It was 1988 when I decided not to compete in the 1st ever Olympic Tae Kwon Do Exhibition, held in Seoul, South Korea. This was despite the fact I had won 20 gold medals, including two for forms and fighting at the 1987 Summer Olympic Trials held in Tulsa, Oklahoma. My change in heart was prompted by an uncontrollable urge to return to my Chinese Martial Art roots. It was not long after that I abandoned Tae Kwon Do, the tournament circuit, and decided to follow my heart.

After returning to Chinese Kung Fu, I focused all of my time and attention on the Internal Martial Arts. Learning Xingyi, Tai Chi, and Bagua was no easy transition. I made the adjustment by reading several books on the subject, which opened my eyes to my new found art. I would soon come to learn the internal arts had found me, not the other way around.

I trained with the intent of refining my skills through repetition. Through private lessons, practicing alone and in group settings, I reviewed all of my exercises on a consistent basis. This method raised the level of my technical and physical ability quickly. I performed frequently in public, so performing would be natural and enjoyable for me. And, although Tai Chi discourages competitive attitudes, 20 years later, I tried my hand at another martial arts tournament.

I entered the tournament to meet other martial artists, who might be able to help me gain additional insight. It was not long before I was collaborating with some of the best martial artists around. Since that time, I have continued to compete in martial arts tournaments. I have won 39 medals (15 gold, 15 silver, and 9 bronze) and made a tons of new friends.

Many people have made a profound impact on my martial arts career. Therefore, I would like to personally thank the following individuals (in alphabetical order): Sandy Amason,  Tim Cartmell, Jerry Cook, Steve Cotter, Mario Figueroa, Maurice Funches, Patrick Griffith,  Dr. Jin Lin, Gordon Liss, Charlie Moreno, Lap Nguyen, Bill & Janet Orsini, Mike Patterson,  Ron Pierce, Michael & Shellee Rockwell, Gerald Sharp, Tae Ho Shin, Bob Suttles, Zifang Su, Todd Takeuchi, Weizhong Tang , James A. Wilson, Zilong "Yun" Zhao, Yuanhua Yan, the Southern California Taichichuan Association and last but not least my students.

Below is a listing of some of my most recent accomplishments.

Additional accomplishments:

2007 Academy of Masters, Male Competitor of the Year Award (Costa Mesa, CA)

2007 United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee (Las Vegas, NV)

For more details go to http://carlsbadtaichi.com or call (760) 586-2415. 
(revised 08/12/07)