ALBERT CHEEKS

Grandmaster Albert Cheeks has been a martial artist for over 50 years, beginning his training under the instruction of Ki Whang Kim in 1964 at the YMCA in Washington, DC. During their time together as Master and student, Kim and Cheeks would develop new fighting techniques that would become the hallmark style of Kim Studio and its students. Mimicking the movements of boxers, bouncing, and knock-outs via front-leg kicks were some of the methods Kim's students became known for worldwide. Albert Cheeks was Ki Whang Kim's right hand and the only student to study with Kim from the rank of white belt to 7th Dan black belt.

Grandmaster Cheeks is well known throughout the martial arts community from America to Korea. He's won the silver and bronze in the first World Taekwondo Championships in 1973; was twice recognized by Black Belt Magazine as one of their Top 10 Fighters and is a Taekwondo Hall of Famer. He was a top competitor throughout the 70’s, winning over 30 Grand Championship titles up and down the East Cost and Mid-West of North America including Henry Cho's All American Open.

In the 80's Grandmaster Cheeks transitioned from student to teacher, holding classes at his dojo in northwest Washington DC. Cheeks was so well known that peers throughout the East coast would travel to train with him on Friday nights for black belt classes. In 1986 Albert Cheeks completed combat Aikido Bujitsu training under Shihan Mitsugi Saotome. Grandmaster Cheeks was also specifically requested by the C.I.A to trained their agents in combat fighting.

The knowledge that Cheeks obtain from Ki Whang Kim and developed over the years has no equivalent in the Korean martial arts. Grandmaster Cheeks holds a 9th Dan black belt in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan and is the president of the Ki Whang Kim Traditional Martial Arts Association.

Unlike most martial artist that claim that they won championships back in the day without providing any proof.......we provide proof. Here's a few of Albert Cheeks' past competitions.

Greandmaster Albert Cheeks past championships

1969 1st Middle Atlantic Open Karate Championships; 3rd place sparring

1969 Baltimore Invitational 1st place sparring

1969 All American Open Karate Championship; 2nd place sparring

1970 Baltimore Invitational 3rd place sparring

1970 Middle Atlantic Open Karate Championships; SPARRING GRANDCHAMPION

1970 Academy of Karate Scholarship Tournament; 1st place forms; 1st place sparring

1970 Universal Open Karate Championships; 3rd place sparring

1970 All American Open Karate Championship; 3rd place sparring

1971 North American Karate Championships 1st place forms, 1st place sparring

1971 6th American National Taekwondo Championship; 2nd place forms, 1st place sparring

1971 All American Open Karate Championships; 2nd place sparring

1972 North American Taekwondo Championships 2nd place sparring

1972 Middle Atlantic Open Karate Championships; 2nd place forms, SPARRING GRANDCHAMPION

1972 6th American Invitational Taekwondo Championships; 2nd place forms, 2nd place sparring

1972 All American Open Karate Championships; 1st place sparring

1972 4th Annual Tae Kyun Championships; 2nd place forms, SPARRING GRANDCHAMPION

1973 All American Open Karate Championships OVERALL CHAMPION

1973 1st World Taekwondo Championships; silver medal team, bronze medal individual

1973 Middle Atlantic Open Karate Championships; 3rd place forms, SPARRING GRANDCHAMPION

1973 5th Annual Tae Kyun Championships; 2nd place forms, 1st place sparring

1974 U.S. Open United Taekwondo Championships; 1st place team sparring

1974 Winnipeg Open Taekwond Championships; 2nd place forms, SPARRING GRANDCHAMPION

1974 6th Annual Tae Kyun Championships; 3rd place sparring

1974 All American Open Karate Championships; 3rd place forms, 1st place sparring

1975 U.S. Open United Taekwondo Championships; 2nd place sparring

1975 Battle of Champions; 1st place sparring, 2nd place team sparring (Canada vs USA)

1975 7th Annual Tae Kyun Championships OVERALL CHAMPION

1975 All American Open Karate Championships; 1st place sparring

1976 Battle of Champions; 1st place sparring, 1st place team sparring (Canada vs USA)

1977 All American Open Karate Championships; 3rd place forms, 1st place sparring