The History of Martial Arts in Arlington 1950-1980

The term “martial arts” refers to traditions of military combat. As the home of the US Department of Defense, it should come as no surprise that Arlington has a long history of martial arts. In the 1950s and 60s, the military trained close quarters combat using a system called Defendu, developed by the British prior to World War II, and taught to American troops by Rex Applegate. The fighting system primarily mixed Jiu Jitsu and boxing.

Outside of the military, high school wrestling and local boxing gyms proved popular with those looking to stay in shape and learn to defend themselves. Traditional martial arts first began to break through to the American public more generally when Judo appeared in the 1964 Olympic games.

In 1972, Grandmaster Myung Hak Kang opened US Taekwondo College as the first true martial arts school in Arlington above the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse. Though the original location closed in 2016, signs adorning the top floor windows of the building can be seen from Columbia Pike. Several US Taekwondo College locations are currently open across Northern Virginia in Falls Church, Fairfax, Chantilly, and elsewhere. 

“I didn’t know how popular Taekwondo would be in a foreign country. I wanted to share a passion of mine and hoped the fitness and discipline aspect would catch on,” Grandmaster Kang said.

An explosion of interest in martial arts in America was ushered in by Bruce Lee. His 1973 film Enter the Dragon was a massive success. The iconic movie establishes the hallmarks of martial arts films and made Lee a major star. His untimely death the same year at the age of 32 didn’t limit Lee’s influence as he inspired millions to begin their own martial arts journey.

Meanwhile across the Potomac in DC, another Taekwondo master was building a network of local schools. Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee established his first Taekwondo school in Washington, DC in 1962. By the mid-1980s, 11 martial arts schools across the region bore his name, including one in Arlington, today known as Arlington Kicks. Rhee is widely acknowledged as the “Father of American Taekwondo.”

Rhee’s studios became famous for their television commercial touting the self-defense benefits of Taekwondo featuring his children saying the catchphrase “Nobody bothers me.”