Independent Tang Soo Do Association Schools & Members
The Independent Tang Soo Do Association is headed by Gene Garbowsky, Sa Bom. However, direction for the Association is given by the Technical Advisory Committee and Member Schools.
Member Schools
Master Garbowsky's Traditional Combat Karate
Master Gene Garbowsky (#26272) began his martial art career in the early 1980’s by training in the techniques and traditions of Korean Tang Soo Do. During the 1990’s while attending Penn State University, he also added to his martial arts resume, by training in Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Japanese Shotokan Karate, Kick Boxing and Boxing. Master Garbowsky has owned and operated professional martial art studios at Penn State University (State College), PA, North Huntingdon, PA and Pittsburgh, PA. He has trained literally thousands of students in Tang Soo Do from ages 4 to over 76 years of age! Many of his students have gone on to be top karate competitors across the United States. Since this time Master Garbowsky has had an opportunity to train, practice and attend seminars with some of the most notable Tang Soo Do Grandmaster and Master in the United States today. What makes Master Garbowsky’s instruction unique is his focus on building leadership qualities particularly in younger students. Additionally, Master Garbowsky has spent the better part of his martial arts career studying Bunhae Ki Sul 分解 術 / 분해 기술 or the actual application of techniques contained in the traditional forms of Tang Soo Do and most modern systems of traditional Karate-do. It is the techniques contained in the traditional forms that detail and record the complete fighting system contained in traditional Tang Soo Do.
In October, 2008 Master Garbowsky was awarded 5th Dan (Oh Dan) by Grandmaster Andy Ah Po at the 2nd Annual Fall Weekend in Pittsburgh event. This was after an extensive evaluation and testing procedure. It was a testing procedure that involved four days of intensive evaluation by Kwan Jang Nim Ah Po during Master Garbowsky’s trip to Sacramento in January of 2008.
In January 2012 and the urging of various other heads of Tang Soo Do organizations in the United States Master Garbowsky founded the Independent Tang Soo Do Association in the hopes of bringing together various other Tang Soo Do organizations and to provide his students with an internationally recognized organization that helps to foster the original teachings of the late Great Grandmaster Hwang Kee by tapping into the instruction and teaching he received from his two instructors and to foster the Tang Soo Do concept of Ryu Pa.
Riverview Martial Arts
Alan continues to keep fitness a key aspect of his life with a dedicated cardio and weight lifting routine. He is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He is also very active within the community and was a recent board member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Alan continues his martial arts training under his current instructor Kwan Jang Nim Gene Garbowsky. Alan is a Master Instructor and a Regional Director for the Independent Tang Soo Do Association (ITA). At Riverview Martial Arts, Alan continues to train and instruct his students including his children Lauren, Alison and AJ.
Alan is also a co-owner of Armed Combat Tactics “ACT” (www.acthqs.com) , which provides state of the art training with handguns and other tactical weapons including hand to hand combat. Along with being a black belt in Tang Soo Do and Combat Hapkido, he is also a certified NRA instructor. Alan lives in Rocky River, OH. Alan has four children, Brittany, Lauren, Alison and Alan Jr. (AJ).