THE HISTORY OF OMEGA MARTIAL ARTS

Back in time…there were perhaps nine various “schools of thought” or philosophy in Korea…one of which was the Moo Duk Kwan (Kwan = school). Around 1945, there were five schools that survived…again, one being the Moo Duk Kwan.
(Meaning: Moo Duk Kwan means “School of Martial Virtue”)

In 1955 these various Kwans were ordered to unify by the government. A governmental body selected the name of “Taekwondo as the name of this unified body. In 1959, the Korean Taekwondo Association (KTA) was formed in an attempt to standardize a system of Taekwondo. Modern Taekwondo schools with the Moo Duk Kwan lineage often practice the early Tang Soo Do style of curriculum. In spite of the efforts to unify to one standard, the Moo Duk Kwan continued to develop a version of Tank Soo Do. This modified version of Tang Soo Do incorporates more fluid, “soft” movements reminiscent of certain Chinese martial arts; which goes hand-in-hand with the tradition that an ancient general of Korea (General Tang) journeyed to China to learn the way of the Shaolin Priests and eventually brought that knowledge back to strengthen his troops and add to their already proficient kicking techniques.

1973:
- The 1st World Taekwondo Championships, organized by the Korean Taekwondo Association, were held at the Kukkiwon in Seoul, Korea with 200 competitors and officials from 19 countries.
- The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) was established at a meeting at the Kukkiwon with representatives from all over the world. Dr. Un Yong Kim was elected President for a 4-year term.
- After that the WTF was placed in the Kukkiwon and began operation.

1988:
- Taekwondo was first staged in the Olympic Games as a demonstration sport in Seoul, Korea.

Much of Omega’s fighting skill comes from the association with the WTF Olympic style of fighting, as the Davis’s and Ms. Jarvis all trained for the USTU National competition. Many of the forms we teach come from the WTF, as well.

Dr. Bob Davis and the beginnings of Omega Martial Arts:

Dr. Davis’s original instructor was Mr. Daniel Bong. He was beloved by his student. He eventually was called back to Korea for personal reasons and Dr. Davis lost track of him in spite of his efforts to locate him once again. Dr. Davis went through various instructors, gaining degrees in other forms of Martial Arts. Just prior to the actual formation of Omega, his instructor was known in the Denver, Colorado area as “Tiger Kim”. Dr. Davis was then a 5th Dan Black Belt. He disagreed with some of the negative philosophy practices by his instructor and broke away; leaving his certification of 5th Dan behind with a very angry Tiger Kim, who stripped Dr. Davis of his rank and demoted him to 4th Dan.

In 1983, he and a few students who followed him away from Tiger Kim, formed Omega Karate. His first “studio” was located at the Parker Sport Club in Parker, Colorado. The first class opened with three Davis boys (Jason, Matt & Richard) taking class and their mother, Jan Davis watching and weighing the experience. Jan Davis had had Martial Art experience as a teen and after, and wanted the influence for her growing family. After the first class, she liked what she saw and also joined in. Rex was too little to participate at first, but also join in about 6 months later. Jami was a baby and waited until she was two to join. The Davis’s became Dr. Davis’ (then known as Sabumnim Bob) first Black Belts through the Omega system.

In August 1987, the Davis Family moved to Utah. Then in January, we opened the first class at a sport club in Orem; in a racquetball court. Shortly thereafter, a studio was opened in Payson, Utah. Many different places were used as “Dojangs”, until 1999, when we opened the current location of the Payson School. The American Fork Dojang joined Omega in 1999 and the Springville Dojang became part of the Omega Family in June of 2003.

Omega’s name has evolved from Omega Karate to Omega Martial Arts; which was eventually recognized by the World Congress of Martial Arts (WCMA) as its own unique system and was sanctioned as the Omega Tao. The Omega Tao is an “umbrella” for other styles and schools of Martial Arts, including the North American Taekwondo Organization (NATO). Dr. Davis is recognized as the founder of the Omega Tao. He was promoted to 10th Dan Black Belt, under the Omega Tao.