Grand Master Hee ll Cho demo in 1988 World Taekwondo Championships

A living legend, Grand Master Cho has been inducted into every major Martial Arts Hall of Fame. At age 21, he was selected to train the Elite Special Forces of the Korean National Army and eventually recruited to train the Special Forces of India. Around that same time Grand Master Cho began participating in many competitions (both Martial Arts and Boxing) and quickly gained the reputation of a fierce fighter and forms competitor - winning over 30 National and International Tournaments.

[@zerohero6602]

Hee il cho is an absolute legend. One of the first Korean masters to break from traditional tkd and incorporate western boxing and kickboxing into his teachings

[@erickarsch6743]

Earned my belts with him during the 80’s in Los Angeles. A wise, strong man that took no BS. NONE.

[@azlaroc12]

A true humble giant in martial arts. Innovator, teacher and an outstanding example of perseverance and hard training. 👏

[@shvettyballs7045]

He was one of my favorites growing up in the 80's. I would buy magazines that had him on the cover and still have a few of his books to this day. He was one of the first to combine boxing with his TKD and he also lifted weights. Not a big deal today, but back then not many people did that. And everything I read or watched about him, it seems like he was class act. Thanks for this video, much appreciated.

[@toga1022]

Ditto -

[@samsonurbano930]

This must have been when the boards were real.

[@scotscheer]

I was about 13 years old in Providence Rhode Island. About1970. I heard screaming and crunching sounds coming fro the 2nd floor where there was a martial arts studio. My friend and I went up the stairs and walked in. Master Cho motioned us to sit on the floor. He was working out with a heavy bag. Spinning back and front kicks sending the bag parralel with the floor. He then backed up and ran towards the heavy bag and kicked it with such force it caved in half and rose up towards the ceiling. We were in shock and have seen many videos of Bruce Lee and his stories of having destroyed heavy bacs and sent the to the ceiling. I saw it first hand with Master Cho. He nodded and we applauded the beast demonstration. No one around except the individual helping him and us. He bowed and winked. Went back several other times and he was amazing.

[@essamgossiel4348]

He was the coach of the Korean team in the film, Best of the Best

[@jaceksz9943]

Dokładnie, zastanawiałem się, skąd znam tego gościa🙂

[@SuperUrsus77]

Exactly

[@topperharley3363]

Thought he looked familar

[@925Dragon1]

Yes! My favorite movie!

[@royvandedonk2429]

When I start with TKD in 1987 I start read his books... It was a great inspiration for me.. Now after 30 years.. I getting to old ( serious injuries (depression) arthritis).. But still.. 2 days ago, I read one of hhis books (I have 5 of his books) "the complete masters jumping kick". Page nr. 7 about physical achievements,.. This man give me so much power.. He is, a complete grandmaster.. Read his books... He is amazing

[@chrispainter7093]

Sir if you still practiced his exercise regimen and still studied you could probably overcome some of your health issues. I am 53 and just starting this and in the 6 months Ive been doing tkd Ive noticed a lot of changes for the better in my body . I have had a spinal fusion and this is loosening up my frozen muscles a lot....Please don't give ...keep trying...I have faith in you to do this.

[@kosal00111]

Sir, I also started TKD in 1987 and left in 1998 with my first dan. Then in 2017 I rejoined with my boys. Now I'm kicking my way back to fitness at 57. I hope you can find your inner strength to get back and, in the process, improve your physical and mental health too.

[@oxivixo]

I like this guys style. No shame. Whenever he fails, he just adds another piece of wood to break lol

[@goochkill5234]

Lol

[@canaan_er1012]

That’s my instructors master in taekwondo

[@babayega_]

@@canaan_er1012 where is your masters school at? I remember when this Master had a school on Pico and Sawtelle area. Next to a liquor store I believe. In the 90's and his school was absolutely packed in every class.

[@canaan_er1012]

@@babayega_ Oh well we just work in the gym of a nearby school and I’m a blue belt but I’m just a kid

[@canaan_er1012]

@@babayega_ and I just realized that that’s grand master hee not lee

[@michaelfarar4232]

I had the great fortune to study under GM Hee Il Cho in the mid 70's when he was in his prime. He had this huge heavy bag on a long chain, and would whip it high into the air, and when he would throw that jumping spinning back/heel kick, he would literally bend the bag in half. I remember some punk coming in and challenging him to a fight,, He led him into his office, tried talking him out of it, and when the dirt bag didn't listen, he was taken out. I sure wish I would have stayed with him longer. He moved out of So Cal/West L.A. studio sometime after. He truly is one of the best TKD guys of all time.

