Kenyon’s Soo Bahk Do

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About

Founded in 1968 by the late Master Fred Kenyon, Kenyon's Soo Bahk Do is a martial arts school at 1551 Grand Ave in the 92109 and one of the longest-running dojos in San Diego. The studio holds Federation ID SI-19 as a charter school of the U.S. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, the national governing body for this traditional form of Korean karate. Master Daymon Kenyon, Fred's son, took over as primary instructor at age 18 and earned his seventh-degree rank in 2007. He serves as the senior member of the U.S. Technical Advisory Committee and a World Moo Duk Kwan Technical Advisory Committee appointee, responsible for standardizing techniques for all American practitioners. Students interested in adding barre conditioning to their martial arts regimen can visit Spirit Barre Studios, located a few blocks away on Garnet Ave. In 1986, Daymon was the overall Grand Champion at the Tang Soo Do International Championships in England, and he completed the rigorous eight-day Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa examination shortly after his father's passing in 1988. The school's original location was a combined surf shop and martial arts studio on La Jolla Blvd before moving through several Pacific Beach addresses and finally settling at its current Grand Ave home. Classes include instruction in Soo Bahk Do, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and Aikido, with at least 15 active master instructors on the roster, and parents dropping off kids for class often head to SD TapRoom on Grand Ave for a craft beer while they wait. Reviewers note multigenerational families training together, with second- and third-generation students testing for Dan rank at the same studio where their parents and grandparents began. Kenyon's holds a 4.9-star Google rating across 18 reviews, accepts credit and debit cards, and has a wheelchair-accessible entrance and parking lot.