Hapkido

• 19th year training Hapkido under Grandmaster Hwang In-Shik
• 3rd Dan Black Belt, Hapkido
• Practitioner of Qi Gong, studying under Rupert Harvey and Golden Harmony
• Registered Acupuncturist & Practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Currently studying Osteopathy at OAoPO

• Strong fundamentals are the foundation of growth.
• Training must be practical, adaptable, and shaped by the practitioner.
• Longevity matters—train hard, but not recklessly.
• Perfect practice makes perfect.
• Principles guide action; action expresses principle.
• True understanding comes only through practice.

• Loves Hapkido because it is continuously humbling and intrinsically beautiful.
• Believes becoming a healer is a natural progression of a martial artist.
• Believes becoming a teacher is a natural progression of a learner.
• Was once bitten by a penguin.
• Is a student of life, and for life.

In his early years, Thomas explored Karate, Taekwondo, and Judo, cultivating a deep appreciation for martial arts. In his late twenties, he encountered Hapkido Grandmaster Hwang In-Shik and a discipline unlike anything he had seen before.

Drawn to the directness and depth of the art as demonstrated by the master and his senior students, Thomas committed himself to long-term study. Over nearly two decades of dedicated training under Hwang’s guidance, he has developed into one of the grandmaster’s senior students, carrying forward a tradition rooted in practical application, real-world testing, and continual refinement.

After a decade of training without proper regard for repair and recovery, Thomas turned toward the healing arts. He now works as a Traditional Chinese Medicine herbalist and acupuncturist while continuing his studies in Osteopathy, integrating clinical insight into how he teaches, trains, and understands movement.

Biggest Challenge:

Doing what I should, and not doing what I shouldn’t.