North Alabama Tang Soo Do (NATSD) is a certified member studio in the World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA). The ranks of its owners, instructors and students, as well as instructor and judge certifications are approved by the WTSDA. NATSD has offered martial arts training for more than 35 years in the Florence area and continues to offer the highest levels of this martial art. NATSD is in Region 6 of the WTSDA which includes studios in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee and participates in regional and world-wide events on a periodic basis. NATSD currently teaches classes in the Courthouse Racquet Club at 1545 Helton Drive in Florence,Alabama, 35630.

Contact Us:

For information on classes call: Mr. Frank Townsell at 256-335-1574 or the Court House Racquet Club at 256-764-0034

SPECIAL DEAL FOR NEW STUDENTS:

Uniform is free when signing up for new membership!

SPECIAL DEAL FOR NEW STUDENTS OR STUDENTS FROM OTHER

STYLES:

Two free classes

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Welcome to North Alabama Tang Soo Do

North Alabama Tang Soo Do is located at the Court House Racquet Club on Helton Drive in Florence Alabama. NATSD provides instruction in the traditional Tang Soo Do including self-defense, traditional weapons, cardio conditioning in addition to specialized training at quarterly clinics.

The purpose of Tang Soo Do training is for self-defense in protecting our lives and possessions; promotion of good health, strong bodies, and sound minds; and development of a better person and character through endurance and hard work.

Benefits from training with us
• Classes are taught by Internationally certified instructors
• Higher level of confidence by learning self defense
• Safe and professional training environment
• Improvement in physical condition
• Increased environmental awareness
• Enhancement of physical and mental discipline
• History, theory, and philosophy of Tang Soo Do
• All classes are taught by certified Black Belt instructors of the World Tang Soo Do Association
• Access to special quarterly Black Belt and Colored Belt training seminars
• Invitations to Regional and World Championship tournaments
• Complimentary workout privileges at world-wide studios when traveling

What is Tang Soo Do?
The exact origins of Tang Soo Do are obscure but there is early evidence of this ancient form of Korean martial arts during the Three Kingdom era (57 BC-935 AD). Since then various indigenous martial arts flourished or diminished according to the political, economic or cultural environment in Korea.
The art was known by various names throughout the eras as Hwa Rang Do, Kwon Bop, Tae Kyun, Soo Bahk and Tang Soo among others. Following the 1945 Korean independence, the Korean martial arts emerged again and flourished throughout the entire Korean Peninsula. Many organizations and schools were founded with various names such as Moo Duk Kwan, Chi Do Kwan, Chung Do Kwan, Song Moo Kwan, Chang Moo Kwan and Yun Moo Kwan. To further promote Korean nationalism, political leaders, seeing the popularity of Korean martial arts developing around the world, decided to assimilate all schools and to create a new name for the Korean martial arts: Tae Kwon Do. Over time, Tae Kwon Do became a national sport and Korean instructors were dispatched to many parts of the world to teach. The founder of traditional Tang Soo Do, Grandmaster Hwang Kee, decided to maintain this art in its purity and ultimately encouraged its spread to other parts of the world. The World Tang Soo Do Association respects Tae Kwon Do and other martial arts but is determined to preserve the heritage, philosophy, and concepts of traditional Tang Soo Do.
While Tae Kwon Do ultimately focused more on competition and promoted the sport aspect with tournaments, Tang Soo Do remained true to its traditional focus on discipline, self-control, self-defense, mental, and physical improvement. In 1968 Grandmaster Jae Chul Shin came to the United States of America as the U. S. representative for the Korean Tang Soo Do Association. He formed the U. S. Tang Soo Do Federation in Burlington, New Jersey. This traditional Korean Martial Art was quickly accepted and over ensuing years grew in popularity throughout the World. The organization reformed to fit new demands internationally, and on November 13 and 14th, 1982, a charter convention of the World Tang Soo Do Association was held in Philadelphia, PA., USA. With the advent of the World Tang Soo Do Association, Tang Soo Do began a new era of development as a traditional martial art. Grandmaster Shin was promoted to 9th Degree at the World Championship in 2010. He died in July 2012 but not until after the new World Headquarters building was completed in Burlington, NC. Dr. Robert Beaudoin was promoted to 8th Degree Grandmaster in 2010 and became the president of the Association in 2012. As of 2014, the organization has grown at an outstanding rate to over 150,000 members in 36 countries where thousands of students are training including the following: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Germany, Greece, Guam, India, Mozambique, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Puerto Rico, Russia, Seychelles, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sweden, United Kingdom, Uruguay and the U.S.A. For the purpose of guidance and regional management, the world is divided into 22 regions. The regional directory of studios and clubs in all regions is available at the World Tang Soo Do Website.

