GRANDMASTER KEVIN ANDERSON

Grand Master Master Kevin Anderson began his martial arts training in 1968 when he started taking Tae Kwon Do classes after being bullied in school. This was an old-school dojo (dojang in Korean) where there were only three belts: white, brown and black. Never getting past white belt, Kevin stopped around 1977.

Kevin competed in school wrestling until 1976 when he started boxing at Vista Boxing. He boxed until 1980. In 1978 Kevin began training in Kenpo under Dr. John Latourette with Darrel Little as his instructor.

In 1980 Kevin achieved the rank of Shodan (first degree black belt) from Lee Milem in Shorin Ryu under the ISKA. Switching to Goju Kyo Kai in 1981, Kevin began training under Woody Winters until 1983 when his rank of Ikyu (brown belt) was revoked for attending a seminar with Ed Parker.

After his demotion, Kevin continued studying Goju Kyo Kai under Alan Bartell, moving up to brown belt a second time and opening his own dojo. Allan Bartell (now Hanshi - 10th degree black belt) is still Kevin’s instructor. Kevin retains the rank of Kudan (9th degree black belt) in Goju Kyo Kai / Goju Ryu.

In 1984 Kevin moved from Boise to Twin Falls, Idaho where he began training with Master Gene Starr, of TAI Kung Fu, a relationship that lasted until 1993. Moving back to Boise in 1984, Kevin reopened his dojo, The Academy of Self Defense, where he taught Goju Kyo Kai and Tai Kung Fu until 2005 when he was forced to close due to a severe injury.

Today Kevin is the Grandmaster of Tai Kung Fu of Idaho and he teaches whoever wants to learn, wherever they can be taught.