About My Journey: From the Dojo to the Page
I’m Kevin Putala, and for decades, martial arts have been one of the foundations of my life — first as a student, then as an instructor, and eventually as a creator of instructional content for students around the world.
Today, my path has shifted. While I remain dedicated to supporting my online students and maintaining that connection, my primary focus has shifted toward legacy: writing, illustrating, and preserving the essence of Traditional Tang Soo Do and Karate for future generations.
This next phase of my journey is personal and deeply meaningful. I’ve come to see Karate not only as a martial discipline, but as a lifelong practice of health, adaptability, and personal growth. I continue to refine the art — making it my own, adapting it for longevity and wellness, and exploring how its principles apply beyond physical technique.
My goal now is to share this evolving perspective through books, visual art, and written insights — to leave behind something lasting, thoughtful, and true to the spirit of the martial way.
If you’ve trained with me before, or if you’re just discovering this work, I invite you to walk this path with me — in whatever form it takes.
Kevin Putala is a husband, father, proud grandpa, traditional martial artist, Army Veteran, and a former Personal Trainer.
His martial arts journey began at age 11, after seeing the pilot movie for the TV Series “Kung Fu”. He read every martial arts book he could get his hands on and practiced what he read in his parents’ basement.
Kevin joined the U.S. Army Military Police before his senior year of high school and started basic training right after graduation. He would serve eight years as an investigator, Sergeant of the Guard, and squad leader.
Kevin’s first duty station was Camp Ames, South Korea, where his martial arts journey would officially begin.
It was here, in the small village of Chong Dong Ri, that he would find the late Master Yun Tak Bong and begin studying the art of Traditional Tang Soo Do.
Unlike schools today, Kevin would train 2-3 hours, 5 days a week, and twice on his days off from work. The training was old school, in a small dojang with no air conditioning in the sweltering summers and only a small wood-burning stove in the frigid winters.
Kevin would earn his 1st Dan from Master Yun (Dan# 26283) in 1985, through the Korean Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Association, headed by Grandmaster Hwang Kee.
He would spend the next 40 years passing on the art and legacy of his instructor, focusing on self-defense and personal development.
Over the years, Kevin would study other arts as well under amazing instructors, many of whom were only two or three generations from the founders of their art.
Below is a chronological list of the arts Kevin has studied, with those he has earned a black belt rank marked with an asterisk.
- Traditional Tang Soo Do – 40 years **
- Tae Kwon Do – 2 years
- Shotokan Karate – 3 years
- Sin Moo Hapkido – 3 years
- 8 Step Preying Mantis Kung Fu – 1 year
- Tracy Kenpo – 1 year
- Suenaka Aikido – 5 years
- Yang Tai Chi – 1 year
- Chung Do Kwan TKD – 2 years**
- Combat Hapkido – 1 year
- Combat Hapkido Ground Fighting – 1 year (Apprentice Instructor)
- Kaneshi Kwan Hapkido – 2 years**
In 2023, at age 57, Kevin underwent two total knee replacements, which severely affected his martial arts training.
Today, he focuses on passing on all he has learned through books and rebuilding his body, fitness, and health.
Kevin Putala resides in Tampa, Florida, with his amazing wife Iris. When he’s not working or training, Kevin spends time with family, assisting his online students, travelling, and relaxing on Florida’s Gulf Coast beaches.
