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Steve Ross, Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee, President of the United States Tang Soo Do Association and master instructor in the ancient Korean art of Tang Soo Do

Steve Ross is Owner and Chief Instructor of Orange County Academy of Martial Arts and West Coast Tang Soo Do Karate Academy (a.k.a. Soo Bahk Do). Residing in southern California, he currently holds a title of Grandmaster and is an 8th Degree Black Belt in art of Tang Soo Do.

LATEST RECOGNITIONS

In 2008, he founded the United States Tang Soo Do Association of which he serves as President, headquartered in Orange County, CA.

In July 2010, he was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. During this time he was the highest-ranking active Certified Master Martial Arts Instructor in the art of Tang Soo Do in Orange County, CA.

In September 2017, he was inducted into the Legends of the Martial Arts Hall of Fame by legendary Hollywood martial arts action stars Don "the Dragon" Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock.

In October 2017, he was inducted into the Who's Who of Martials Arts Hall of Honors and is identified in the book "Who's Who of Martials Arts / Pioneer's edition 2017 (page 326)".

In January 2018, he received the Grandmaster of the year award from Action Martial Arts Magazine.

BACKGROUND

Master Steve Ross has spent most of his life in association with martial arts and self-defense. He began his studies in 1971 at the age of 11 in Kingston Oklahoma under the instruction of Leon Reader. From 1971 to 1977 with martial arts being scarce in the areas where he lived, he sought out and trained in various styles of martial arts (Tae Kwon Do, Jiu Jit Su, Goju-Ryu, Judo, Aikido and Hand to Hand Combat). Then in 1978, he began training in the ancient Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do (aka Soo Bahk Do) under Rick Bailey. From 1977 to 2002, Master Ross was a world class competitor. Winning numerous national, regional and state martial arts awards in both fighting and in forms. However, his greatest competitive accomplishment was winning a 1st place world title at the 1986 World Martial Arts Championships held in London, England. Training with the arts' founder, the late Great Grandmaster Hwang Kee and other greats like H.C, Hwang, Richard Bustillo, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace and Dan Severn, Master Ross is recognized around the world for his academic knowledge and technical skills and abilities in the art of Tang Soo Do.

He has served as a bodyguard for various celebrities, taught members of Royal families, CEO’s and instructed Hand-to-Hand Combat techniques to U.S. military personnel. In addition, he has also worked in the motion picture industry with actors such as Jean-Claude Van Damme, Louis Gossett Jr. and Peter Coyote.

After moving to southern California from Oklahoma in 1983, he assumed ownership of a martial arts studio in Costa Mesa, CA where he taught until 1992 when he transferred his area of operation to the Sports Club/LA Orange County in Irvine, CA. He was the only martial arts instructor at The Sports Club/LA from 1991 to 2007. In 2008, the Renaissance Club Sport in Aliso Viejo, CA asked him to develop a program for their facility where he still operates today.

Master Ross is truly dedicated to the growth and development of Tang Soo Do. He has devoted the majority of his life toward helping others understand the principals of self-defense and develop the skills required to master the martial arts.