The Art

• Taekwon-Do translates as “The Way of the Foot and Hand.” 
• TAE: stands for all foot/leg techniques, to include blocks, jumps, kicks, and footwork.
• KWON: represents both offensive and defensive techniques with the hand/arm.
• DO: The “Way,” means both the method of training and the philosophy we embody through it. It encompasses not only the principles of self-defense, but how we conduct ourselves in life.

In training, special attention is paid to the development of all parts of the feet/legs and the hands/arms for both offense and defense. The signature of the art is quick, agile footwork, lighting fast kicks, and adaptable defense.

The Instructor

Grandmaster Carlos Rodriguez started training at the age of nine under Grandmaster Kwon, Jae-Hwa and earned his black belt in 1987. He was a member of the Kwon, Jae-Hwa Taekwon-do USA Team that competed in Europe and the US. Grandmaster Rodriguez was the first and only student born in America to receive a Sixth Dan Black Belt ranking under Grandmaster Kwon, Jae-Hwa. He is currently a member of the International Traditional Taekwon-do Federation. He also owned and operated the Black Belt Center of Sunrise and the Black Belt Center of Tamarac. He has over thirty years of teaching experience, which includes teaching seminars in Europe and the United States. Grandmaster Rodriguez has always had a true passion for the art of Taekwon-do and a genuine love for teaching and helping others. He enjoys working with students of all ages and experience levels, and creating a positive, encouraging environment where students can learn, grow, and build confidence.

The Class

Sabomnim Rodriguez’s classes hit the ground running with cardio-calisthenics. The pace doesn’t slow down as students move through offensive and defensive combinations – in the air to develop movement, on pads to develop accuracy, and on the heavy bag to build power. Traditional Hyung, or forms, are practiced to build strength, coordination, and focus. Classes cool down with deep stretching to maintain and develop flexibility, particularly in the hips and legs. All together, Sabomnin Rodriguez’s classes blend traditional self-defense training with body-conditioning for 45 minutes of excellent training!

The Founder

Kwon, Jae-hwa is a Korean Taekwondo Grandmaster known for his breaking skill and lifelong dedication to teaching the a. He began studying under Ha Dae-Yong and completed his Taekwon-Do training under Choi Hong Hi. His philosophy of Taekwon-Do is explained in his book, Zen and the Art of Self-Defense, originally published in 1971 by Verlag. In 1965, Kwon was chosen by General Choi to be one of the master instructors on an international demonstration team introducing Taekwon-Do to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. After that mission was complete, Master Kwon remained in Germany where he single-handedly built an International Federation of Traditional Taekwon-Do Schools. In 1973, he came to the US and opened a Taekwon-do school in New York City. From 1974 until 1984, he established a significant presence in South Florida, teaching at the International Black Belt Center in Hollywood. This center served as the roots for multiple Kwon Jae Hwa Taekwon-Do locations and heavily influenced the traditional Taekwondo landscape in South Florida.