[@scarred10]

Hes one of the most open minded masters long before crosstraing was popular. He was in Connecticut first when he came to America,then Rhode island I think,then LA,Albuquerque and now hes in Hawaii at 80 yrs old.I did my black belt under him before switching to ITF and then back to him again many years later.

[@michaelfarar4232]

@@scarred10 True. He taught us Western style boxing in addition to TKD punching.

[@giqwaju3691]

Michael Farar when you trained with him, did you know Tom H. from Fall River, MA? He told me some stories about Cho and the vibe of the school. Cool stuff. Also some stories on Aguilar's antics. Back in the days of dojo wars.

[@michaelfarar4232]

@@giqwaju3691 Hey Jonny, I trained with him when he was in West Los Angeles/Santa Monica area...75-77. There was an altercation that took place that I did not witness but it was in the newspaper...some dude off the street came in and started trouble and Cho directed him into his office and he made the wrong move and Cho destroyed him. I did hear a rumor about that the a-hole or maybe some other gang members got the best of Cho, but those were rumors.

[@bentoncushing8693]

A true grandmaster,,,,great contribution to Modern Martial Arts.. woods exspensive

[@sabeumku]

The characteristics of the great masters of the past, he did everything he said. Walk the Talk

[@gargamel5444]

That spinning kick he threw when he was warming up looked like it would tear someone's head clean off their body.

[@brunoborer7038]

When a solid kicker nails the heavy bag it swings away. The harder the kick the further the bag swings. But when Choi lands a spinning back kick the velocity of the kick on impact is so great that the bag doesn't have time to react by swinging away. It folds around his foot and the canvas often rips. He has destroyed a lot of canvas heavy bags this way....

[@schmuelsonsradang4301]

Yeah. I was amazed. If he cpuld wear a shoes with blades on the side I think it could chop any heads of the badass out there.

[@VictorGonzalez-hj1vr]

and out balance

[@turntablesrockmyworld9315]

He was one of a handful of TKD guys that actual fighters of the time respected. The rest were not. He was a legend!

[@j-bow.mylife97]

I was there aged 17 and lowly 6th Kup , great weekend away.

[@Hansome1877]

I remember watching this back in 1989 I was in elementary school I was bullied by my classmates then I learned it my self and beat up the bullie , I am now 5th degree in Taekwondo 🥋

[@backyardtkd]

Ninja Kid nice

[@sliderx1897]

Thats great! I lived a similar life. I am currently opening a school

[@BT-ve5pv]

@Haha MissMiss should've

[@nightrider5109]

Thats beautiful I hate bullies I'm proud of u

[@francoisagbelekpo8298]

I like it, congratulations

[@gk10002000]

I was lucky enough to actually study under him in Providence Rhode Island way back in early 1970s. He had just awarded his first black belts to Ronald Thiverge. Small studio on second floor. I marveled at the black and white photos on the wall. I remember the sound and image of him literally kicking the stuffing out of the punching bag. Over the years and decades actually I studied on and off in several of the studios he controlled and later that his students took over after he left, and attained the last Brown Belt rank. I never took the black belt test. I attribute Tae Kwon Do to my good health and great leg strength. I had serious back surgery when I was 14 and was told I might not walk, never mind play sports. Well, I went on and did everything even ten years in the USAF leaving as a Captain. Reading his autobiography "Man of Contrasts" was stimulating. Real old world school he learned from. Dirt floor, two hour classes. He was ahead of his time in combining strength training with the martial arts. Tae Kwon sadly in my opinion is fantastic conditioning and has helped me out of a few jams, but really is lacking in modern self defense close quarters fighting. It does not efficiently or effectively teach grappling techniques, submission holds, etc which come in handy as so many fights end up on the ground.

[@malonef50]

What rank did Hee il cho hold when in Providence Rhode island can you remember ? Did you see, or hear from him, in the black and white photos on the wall who his instructor was ? Very interested.

