About Us
White Tiger Tae Kwon Do is a registered member of the USA Tae Kwon Do Union, and is the only Olympic affiliated Tae Kwon Do school in South Texas. Students who earn a black belt from White Tiger are automatically qualified as instructors as sanctioned by the World Tae Kwon Do Federation.
Song’s White Tiger
Proud to be “the school of choice” for USA Tae Kwon Do Olympic Team members: Nia Abdallah and Kay Poe!
Our Belt Order:
White Yellow Green Blue Red Black
Dear Parents and Students
We are dedicated to make your TaeKwonDo experience enjoyable and satisfying. We are different from other Martial Arts schools is because of One thing,: Instructor. What other Martial Arts schools in this area can say they graduated from TaeKwonDo University and receive black belt in Korea, birth place of TaeKWonDo.
Master Mike H. Song Receive black belt from Kukiwon- Head quarter of TaeKwonDo worldwide in Korea in 1983. 5th degree Black Belt Tae Kwon Do 2nd degree Black Belt BuShiban Karate Do from world famous Master Zufi in Houston Texas. 2nd degree Black Belt in HapKiDo International Teaching License In TKD. International Referee License in TKD. Stephen F. Austin State University TaeKwondo team founder. 3rd Best in the Nation in 1997. 2 times Fin weight State champion 1992,1993, 2 times Fly weight State champion 1994,1995, 2 times Bantam weight State champion1996,1997, Dong-ah University championship in Pusan, Korea 1997, Kyung-hee University championship in Seoul, Korea 1997, Sang Moo friendly game in Seoul, Korea 1997, 2 times Collegiate fly weight champion 1996,1997, 2 times Korean Presidental Cup fly weight champion 1997,1998, 2 times member of Texas Team, Team Capt. of Korean American Olympic festival champion in Seattle Washington, Trainer of 2000 Olympian Kay Poe, and 2nd team Ester Kim Trainer of 2004 Olympian silver medalist Nia Abdallah Trainer of US Open, US team Trials, National Champions- Robert Yoon, John Dunhart, Nia Abdallah and many Jr. national champions. Within two years since opening of Song’s White Tigers school in the Valley, Master Song already produce State, National, US open, Pan American open Champions and 2012 US Olympic Team Trials Finalist. This is first time accomplishment in Rio Grande Valley.
We have studied and trained more than 20 years as part of the requirements to qualify for the World TaeKwonDo Federation teaching license. Now our primary task is to assist you in being the best you can be. Our carefully structured programs go far beyond punching, kicking and self defense techniques. At the same time as we help develop effective self-defense skills, we provide a comprehensive program of personal development. It is our goal to raise the quality of life for all of our student in every way.
At White Tiger TKD our mission is: to provide the finest instruction in the mental, physical and character building aspects of martial arts. Second, to provide personal instruction in every class. Third, to provide the cleanest and most professional facilities in the area. Fourth, to create an environment that gives each individuals the opportunity to pursue and achieve a greater level of personal success and freedom. Your best interest is always uppermost in our minds. Our instructors are always ready to help you in any way during your training. We will be happy to discuss your progress at any time.
GOOD LUCK AND WELCOME ONCE AGAIN!!!
Sincerely, WHITE TIGER TAE KWON DO MASTER MIKE H. SONG
15 GOALS OF WHITE TIGER TAEKWONDO PROGRAM
- Through White Tiger Training Program your child will be provided opportunities to:
- Develop a healthy, positive self-image.
- Develop leadership skills.
- Develop physical strength, coordination, flexibly and stamina.
- Develop self-control, discipline and independence.
- Develop intellectually through coordination of parents, school teachers and Taekwondo instructors monitoring of scholastics achievements.
- Develop focus and increase attention span through discipline.
- Practice courteous behavior and learn pro-social skills.
- Develop fine and gross motor skills.
- Develop awareness of physical fitness and good health habits.
- Develop ethical and moral values – from Eastern and Western prospective.
- Develop a respect for individual and cultural differences.
- Develop self-confidence, self-esteem and humbleness.
- Experience a high degree of success through belt ranking and developmental activities.
- Develop a sense of rights and responsibility.
- Learn to balance oneself through coordination of MIND – BODY – SPIRIT.
Children’s Home Rules
- Through White Tiger Training Program your child will be provided opportunities to:
- Children shall greet their parents when they enter the house and tell them goodbye when they leave.
