MikeSlisher
White Belt
Does anyone have any personal experience with James Benko and/or International TaeKwon-Do Association? Just looking for some information on him as a few people I know think he's just the shizznit.
ITA / James Benko
- Thread starter MikeSlisher
- Start date
It means it's a good thing, Terry. As in "Benko is great."
:viking3::headbangin:Im old school like you, my man.
MikeSlisher
White Belt
Sorry, I'm pretty much old school myself (54 and counting!), but I was feeling pretty "shizznit" at the time I made the post.
Anyway, when I first heard of Grandmaster Benko, he was advertising himself as being Eight-Dan. At that time, the only Caucasian 8th Dans I had heard of were Master Sell out of Florida and another guy (memory is failing me at the moment). Our Dojang was in the process of splitting into several factions. I was investigating finding another Grandmaster Instructor and he had been recommended by several of my fellow black belts as being truly phenomonal.
Having an open mind, I opened some correspondence and when I asked for his credentials, I received no reply. Kinda turned me off. I see he's now a 9th-Dan.
From his website, http://www.itatkd.com :
He holds the ranks of 9th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, 9th degree black belt in Hapkido, 9th degree black belt in Shim Soo Do™ (Korean Swordsmanship), 9th degree black belt in Han Kuk Mu Ki Do™ (Traditional Korean Weapons), and black belt ranks in several other martial arts styles.
Anyway, I'm trying to get back into some semblence of shape after almost 10 years out of TKD, and I've been doing a lot of surfing the 'net (out of work for the last two months) and I ran across his website again. It prompted me to see if anyone knew anything about him as I'm still curious about his credentials.
Anyway, when I first heard of Grandmaster Benko, he was advertising himself as being Eight-Dan. At that time, the only Caucasian 8th Dans I had heard of were Master Sell out of Florida and another guy (memory is failing me at the moment). Our Dojang was in the process of splitting into several factions. I was investigating finding another Grandmaster Instructor and he had been recommended by several of my fellow black belts as being truly phenomonal.
Having an open mind, I opened some correspondence and when I asked for his credentials, I received no reply. Kinda turned me off. I see he's now a 9th-Dan.
From his website, http://www.itatkd.com :
He holds the ranks of 9th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, 9th degree black belt in Hapkido, 9th degree black belt in Shim Soo Do™ (Korean Swordsmanship), 9th degree black belt in Han Kuk Mu Ki Do™ (Traditional Korean Weapons), and black belt ranks in several other martial arts styles.
Anyway, I'm trying to get back into some semblence of shape after almost 10 years out of TKD, and I've been doing a lot of surfing the 'net (out of work for the last two months) and I ran across his website again. It prompted me to see if anyone knew anything about him as I'm still curious about his credentials.
Muwubu16858
Green Belt
After taking a glance at what he says on his page, try researching the names of his teachers in his bio page, and see what comes up. ask some older korean masters if they'd heard of them. that's the only way I can think of. personally, sounds like he's self promoted, since he shows no affiliation to any organizations, (except his own are named there).