[@miesvaillanykyisyytta3252]

I'm not saying that grappling is not important but what do you mean by "modern self defense"? As far as I know people have fought similarly throughout history and earlier than that. I don't think it's a coincidence that grappling became so popular with the rise of MMA, which is a sport. There is absolutely no reason to think that the reality of self-defense and survival has changed.

[@scarred10]

@@malonef50 I'd imagine gen Choi or 1 of the first generation masters in the ITF were his instructors.He was second generation after the ones who were black belts in the different kwans before 1955.

[@bws205]

A lot of commenters here have no clue what they are watching and of course could never do anything close to this. Breaking boards like this requires perfect technique, coordination & power...you not only have to hit the board in the perfect spot (not easy on a spin kick) but the trajectory of your foot/leg also has to be perfect as does the distance, so it's not just about hitting the right spot with enough power. The more boards you add, the more critical & perfect everything has to be. And the boards have to be held properly too, and some of the energy is lost due to the "give" of the guys holding the boards.

[@MA1980c]

He failed to break several ones in this clip

[@judeaustine8910]

Some sort of sturdy mechanism is needed to hold those boards.

[@dinovelvet3240]

THANKS YOU

[@getsome510]

That guy was in best of the best.

[@amk8411]

He was also in *Bloodsport 2 & 3* starring Daniel Bernhardt.

[@MeisterKiel]

Einer der wenigen die noch richtiges Taekwondo praktizieren

[@matti_lehtonen]

Master Cho is still best!!👍

[@backyardtkd]

Matti Lehtonen grand master*

[@rusdayatiidrus9468]

Not Until his student proves it in t octagon or K 1.

[@bagja7410]

LOL

[@hi-oh2it]

One of my biggest flexes is that I grew up with philp ameris....

[@babayega_]

Even his practice kick was so fast it was a blur. I remember going to his academy on Pico Blvd by Sawtelle in west LA back in the 90's to sign up and he had so many students they were barely fitting in there and it was a massive place. Everyone wanted to train under him. At the time he had the world record for the fastest spinning back kick, I believe. Might have been a different much but he definitely held the world record and if you see him do it you literally just saw a blur of him spin and before you knew it he was done and you missed it because you blinked.

[@sabeumku]

The characteristics of the great masters of the past, he did everything he said. Walk the Talk. Could be Seen from the (real) hard target and hard of the kicks and that's not a thin board.

[@susuki2726]

por fin taekwondo haciendo roturas enserio yo practique taekwondo cuando ponian maderas mas gruesas y me gusto mucho hacer roturas

[@douglashagan65]

The sky was the most underrated martial artist in the world when he was the world champions what he was I doubt if anybody could have matched this guy's skill bar night no one

[@ranjeetkolita9133]

Yessssssssssss Master Heel Cho is Living Legends. No Comparison to anyone's please. Infact Taekwondo is not comparable with any Martial Arts Scenes.

[@ninjamaster7724]

Did you not just see how many times he stuffed up?

[@bagja7410]

LOL LOL LOL

[@925Dragon1]

Even Bruce Lee admitted to admire the tkd kicks. Thats why his were so powerful. No wing chung kicks

[@malakatan3235]

Bruce Lee kick is from modified Wing Chun kick, see Jeetkundo kicking style, is much different than TKD

[@925Dragon1]

@Malaka tan. Im just going by one of his books on jeetkundo he says tkd as well as judo and other arts to create jeetkundo. Modified? Yes.

[@michaelfarar4232]

I studied with Grandmaster Hee Il Cho in 1976 in West Los Angeles studio. He would heave a 100 lb heavy bag hanging on a chain way way high into the air then throw his patented spinning heel kick and bend that f-ing bag in half. Powerful and devastating.

[@squiggly_lines]

Haha, my Sabum Nim who is 1st generation Korean here in America has always thought these breaking wood and brick exhibitions were ridiculous and more for the entertainment of people than a benefit to his students. *MY* Sabum Nim I have trained with for 27 years in Wadsworth, Ohio. The 1st question he asked of me as a 6 year old kid was: "are you here to fight, or are you here to learn boy?" I had convictions, principles, and a good sense of morality at that age so indeed I understood the meaning of his question straight away, and have held the meaning of that question in my heart from then on. We've been best friends ever since, go to church together every Sunday and our families celebrate Christmas together every year. He is 68 years old as of March and can still best me when we play around for the newer students that come along.

