The style we teach has evolved from ancient and traditional Korean styles that grew to be called Tang Soo Do in the early 1900's. Won Kook Lee who taught the Chung Do Kwon system (Chung Do Kwon is an actual school in Seoul, Korea), was the original teacher of Jhoon Rhee, who became the first Korean instructor to professionally teach Korean Martial arts in the United States beginning in 1956.

When Jhoon Rhee first arrived in the United States, he referred to his style as Tang Soo Do and as karate (a Japanese term that means "empty Hand"). In 1957, the South Korean government at the urging of Choi Hong Hi adopted the term Tae Kwon Do to encompass all Korean styles of martial arts and gradually Jhoon Rhee and others in the United States incorporated that term to reference their art (officially Jhoon Rhee's art was often referred to as Chung Do Kwan - Tae Kwon Do). Tae Kwon Do is loosely translated from Korean as way of breaking and smashing with hands and feet.

In the United States Jhoon Rhee first started teaching in Texas. His first two Black Belts were Allen Steen and Pat Burleson who went on to become early tournament champions and the premier instructors in the Texas-Oklahoma region. Many early students evolved from the Jhoon Rhee - Allen Steen/Pat Burleson schools in Texas including Pat Worley (who would become the #1 point fighting champion in the United States). Jeff Smith (who would become the #1 point fighting champion then evolve into the World Light- heavyweight full-contact champion). Larry Carnahan (who would become a highly rated lightweight full- contact fighter, then President of the North American Sport Karate Association), Gran Moulder and Bob Olinghouse (who would in 1970 become Stephen Oliver's Instructors in Tulsa, Oklahoma).

Jhoon Rhee in 1962, moved to Washington, DC to establish The Jhoon Rhee Institute of Tae Kwon Do, which would become world famous as the #1 institute of its kind in the world. In the Mid-1960's, Jhoon Rhee developed a friendship with Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris (both would later become internationally famous as actors.) Bruce Lee was an early innovator in modernizing martial arts instruction in order to become more effective in Self-Defense application as well as an advocate of high level athletic conditioning for martial arts. The Jhoon Rhee Internationals was one of the first major tournament events in the United States - and, became a hub for budding champions and famous martial artists such as Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, Jeff Smith and many others.

Through Jhoon Rhee's association with Bruce Lee and through the many sport and contact karate champions that developed at the Jhoon Rhee Institute, our style gradually evolved to what we now refer to as American Freestyle (others refer to similar arts as Jeet Kune Do.)

These early associations led the Jhoon Rhee Institute to flourish in the Washington. DC area and led Jhoon Rhee to develop a curriculum that combined three key and distinct elements:

1. Practical Self-Defense without adherence to impractical tradition.

2. Personal development through positive self-esteem, goal setting, and personal discipline.

3. Artistic content through martial ballet (musical forms).

In the early 1970's. Jhoon Rhee developed padded sparring equipment that allowed students to practice without injuring on-another and concurrently added to the realism of practice (a joint goal with Bruce Lee), while creating a flourishing sport through both point tournaments and full-contact karate. Additionally, he invented musical forms to add to the beauty of martial arts performance.

Through the 1970's, Jeff Smith became an internationally recognized and respected fighter. Jhoon Rhee taught Mohammed Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and other world-famous boxers, and Jhoon Rhee students flourished on the international tournament scene. Jhoon Rhee's schools gradually became more oriented towards teaching children and Jhoon Rhee rapidly saw the self development advantages of Tae Kwon Do instruction. The curriculum orientation evolved toward personal development with emphasis on educational excellence, community values, and personal excellence with practical self-defense and competition opportunities as a valuable by-product. Jhoon Rhee since the late 50's has taught many internationally respected and famous students including Tony Robbins (a Jhoon Rhee Black Belt,) George Allen, Jack Valenti, and many, many, many Senators and Congressmen.

Although Jhoon Rhee through his style: Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do, gradually abandoned the more traditional roots with the traditional hyungs or katas (Chonji through Chung Mu under Black Belt), Master Oliver at Mile High Karate has reinstated the traditional content for both artistic and historic reasons while accelerating the personal development aspects of the program through implementing the nine qualities of Black Belt and many associated goal-setting and personal development aspects. Master Oliver continues to expand our curriculum to keep it "state of the art" and continues to implement new teaching techniques which accelerate a student's progress while reinforcing the traditional philosophies of honesty, courtesy, integrity, perseverance and self-control. Additionally, at Master Club levels, Master Oliver has continued the Jeet Kune Do philosophy by adding Philippino weaponry, traditional Ko-Budo (traditional Okinawan weaponry), modern boxing, kick-boxing basics, and grappling curriculum from jujitsu and judo.

Go to Background of Mile High Karate