- Children will at all times be respectful to their parents and grandparents.
- Children will at all times be truthful.
- Children will strive for a good relationship with their brothers and sisters.
- Children will willingly help with household chores.
- Children shall report to their parents that they have completed assigned tasks.
- Children shall be responsible for the upkeep and neatness of their own room.
- Children will practice daily cleanliness in the matter of hair, teeth, and body.
- Children shall abide by parents’ decisions.
- Children shall not interrupt adult conversations.
- Children shall refrain from rowdy behavior.
- Children shall possess an active mind, body, and spirit.
- Children will diligently study their school work both at school and at home.
- Children shall at all times show respect for their school teachers and their peers.
Tae Kwon Do, Past and Present
Taekwondo, a self-defense art using hands and feet to repel against an enemy, has been developed independently over 20 centuries in Korea. Its origins can be traced to the three kingdoms periods in Korean history. In Koguryo, the ancient kingdom to the north, mural paintings discovered among the ruins of the royal tombs built between 3 AD and 427 AD, show the scenes of Taekwondo practices. In the Southeast portion of Korea, the smallest kingdom known as Silla, one can see two giant statues in Taekwondo stances which guard the meditation buddha at Sokkuram ruins located at Kyongju.
The earliest known style of self-defense in Korea was called Soo Bak Do. Loosely translated as the way of punching and butting. Soo Bak Do was most popular among the peasant and city dwellers as a sport and a form of unarmed self-defense. Later, during the three kingdoms period, in approximately the fifth century AD, a cadre of young aristocrats came together as a special class of military leaders and warriors to defend the Korean kingdom of Silla. Known as the HwaRang or flowering youth. These Korean aristocrats combined the principles of Soo Bak Do with the adapted fighting styles of wild animals found in the Korean wilderness. The result was the creation of a martial art known as Taekwondo.
During the Yi dynasty, 1392-1910, the court religion was Confucianism, which encouraged scholarly and literary pursuits and ignored the martial arts. Taekwondo was still widely practiced however, until the start of the Japanese occupation in 1910 when all fighting arts were prohibited and forced underground.
Today, Taekwondo is the most recognized Korean martial art. Taekwondo first came to be recognized as a system of self-defense in the 1950’s when a group of leading Korean martial artists came together and unified their various art forms under a single style of hand and feet fighting. They named their style Taekwondo, and in the last 30 years have developed it into one of the most effective styles of unarmed self-defense in the world today.
In the Dojang, the student not only develops their body, but mind as well. With the physical exercise of stretching, strengthening, drilling, and sparring, the Taekwondo student learns respect for their instructors, senior students, classmates, and themselves. Three development and cultivation of good character and a correct attitude is the central theme in the teaching of Taekwondo.
The study of Taekwondo is a very fulfilling experience. As an art form you study traditional , yet ever evolving, movements passed from generations of Korean martial arts masters. As a philosophy, you practice the virtues of respect, humility, and self-discipline. As a form of physical fitness, you stretch, strengthen, tone, and coordinate your body. As a sport you are given an opportunity to safely and regularly demonstrate your martial art skills without unnecessarily endangering others. And as a form of self-defense Taekwondo teaches you a complete and effective means by which you can protect yourself and those in need.
On June 25, 1961, the Korean Taekwondo Association was formed and was recognized on that date by the Korean Amateur Athletic Union. The following October Taekwondo became an official event at the 43rd Annual National Athletic meet. On March of 1965 the name was officially changed to the Korean Taekwondo association. The six major schools represented were Ji Do Kwan, Moo Do Kwan, Chanf Moo Kwan, Song Moo Kwan, Chung Do Kwan, and Han Moo Kwan.
By this time Taekwondo spread worldwide and an effective regulating body was needed. In may of 1973, the World Taekwondo Federation was formed. First FISU game was held at the University of California at Berkeley in 1986. Second FISU game was held in Sentendo, Spain in 1990. In 1993 Gualadajara, Mexico hosted the 3rd FISU World University Games. 1995, San Petersburg, Russia, hosted the 4th FISU World University Games. 1998, Mandarlino, Mexico hosted the 5th FISU World University Games. In year 2000, the 6th FISU games were hosted by Taiwan. In year 2002, the 7th FISU games will be hosted by the University of California at Berkeley.