[@michaelfarar4232]

@@squiggly_lines So??? He's still the baddest MF Tae Kwon Do man to step in the U.S.. Boards just show technique. Nothing more or less.

[@viviennewhite7146]

Awesome!

[@TheUmmahFightCamp]

Since I have been training in karate from when it was considered the most devastating art to practice, I will comment here: 1) Those people saying breaking wood does not matter would break their fragile hands on what this man broke. 2) All that "boards don't hit back" is bull shit! Bruce Lee broke boards!

[@KevinMphotography]

5 boards is not easy

[@bothanjedirogue]

Well said. Let the haters try it! Kyokushin for life!

[@ramani.a.8138]

TheUmmahFightCamp But you and me have he brake too.👀👀😂😂😂

[@schmuelsonsradang4301]

Power alone isn't enough, you have to have brains and strategy behind it. The show of power will not deter anybody especially if they think that some 'experts' are good at hitting boards or bricks but could not outhink their opponents. Just by readiny the comments here is enough to tell that many think thatvtheir martial arts or style.is the best and cannot be compared. Well, like weapons, it is only as effective in the hands that uses them. This master is definitely best but telling that he's incomparable to anybody is a bit bullshit. After all, it was a boy who lilled Goliath, abd it was a woman who killed Attilla the Hun. Any martial arts is as good as the others, the different is in who uses them and how they are being used. The Indian Kalaripayatu is as deadly as an art. Those who insist that their syltyle is the best will have to prove them.in the ring. So far I haven't seen any of these gurus in the ring against other martial artists from different style.

[@schmuelsonsradang4301]

Everybody breaks boards and bricks yet when they fight they loses too, and none of their bone were broken, and they couldn't break their opponents too. Hitting boards and bricks is good as they don't hit back, which is true. But our opponents are not bricks and boards, they hit back and most of the times hitd better too. I understand that thisnis just a demo, and it's fine as boards don't hit back. It's the claim and arrogance that that think that only some perticular martial arts are better that sucks. Obviously these people only learn one type of martial arts in their life. Bruce Lee and many other great martial artistes learned so many and adopted the various styles thus making martial arts a dynamic force to learn and to be mastered. I know there are so many karatekas or Taekwondo students here who think that only theirs is the best. Well, that's why so many of them could be read here.

[@JACKTHEDRAGONOKEEFFE]

This guy breaks boards and they clap for him. But when i do it, its criminal damage.

[@burningknuckle26]

People forget how huge traditional martial arts was back in the day. In California alot of dudes on the stree were martial artists. All the films and of course bruce lee help popularize it. Old school tkd was no joke

[@pangngamkonyak1296]

Reality! Not fake. The real legend

[@douglashagan65]

This guy barely had a polar ice a day he was in Korea lucky to get a bowl of rice a day and this guy is probably one of the best ever a badass taekwondo martial artist ever lived yet this guy lived in such poverty had such little food yet with hard work and determination you can't possibly the best Merc in the world

[@jinchang1392]

Breaking boards and bricks are such great show.

[@ikhwan83]

Its not about breaking...its about target..

[@bhuthemanakuma7802]

WOOOOOOOW ... damn beautiful kicks

[@MonkeyMadness1989]

Great power and speed. Dude looks a bit wild, but I think that was good at the time.

[@tkdguy5494]

lol yeah the way he just went out there all amped up. Like the Korean taekwondo version of the ultimate warrior or something.

[@Cab0408]

He throws some HEAT with that right hand!

[@gladius2489]

Michael C. He can’t punch for shit

[@gladius2489]

@@burningknuckle26 not with that punch he won’t.

[@JACKTHEDRAGONOKEEFFE]

0:29 thats me when im pissed drunk

[@TAROTAI]

@3:17 Hee Il got a beating back from those boards - he's going home with an injury

[@tasgaz4881]

Proud,I saw the Greek flag among others flags!!

[@runliu9668]

those people who holding the boards dont know how to hold the boards, cause unsteadiness would make the broke out fails

[@eliking3333]

They know how to hold boards. They were afraid of his power.

