About Grandmaster Shin

Grandmaster Hyun Jik Shin of Shin's Family Tae Kwon Do (Korean Karate) Martial Arts Fitness Center, located in Santa Clarita, currently holds the highest ranking black belt (9th Dan) in the United States for Tae Kwon Do martial arts (Korean Karate) and was the youngest 9th Degree Tae Kwon Do martial arts Grandmaster ever awarded that honor by the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF) at the age of 42 . There are less than eighty Tae Kwon Do martial arts ninth degree black belts worldwide out of approximately fifty million Tae Kwon Do martial arts practitioners. Grandmaster Shin is one of the foremost experts in Tae Kwon Do (Korean Karate) martial arts and self defense in the world. Throughout his impressive career in Tae Kwon Do martial arts, Grandmaster Shin has served as: Chairman of the World Martial Arts Union, President of the Korea Tae Kwon Do Association and Chairman of the Korea Moo Duk Kwon Instructor Association. In addition, Grandmaster Shin is currently a member of the United States Olympic Organizing Committee for Tae Kwon Do martial arts, Pan-American Tae Kwon Do Martial Arts Union, Korea Advisory Council on Democratic Peaceful Unification and the Korean Academic Research Foundation.

Grandmaster Shin was born in Seoul, Korea on July 31, 1937. He began his training in Tae Kwon Do martial arts at the age of nine under Grandmaster Hwang Kee. Prior to his high school graduation in 1954, Grandmaster Shin received his 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do martial arts. He won his first national championship in 1957. He successfully defended his title the following year in 1958.

As a result of his unique fighting skills, Grandmaster Shin was chosen as a member of the Korean National Tae Kwon Do Martial Arts Demonstration Team. This elite martial arts team traveled extensively throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the South Pacific spreading the art of Tae Kwon Do martial arts. After, Grandmaster Shin served in the “Republic of Korea” army between 1959 and 1966. During his military service, Grandmaster Shin quickly earned the rank of Captain in the Korean Special Forces where he spent four of the seven years teaching “Hand to hand combat” to the newly enlisted members. From 1966 to 1969, Grandmaster Shin was also an instructor at the National Korean Police Academy.

In 1969, Grandmaster Shin opened his first Tae Kwon Do martial arts self defense school. As a result of his success, the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF) recruited him to be one of the first instructors to teach at the Kukkiwon (Headquarters for the WTF). Soon after (in 1973), Grandmaster Shin and his wife immigrated to the United States in hopes of giving their three children a better life and the opportunities they both never had.  In 1984, Grandmaster Shin opened his second Tae Kwon Do martial arts self defense school location in the Santa Clarita Valley, a Tae Kwon Do martial arts self defense school that was ahead of its time, especially for the Santa Clarita Valley.  Since that time, many things have changed in the Santa Clarita Valley.  With a variety of not only Tae Kwon Do martial arts schools (in the Santa Clarita Valley) to choose from and a more educated clientel, Shin's Tae Kwon Do (Korean Karate) Martial Arts Self Defense Fitness Center, of Santa Clarita Valley, has continously been voted "Best Martial Arts School" in the Santa Clarita Valley.    

Shin's Family Tae Kwon Do Martial Arts Fitness Center

Santa Clarita, California  

661.702.0123

661.257.6767