Hi! I’m Kevin Putala…

For more than four decades, Traditional Tang Soo Do and classical martial arts defined my life—on the mat, in the dojang, and through the responsibility of teaching others. What began as a boyhood passion became a lifelong discipline rooted in character, faith, perseverance, and the pursuit of mastery. Martial arts were never simply about technique; they were a way of life.

Two total knee replacements ultimately brought my physical martial arts training to an end. Stepping away from active practice was not a decision, but a reality—one that required reflection, acceptance, and a redefinition of purpose. While the body reached its limits, the lessons forged through forty years of training did not end with it.

Today, my focus has shifted fully to writing and preservation. The principles of Tang Soo Do—discipline, humility, resilience, leadership, and quiet strength—extend far beyond physical movement. Through books and long-form writing, I now pass on what a lifetime of training, teaching, injury, and recovery has revealed.

This work is about legacy. It is about preserving the knowledge, history, and hard-earned wisdom of a martial life and offering it to my grandchildren, future generations, and those seeking depth, meaning, and direction through the martial path.

This is not a retreat from the art, but a final evolution of it—honoring what was, accepting what is, and ensuring that what truly matters endures.

Current Project

Chung Nam Yun Traditional Tang Soo Do by Kevin W. Putala

Online Courses

Have you ever wanted to learn a martial art but never started?

Train when you were younger and want to get back into it?

Don’t have a school near you, or cannot afford the rising cost of classes?

If you said “Yes” to any of those questions, we’ve got you covered! Check out Kevin Putala’s Traditional Tang Soo Do courses on the Udemy learning platform. These highly rated courses will teach you the history, tenets, techniques, and forms from white belt to black belt.

Best of all you can do it in your own home and at your own pace, and if you ever have a question, you can contact Kevin directly through the courses.

These courses have helped over 800 students in 46 countries begin or continue their Tang Soo Do journey. Start yours today!

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