[@jack.armani]

Funny.. u made my day

[@balsonnaoshekpam5680]

Great👍

[@johnemmons9087]

Awesome.

[@BERESEC]

very good

[@user-br2bn7bp7k]

Amazing 🙏❤️

[@Gee_OneBomb]

“Boards don’t hit back “

[@GmsNeWssport]

Mantap

[@gregking7570]

It shows that those boards are real.

[@tkdguy5494]

They almost always are when it comes to power demonstrations. When it comes to more like an acrobatic demonstration they’re usually pre-cut because those are just for show.

[@randycurtis1176]

That's a lot of boards broken without the benefit of spacers.

[@pangngamkonyak1296]

I think of his every action was real, not computerised video. He was the real master

[@kristallmenschkristallwolf1969]

this is from 1988 but that Kick 4 till 5 Boards that breaks all Ripps and your half past dead

[@joeynite5089]

He was also in the best of the best 2 .. long hair metal ball at the end of his braid

[@andrewspink81]

that wasn't him. similar looking so I know what you mean but that wasn't Hee Il Cho.

[@Juliana-sy4nh]

2019

[@mauricefaulkner455]

Love his aggression doesn't pussy foot around gives a 100% on all his techniques especially when he's demonstrating them

[@colinseet7710]

At his dan level, cannot use such soft wood. Must change to teak wood. Also, wood planks don't know how to dodge the punches and kicks but human, especially trained human, will.

[@RevDrDenisCallaghan]

Can anyone name who first introduced Mr. Cho to completion free style fighting . Who was living in South Bend IN?

[@john-ze7eu]

Should have used those "Made in China" boards

[@user-nz5bn4if5d]

"Мастер" наверно чуть не плакал от отчаяния, что у него доски не разбиваются, а просто разлетаются ! )))

[@suffolk6311]

Bruce Lee says, boards don't hit back.

[@muhammadnuruddin2072]

But can you break it?🤔

[@suffolk6311]

@@muhammadnuruddin2072 not if its more then an inch thick.

[@noelarmstrong2425]

how many tree are cutting in a year for the sake of taekwondo but this martial art is amazing ^^

[@diosdadoapias]

Those boards are the Chinese woods which is soft and use as crates. Why did he not try pine woods tablet. At least a little harder kind of wood.

[@billshinas27]

Spinning back kick when mastered, can cause lots and lots of damage.

[@folksurvival]

Obviously.

[@douglashagan65]

That is just badass impressive nobody can match how many f****** boards this guy can break

[@neiljones9884]

I think he would have done well in Kickboxing. He was very well conditioned.

[@telmomoreira9349]

Esses grandes mestres parece que o corpo deles so tem lado direito nao conseguem chutar nem socar com o lado esquerdo eu sempre usei ambos os lados

[@harithefightlover4677]

Super speed

[@inquisitivehound6108]

Breaking wood boards isn't spectacular. They merely yield along the grain and split. Give the master a length of 3 by 2 and see how well he does with that.

[@scarred10]

The amount of boards hes breaking is spectacular, 5 inches of pine handheld demands an awful lot of power and speed to break

[@inquisitivehound6108]

@@scarred10 The term your looking for is force, it takes a lot of force. Power is the rate at which energy is used and speed is component of momentum. My comment about a length of 3 by 2 stands, wood breaks relatively easy along the grain. I'm not being disrespectful to GM Cho, I'm fully aware he's a highly regarded TKD master.

[@zohrshahbaz9157]

Who was the grand master in this clip?, I couldn't see him.

[@IZAACPEREIRADEMELO]

GM, eu sou teu fã de carteirinha

[@christophermatthews3977]

Would the boards still be crappy

[@user-bl3se6dd9w]

Удар конечно смертельно... Супер

[@wesfos]

my sensei was Master Charge

[@kwaichangshane122]

LMAO!!!

[@adelkhamishassan2280]

رائع جدا

[@skymarshallmarz5573]

Boards dont hit ba...oh who am i kidding, his kick would crush my skull.

[@buikhai1]

My Karate instructor Robert Connolly knows this guy, he said that Master Cho actually kick a guy and cracked his skull because he challenged Cho and would not leave his school. Master Cho lost the lawsuit, he had to pay the guy with the cracked skull for $250,000.

