities.  I believe my health and quality of life have dramatically improved as a result of Choi Kwang Do.  It works for me and it can work for any other person too!"                                      - Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi

Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi was born on March 2, 1942, in Tae Gu City, Korea.  As a child, Kwang Jo was small and physically weak.  This caused concern for his father and at the age of 12, Kwang Jo started training in a martial arts program called Kwon Bup, a form of Korean Karate.

During his national military service, Kwang Jo became a Chief Instructor in the 20th infantry division and it was here that he came in contact with General Choi, the founder of Taekwon-Do.  On completion of his military service, Kwang Jo traveled to Seoul to see General Choi, who taught him the art.  Shortly thereafter, Kwang Jo was appointed a Chief Instructor for the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) and taught martial arts instructors from all over Korea and overseas.  Additionally, Kwang Jo served as an instructor for the national police department and taught many military instructors and members of the armed forces.  In 1967, the ITF appointed him as one of six instructors to demonstrate and promote Taekwon-Do throughout South East Asia.

However, due to the lockout movements of the traditional martial arts, Kwang Jo injured his body, which forced him to move to North America for medical treatment in 1970.  After visits with many doctors, Kwang Jo decided to try rehabilitating his own body without surgery.  He studied physical therapy techniques and slowly began to recuperate and heal his condition.  It was during this process that Kwang Jo started to realize that it was indeed these lockout movements that had caused his injuries.  As a result, he began to study anatomy, physiology and human-movement sciences (kinesiology).

In 1987, with his body completely restored, Kwang Jo incorporated everything he had learned into a new martial arts system called CHOI KWANG DO, which translates as "the art of Kwang Choi".  Choi Kwang Do is now one of the fastest growing martial arts/health and fitness programs of the 21st century, with schools located throughout the world (see the CKD International Website).