Master John Jacobs tested for and was promoted to his 6th Dan this past weekend at the 1st PanAm Haidong Gumdo Seminar. Reaching 6th degree black belt is a lifetime achievement, a powerful testament to the dedication and hard work Master Jacobs has put into this martial art. And yet the name of the seminar, "Awakening", is all about the theme of new beginnings, which Master Jacobs has taken to heart for Blue Mountain Martial Arts, his school in Ellicott City, Maryland. Master Jacobs is bringing this energy of awakening back to Blue Mountain, excited to share this new achievement with his Maryland student base and beyond.
This seminar and promotion both came at a momentous time as 2022 marks the 40th year of Haidong Gumdo in the modern age. As our head instructor returns to Maryland, he brings back with him to Ellicott City a renewed commitment to growing the art of Haidong Gumdo with our students at Blue Mountain, awakening the passion for this art in the hearts of each student. This includes focus on basic techniques as an important foundation for all of what is possible at the higher levels of sword training, as well as the exciting sword skills like cutting bamboo and sparring.
Master Jacobs continues his record achievements as one of the foremost Korean sword experts in North America and the world, and we are privileged to have him as the head of our school. This promotion to 6th Dan puts him at the highest rank of anyone in North America, an honor held by only a few. Welcome back to Blue Mountain, Master Jacobs! We're glad to have our Master Instructor on the Mountain back in Maryland.
Master Jacobs is pictured above, with Master Julian Vasquez (left) and Master Jeong-Woo Kim (right).