Master Thomas Lok (Gum Ying)
Hapkido 8th Dan
Canada - Regional Master
It was around the late 1960's that Master Thomas Lok was accepted into the Flying Tiger Gym to study Hapkido under Grand Master Kim Jin Pal. "It is not as easy as paying and signing up to practice" Hapkido that has kept the knowledge and skills flowing through Master Thomas Lok's veins through all these years, says Master Thomas Lok. Initially, he had to go through an extensive interview, about a whole hour long, conducted by Grand Master Kim. "In those days, Grand Master Kim thought everyone walking in the dojang would challenge him and you can image the first part of the interview didn't go too well until my partner and myself fully warmed up to him and fully made him understand verbally that we were seriously wanting to study Hapkido under him," quotes Lok.� During those days, Grand Master Kim Jin Pal taught Hapkido in a small apartment. The work out area was about 400 to 500 sq ft. "but" according to Master Thomas Lok, "those days were the best training sessions I ever had in Hapkido. You had Grand Master Kim's total attention and he was willing to teach you as long you practiced every technique that he showed you a hundred times. I meant many thousands of time and since my partner and I already had a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, we spent most of our time on self-defense and more advance kicks."
As mentioned previously prior to Master Thomas Lok studying Hapkido, he already received his black belt in Tae Kwon Do from Grand Master Han. Master Thomas Lok studied Tae Kwon Do in his early teenage years under Master Lee Yong So and Grand Master Han Cha Kyo. Master Thomas Lok used to spend about two to three hours training everyday with both Masters. "Grand Master Han had a very powerful side kick that no one in Tae Kwon Do could ever forget." Master Thomas Lok points out, that "he was the one that taught me how to strike a full swinging sand bag with a side kick strike." To this day, I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his time in training me as it has affected the rest of my life towards how I trained myself further with other skills and techniques."
Canada - Regional Master
It was around the late 1960's that Master Thomas Lok was accepted into the Flying Tiger Gym to study Hapkido under Grand Master Kim Jin Pal. "It is not as easy as paying and signing up to practice" Hapkido that has kept the knowledge and skills flowing through Master Thomas Lok's veins through all these years, says Master Thomas Lok. Initially, he had to go through an extensive interview, about a whole hour long, conducted by Grand Master Kim. "In those days, Grand Master Kim thought everyone walking in the dojang would challenge him and you can image the first part of the interview didn't go too well until my partner and myself fully warmed up to him and fully made him understand verbally that we were seriously wanting to study Hapkido under him," quotes Lok.� During those days, Grand Master Kim Jin Pal taught Hapkido in a small apartment. The work out area was about 400 to 500 sq ft. "but" according to Master Thomas Lok, "those days were the best training sessions I ever had in Hapkido. You had Grand Master Kim's total attention and he was willing to teach you as long you practiced every technique that he showed you a hundred times. I meant many thousands of time and since my partner and I already had a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, we spent most of our time on self-defense and more advance kicks."
As mentioned previously prior to Master Thomas Lok studying Hapkido, he already received his black belt in Tae Kwon Do from Grand Master Han. Master Thomas Lok studied Tae Kwon Do in his early teenage years under Master Lee Yong So and Grand Master Han Cha Kyo. Master Thomas Lok used to spend about two to three hours training everyday with both Masters. "Grand Master Han had a very powerful side kick that no one in Tae Kwon Do could ever forget." Master Thomas Lok points out, that "he was the one that taught me how to strike a full swinging sand bag with a side kick strike." To this day, I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his time in training me as it has affected the rest of my life towards how I trained myself further with other skills and techniques."
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Total Years Martial Arts Training: 39
Current Rank: Hapkido 8th Dan, Taekwondo 3rd Dan Martial arts experience:
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