Martial Arts: The South Carolina Tang Soo Do Academy at The Thomas E. Hannah Family YMCA

Martial Arts: The South Carolina Tang Soo Do Academy at The Thomas E. Hannah Family YMCA

New Martial Arts program at The Thomas E. Hannah Family YMCA. The South Carolina Tang Soo Do Academy will be at the YMCA under the leadership of Zach Thomas. Training will take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sunday afternoons. Uniform is required to be purchased before beginning classes. This is an ongoing class that is paid for Monthly. Please read the bio for Mr. Zach Thomas.

Zach Thomas began studying Tang Soo Do at the age of 7 under the instruction of Grand Master Sung Duk Cho. Zach received his Cho Dan, (black belt) at the age of 16. He continued to study under Grand Master Cho until graduating high school, at which point he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

During his service in the Marines, Zach continued to study and expand his martial arts knowledge, taking skill from not only the Marine Corps but from other martial artist from all over the world.

After completing basic training at Parris Island, SC and moving to his permanent duty station, Zach began teaching and training Marines the art of Tang Soo Do at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twenty Nine Palms, California.

In 2000, Zach, along with a group of other martial artist from across the world, was asked to take part in an experimental program to develop a style of fighting to replace what the Marine Corps had been using since the mid 1960’s. After several months of intense training this group of skilled martial artist developed what is known today as The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Today, this program is part of every marine’s training regime.

Although Zach has studied several different styles of martial arts, he believes that Tang Soo Do offers something to the practitioner that most others do not. Tang Soo Do is more than kicking and punching, it is a lifestyle. It teaches not only the art of self-defense, but also the art of gratitude, honor, discipline, courage, and respect. These life traits expand far beyond the mat and deep into one’s character. Tang Soo Do builds more that just great martial artist, it builds great people.

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