S. L. Martin
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S.L. Martin is an American martial artist with over 45 years of experience. His Chinese name is Hung Jin-Hu and he is known as the "Golden Tiger of Taichung". Having begun his martial arts studies in 1955, he was among the first U.S. servicemen to study in the Far East in the early 50's. Martin studied exclusively in the Far East under noted Asian grandmasters and masters. He has been the Disciple of White Crane Grandmaster W.S. Hung of the Republic of China for 33 years. The International Federation of Chinese Martial Arts is the parent and governing body of the Green Dragon Martial Arts School and its branches. The organization was chartered in 1970 under the direction of Honorable Grandmaster Wen Hsueh Hung of Taichung Taiwan, R.O.C.. S. L. Martin was designated as the United States Representative. With the retirement of Grandmaster, in 1983, Martin received International appointment as director on a worldwide level.
The organization serves as the repository for techniques, forms, and Chinese Martial Arts instruction for the Chung Kuo Chaun Kuosho (National Martial Art of China) System of the Tiger, Crane, and Dragon, as handed down from Grandmaster Wen Hsueh Hung. The I.F.C.M.A.. further serves as a liaison between Taiwan and internationally recognized schools around the world. The competition, technical, and research committees oversee the quality, propagation and management of member and affiliated schools on an international level.
[edit] Martial rankings
Additionally, Martin holds the rank of 6th degree black belt in Shorinryu Karate, 4th degree black belt in Hakkoryu Jujutsu, 3rd degree black belt in Shorinji Ryu Karate, 1st degree black belt in Kodokan judo, gold sash in White Crane kung fu, and 8th level grandmaster in Ching Lung Kuoshu. Martin is also an honorary grandmaster in Okinawan Seidokan Karate by S. Toma of Okinawa.
[edit] Teaching experience
Martin has personally conducted martial instruction and programs for the F.B.I., military police, Special Forces, medical institutions, religious groups, academic institutions, and instructed countless numbers of military and civilian students.
He is a retired serviceman, with more than 23 years of active service. He is also a Vietnam Veteran who earned more than thirty awards and decorations over two tours of duty in a combat zone. He is also a certified NJ Educator.
[edit] Martial honors
He was named the "Coors" 1988 Man of the Year. Martin has been featured in "Who's Who in Karate", "Inside Kung-Fu" and "Official Karate" magazines, and prominently featured in "Masters, Founders & Leaders of American Martial Arts". Additionally, Master Martin is the recipient of the 1994 U.M.A.R.A. "Man of the Year" award, and enshrined as a 1994 "Living Legend of the Martial Arts" by the Nippon Kenpo Karate-do Association of Washington, D.C. He was also awarded the "Golden Life Achievement award" in 1997 by the AOKA, given by Grandmaster D. Nagle. In 2000 he was named INSIDE Kung-FU's Instructor of the Year and was inducted into the IKF Hall of Fame 2000. In July of 2000 Martin was presented with the Kuoshu Medal "A" Award from Taipei Taiwan.
