The Making of Grandmaster Chom Son Cho

Founder and Grandmaster of Cho’s Martial Arts

 

Grandmaster Cho’s philosophy of teaching is special. He believes Taekwondo is important for personal growth and development, affecting all areas of life. Ultimately, he emphasizes respect for oneself and others, the power to strengthen one’s mind as well as body, and to obtain the discipline to set and achieve one's goals.

  • - 9TH DEGREE BLACK BELT KUKKIWON / WORLD TAEKWONDO
  • - UNDEFEATED KOREAN & JAPANESE CHAMPION IN OVER 250 MATCHES
  • - CREATED OVER 300 CHAMPIONS & MASTER INSTRUCTORS
  • - INTERNATIONAL GRANDMASTER INSTRUCTOR
  • - HIGHEST RANKING GRANDMASTER IN THE UNITED STATES
  • - OVER 50 YEARS OF MARTIAL ARTS EXCELLENCE IN THE MILWAUKEE AREA

When he retired from competition in 1972, Grandmaster Cho was undefeated in over 250 straight matches. In addition to competing, he taught at Cambridge in England, many police academies throughout Korea, and with the United States Air Force and Green Berets.

Grandmaster Cho was promoted to International Grandmaster Instructor by the World Taekwondo Federation in 1972.

When he opened his school in Milwaukee in 1973, Grandmaster Cho realized that Americans were fifteen years behind Asian countries in fighting techniques. He not only taught the new techniques, but created them as well, including the “spin back kick.” After establishing himself in the United States for seven years, he moved his family to Milwaukee. Since then, he has taught not only other Master Instructors, but also his two sons, Won and Ung, who are both former Korean and American National Champions. They both continue the tradition of martial arts excellence inherent to their name.

Grandmaster Cho is largely responsible for Ji Do Kwon’s popularity and position as the foremost Taekwondo style (Ji Do Kwon boasts 90–95% of all Olympic and World Champions). Throughout his career, Grandmaster Cho has created over 3,000 Black Belts, 300 champions at State, National, and Junior Olympic levels, and over 30 Master and Grandmaster Instructors in the United States.

Grandmaster Chom Son Cho comes from a long tradition of martial arts excellence. He began the study of martial arts early in life with his father and uncle, who were high-ranking Judo and Kenpo practitioners.

At the age of 13, Chom Son Cho began his formal Taekwondo studies with Il Sup Jung, a 6th Degree Black Belt and former champion of Korea and Japan. Il Sup Jung knew his student was very special, calling him "one in a million," and within six months awarded him his 1st Degree Black Belt. In those days, it was unheard of for a student to receive his 1st Dan after just six months, so Chom Son Cho, wearing his Brown Belt, was sent to the National Tournament in Seoul to earn his 1st Degree Black Belt in competition. After winning fifteen straight matches in the Black Belt competition, Chom Son Cho received his well-deserved Black Belt from Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters).

In 1963, at the age of 28, he decided to compete internationally and, with encouragement from his family, went to compete in the Japanese National Games in Tokyo. Grandmaster Cho won 19 straight matches and then defeated the Japanese Champion to become the Korean and Japanese National Champion! After the tournament, Grandmaster Cho returned to his family in Korea, turning down a position as Master Instructor at Osaka University, and for the next nine years, he held the title of Heavyweight Champion.