Master Garbowsky

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.

Summary of Achievements

1986 Began teaching Tang Soo Do in Pittsburgh at the age of 16 years old
1988 Awarded first Dan (Black Belt) (Dan# 26272) by International Tang Soo Do Federation
1991 Head Tang Soo Do Instructor and co-owner, State College Martial Arts Academy, State College, PA
1991 Penn State Judo
1992 USA Karate Team Member
1993 Head Instructor, Pittsburgh and owner of CS Kim Karate, Irwin, PA
1994 ITF “Forms Competition”, World Championship Runner-Up
1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 Outstanding Demonstration Awards
1995 Maryland State Invitational Karate Championships “Grand Champion”, Eagle Classic
2000 Awarded Masters Degree by the International Tang Soo Do Federation
2005 opened South Hills Karate Academy at 4500 Clairton Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15236
2006 NAKF Tournament Forms “Grand Champion”
2008 Awarded 5th Dan Master Rank by the Tang Soo Do Martial Way Association
2005-2009 grew South Hills Karate Academy to over 160 full-time students
2009 Opened 2nd location for South Hills Karate Academy in Elizabeth, PA
2009 Trained and had promoted 12 students to Cho-Dan ranking and 2 to Ee-Dan ranking in the Tang Soo Do Martial Way Association
2011 opened new location for South Hills Karate Academy and the new MartialFit Trining center providing students of the art of Tang Soo Do both top quality instruction in Tang Soo Do and well as strength and fitness training
2011 Promoted 4 students to the Cho-Dan rank under South Hills Karate Academy
2011 Franchised South Hills Karate Academy, Elizabeth location
2012 Founded the Independent Tang Soo Do Association with the assistance of Master Vernon Noble, 7th Dan Tang Soo Do (#21532)