World Tang Soo Do Association: http://www.wtsda.com/
The WTSDA provides information about the Association, the martial art of Tang Soo Do, Grandmaster Jae C. Shin, founder of WTSDA, and Grandmaster Robert Beaudoin, president, studios and clubs in the 22 regions of the WTSDA membership, Master of the Month column, purchases, and events.

North Alabama Tang Soo Do Instructors:

Master Bill Strong – Chil Dan (7th degree Black Belt)
Senior International Master Instructor
Dan # 019040-G031
Master Strong began martial arts training in 1964 in Austin, Texas in the Jhoon Rhee Institute of Tae Kwon Do. Upon moving to Florence, Alabama in 1972, he continued training in TKD and achieved the 1st degree black belt in 1974. He continued to train in TKD through the 3rd degree black belt but then joined the U.S. Tang Soo So Association where he achieved the 4th degree Master’s rank. Later he joined the World Tang Soo Do Association with Grand Master Jae C. Shin as his instructor. Since then he has progressed through the ranks to the current 7th degree senior international master instructor level. During almost 30 years with WTSDA he has served as a regional director, membership chair, technical advisory chair and now secretary-general. For the past 21 years he has been the local director of the annual Masters’ Clinic. He is a WTSDA certified instructor and International Judge and judging mentor for competition. Since becoming a black belt, he has taught Tang Soo Do as an adjunct professor at the University of North Alabama, founded the UNA martial arts club, and started Tang Soo Do at the YMCA and in commercial settings. He has taught numerous clinics in self-defense for men and women as well as demonstrations in various locations across the state. In addition to Tang Soo Do and tae kwon do, Master Strong has studied hapkido, Shotokan, and ki kong. He is a co-owner of North Alabama Tang Soo Do.


Master Vaughn K. Henry – Oh Dan (5th degree Black Belt)
Senior Master Instructor
Dan # 022307-G145
Master Henry is a co-owner of North Alabama Tang Soo Do. He has been training in Tang Soo Do for 30+ years and has been a WTSDA certified instructor for more than 25 years. He is a WTSDA certified International judge and certified Judging mentor for Region 6. He has also trained in martial arts other than Tang Soo Do including Hapkido and Kali (stick fighting).
He began his martial arts training in Tang Soo Do at the Florence, Alabama YMCA in 1985 under the instruction of Master Bill Strong. At this time the school was known as North West Alabama Tang Soo Do YMCA. In 1988 he received his Cho Dan promotion (1st degree Black Belt). After receiving the promotion to Cho Dan he began Instructing Tang Soo Do at the YMCA and has been a WTSDA certified instructor since then. In 1990 he was promoted to the rank of E Dan (2nd degree Black Belt) and in 1991 became a part owner in the North West Alabama Tang Soo Do YMCA studio. In 1992 the school was renamed to North Alabama Tang Soo Do. In 1993 he was promoted to the rank of Sam Dan (3rd degree Black Belt) and in the same year assisted in the formation of the North Alabama Black Belt club and served as the club’s President from 1993-98.
In 1999 he was invited to attend the annual WTSDA Masters Clinic to test for master’s rank. In the same year he assisted in the formation of the Region 6 Black Belt club and the drafting of the club By-laws and served as the first President of the Region 6 Black Belt Club from 1999-2002. In 2001 he was promoted to the rank of Sah Dan (4th degree Black Belt) and in 2002 promoted to the rank of Sah Dan Master. Subsequently, he served as a WTSDA board member and as the Region 6 Regional director from 2007-2010. As Regional director he conducted numerous clinics, Black Belt tests, Black Belt camps, and Regional Championships for Region 6. He was promoted to the rank of Oh Dan (5th degree Black Belt) in 2008.

Frank Townsell – Sam Dan (3rd degree Black Belt)
Chief Instructor
Dan # 038489
Mr. Townsell is a co-owner of North Alabama Tang Soo Do (NATSD). He has been training in Tang Soo Do for more than 12 years and has been a World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA) certified instructor for more than 8 years and a WTSDA certified Regional Judge. He has also trained in Jujitsu and Kali (stick fighting).
He began my Martial arts training in Tang Soo Do at the North Alabama Tang Soo Do studio in Florence, Alabama in 2002 under the instruction of Masters Bill Strong and Vaughn Henry. In 2006 he received his Cho Dan promotion (1st degree Black Belt) and in the same year became a WTSDA certified instructor at the NATSD studio. Mr. Townsell was promoted to the rank of E Dan (2nd degree Black Belt) in 2008 to the rank of Sam Dan (3rd degree Black Belt) in 2011. He has been instrumental in teaching the children’s classes for several years.