Taekwondo, Hapkido, Jiujitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, Karate, Weaponry, Aikido, Muay Thai, Self-Defense, MMA, TaiChi, Kung-fu
Martial Art Fitness Centers, Inc
2849 South Broadway - Rochester, MN 55904
507-358-3484 fred.gommels@gmail.com
Our Historical Background
the KongSooDo style
of Taekwondo
under the associations of
ChangMooKwan
KangMuKwan
Tracing our ancestry from
Master FG's Martial Arts Training
Since 1973
He started his training in March of 1973 in Aiki-Jujitsu, Shotokan Karate, Judo with Dr. Haruo Okazaki
Since then Master G. has trained in 9 different martial arts, earned master level rank in Hapkido and KongSooDo/Taekwondo, became fluent in the Korean language, traveled to South Korea 7 times, influenced the creation of Shihung/Rochester City Partnership, trained over 200 hundred students to the level of black belt and still teaches martial arts as a fulltime profession.
Current Ranking
8th Dan Honorary
Okinawa Koburyu Karatedo Kobudo Kobukai
7th Dan Korea Simmudo Association
5th Dan Korea Taekwondo Chung Do Kwan
5th Dan Korean SinMu Hapkido Federation
5th Dan Korea TKD Chang Moo Kwan
4th Dan Yusool - Martial Arts USA
Primary Martial Art:
KongSooDo-Taekwondo
With affiliation:
ChangMooKwan
KangMuKwan
Under the instruction of:
Grand Master JW Park
since 1976
GrandMaster Jong Won Park
Portrait & action shot
circa 1975
1977 Group Photo
From back left: Jim Yarwood, Dean Tollefsrud,
GM JW Park, Gene Gauger
Front second from left: Fred Gommels
Group Photo Circa 1984
Back from left: Kevin Fischer, Wayne Fuller, Giles Paulson, unknown, Mike Deroiun, Jerome Wittig
Front from left:
Fred Gommels, GM JW Park, Randy Ash
ChangMooKwan - KongSooDo
KongSooDo (way of the empty hand) is a style. ChangMooKwan (shining martial art) is an organization. Song Byung Hee established the organization prior to it being called ChangMooKwan. However, his student, Yoon Byong In, is credited as the founder of ChangMooKwan.
GM Lee Dong Ju, the original master of GM JW Park (instructor of F. Gommels) taught KongSooDo based on the linear hard style of Shutokan style Karate, and also on the circular soft style of Chuan-Fa style Kung-Fu. One can see the influence of Karate in the forms training, and of Kung-fu in our advanced blocks as well as in the 42 black belt principles.
GrandMaster Lee Dong Ju
Portrait & action shot
circa 1953
History of
ChangMooKwan
KongSooDo
Fred Gommels trained privately and in class with GM Park Jong Won from 1976-1997.
This narrative was told to F. Gommels by GrandMaster Park Jong Won on November 6, 1993
Song Byung Hee established the organization prior to it being called ChangMooKwan. Yoon Byong In was a student of Song Byung Hee and trained Lee Dong Joo and Lee Nam Suk. Lee Dong Joo, and businessman Lee Nam Suk, both students of Yoon Byong In, opened the ChangMooKwan with the elder Lee Dong Joo in charge at the time.
GrandMaster
Yoon Byung In
Instructor of Lee Dong Ju
At the time of this conversation there were only 14 ChangMooKwan instructors living in the USA who had trained directly under Lee Dong Joo. The philosophy of GM Park Jong Won’s training and lineage was non-sport, but for defensive purposes only.
This narrative given to me by GM Park closely parallels any online search of the topics KongSooDo and ChangMooKwan. As black belt and instructors we have a responsibility to do our own research and self education on our heritage.