[@vk3181]

Video very late start

[@earlknightjr.1341]

WAS HE RELATED TO THE OTHER GREAT MASTER S.HENRY CHO? WAS HE? S.HENRY CHO HAD A DOJO IN NYC, N.Y. 3/26/20. 7:31AM

[@scarred10]

No,that's a very common name in Korea.

[@wushucda5822]

"Board don't hit back"... by Bruce Lee ☺️.

[@shinobi1kenobi75]

That's just a movie line. Bruce Lee broke boards in demos.

[@VictorGonzalez-hj1vr]

a grand master missing 4 bords not in my school

[@anthonybrogan390]

he is still a bad ass

[@alexanderyurrr7129]

*Boards*

[@Basskat100]

@wushu cda, Boards not Board.

[@farshadferanki1030]

this person Actor the movie Best of the Best Build 1989 Is

[@user-dj3tm6gl7u]

What bing sin

[@vesuviusenigma7739]

I break boards without resistance

[@user-ed8xq9kg2f]

Лучшие из лучших

[@bokoblin1530]

Wow 🙈🙉🙈

[@johnnybash9053]

hmmm failing the first time proves how difficult it is to break these boards.

[@JUNIORMICH]

Anybody can break weak pine along the grain. Try solid Oak next!

[@harryohrn6051]

The only people who truly train to specifically use TKD as a martial art are the military of certain countries like North and South Korea. I don't care how powerful, explosive or precise your movements are if you compete at tournaments then you are using it as a sport.

[@moominpic]

But that doesn't mean you can't do both.

[@b_08_amitkumarsahu90]

agree

[@congvo8621]

yeah

[@scarred10]

Absolute nonsense,the miltary train exactly the same tkd as other schools and neither train realistically anyway.there is no use for tkd in modern warefare.

[@oscarpearson7981]

scarred10 I disagree, even though I’ve never experienced modern warfare personally, I have seen TKD on the street, and combined with a more close quarter martial art in case of the opponent having knives or guns, it is truly a dangerous and unbeatable martial art if you can master the art of using attacks at the right distance. The back kick is the strongest attack the human body can emit, seeing it on the street it WILL kill anyone who can’t avoid it hitting vital areas such as the neck, solaplex or head.

[@krrrruptidsoless]

Masters jumping kick

[@shinobi1kenobi75]

Everyone here saying "boards don't hit back" are just quoting a movie line. Bruce Lee broke boards. Punch a stack of boards and then say that.

[@tkdguy5494]

Not only that, but they’re quoting out of context. In the movie the character O’Hara was trying to intimidate Lee (Lee is the name of the character BL played) by breaking a board in front of him. It was at this point Lee said “boards don’t hit back” as a witty line to show O’Hara he was not intimidated. Same thing in Bloodsport. Frank Dux shattered a brick and this intimidated all the fights but Chong Li. Chong Li replied “very good. But brick, not hit back!”

[@adamriddell1387]

I’m one of his students

[@shrishpotdar343]

Even my taekwondo sir is one of his students

[@TainaraLisboa]

😯

[@frankfurfaro1885]

Would this be effective in the street today?

[@blue4uevo8]

it depends, an untrained street thug or poorly trained thug? absolutely, a moderately trained thug, sure. A professionally trained MMA fighter, someone who trains 6,7 or 8 hours a day, probably not.

[@dwaynegreen1786]

Chris Fortunately, thugs who rob people aren’t training 6-8 hrs a day 😊

[@user-dn4jn3yt7o]

이때까지만 해도 무술이었는데 지금은 써커스ㅡㅡ

[@namking8654]

👍👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@citydrums7525]

Who's Ho 2 Chee?

[@judiararat7478]

He cant brok the woods with his best leg technique

[@christianjardin3110]

That's because they didn't hold it properly. Keep pulling their arms back.

[@douglasrubens5373]

Nossa quero madeira fofa é muito fácil! Kkk

[@grzegorzk1177]

Plywood OK, hard or soft? :))))

[@francischen3266]

If I'm not wrong on 0.55 of the video I saw a glimpses of a person who somehow looks like Will Smith, Or is it Will Smith ? Someone watch video and reply