Master Pat Munk
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Munk Shichidan  (7th Degree Black Belt) 2003 Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee Man of the Year - Kenpo 2004 Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee Outstanding Master Award 2005 Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee Master of the Year - Kenpo 2006 Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee Universal Master of the Year 2007 Kenpo International Hall of Fame Inductee Charter Member |
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Born in 1953, Master Pat Munk began his training in the Tracy system of Kenpo at the age of 23 under Mr. Joe Renzi, in Louisville Kentucky. He then trained under the studios owner, Master Gary Avery, who awarded him Shodan in mid 1979. Master Avery’s teaching style was hard and brutal. He pushed his students to be their best by drilling on power and technique. That style produced several full contact kickboxers who were state and national champions. Elements of that style, such as a strong focus on precise technique, can be seen in the way Master Munk trains his own students today.
Master Munk came up through the ranks with some of the toughest bunch of Kenpo practitioners in America. Not only did they have formidable self-defense skills, they were also accomplished competitors. Training in the Joe Lewis Fighting system, combined with their hard hitting Kenpo technique, made them very tough to beat. Several of the competitors on his team wore the Tracy’s checkered gi, which was a recognized symbol of ferocious competition at tournaments across America.
Between 1979 and 1996, Master Munk competed in many tournaments and never failed to place 3rd or higher. Master Munk has also coached his son, Marc, to numerous tournament victories at national and world championship levels.
In 1983, Master Munk and his family moved to Georgia where he became a member of the Georgia Professional Karate Commission (PKC) Board of Directors and was the first President of The Georgia PKC Board of Directors. He became the first PKC Full Contact Kick Boxing Referee to be certified in the State of Georgia. He is also a certified PKC point fighting referee and official.
In addition to his Martial Arts career, Master Munk was a Police Officer for 10 years and was certified to teach Law Enforcement Officers in 1985. He was assigned to a Regional Police Academy in Marietta, Georgia. During this time, he developed lesson plans and taught courses in defensive tactics, PR-24 Baton, Straight Baton, Expandable Baton, Tactical handcuffing, Firearms and other related subjects. After retiring from Law Enforcement in 1992, he turned his full attention to teaching Kenpo out of his home in Austell, Georgia.
During the years since receiving his teaching certification, Master Munk has established himself as a very well-respected martial arts instructor. This reputation has earned him a place in the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame four times, as well as a place in the Kenpo Hall of Fame. He is recognized for his outstanding technical precision and extremely detailed understanding of the principles behind the techniques of the Tracy System of Kenpo. Such understanding comes from years of training as well as some real life experience. Master Munk has often said that whenever he has used the system’s self-defense techniques in real life, the attacker was finished long before the technique was. It’s that kind of practical insight that enables him to guide each individual student to their own most powerful and strategic utilization of the techniques.
In spite of having heart surgery in 1995, Master Munk has continued to teach private classes, seminars and self-defense courses. In addition to maintaining his health, he enjoys many other benefits of continuing his training in the art of Kenpo. He is constantly striving to improve his understanding of self defense situations. His training puts a strong focus on improving and implementing the power points of specific defenses. Master Munk hopes to impart a sense of confidence and accomplishment to the students that he trains and works with. One of his goals is to train every student to be better than he is. For him, seeing a student’s expression when they finally understand what they are working on is a feeling beyond description.
In January 2005, Master Munk received a promotion to Shichidan from Grandmaster Al Tracy.
Quotes from Current Students:
"I will never forget the day I was awarded the rank of black belt. Master Munk didn’t just hand me a black belt; He handed me his own black belt. I knew then beyond a doubt just how much my success had meant to him. I can think of no better Instructor than the one who sincerely wants you to succeed." - April Robinson, Shodan, 2007
Master Munk is as gifted an instructor as he is a martial artist. His knowledge, skill, and patience have made it a pleasure for me to learn from him. He motivates his students to be the best that they can be while maintaining a cool demeanor. Any martial art student would be extremely lucky to be able to learn from Master Munk." - Adam T., Blue Belt, 2007
Selected Competitions:
Kentucky AAU Championships - 3rd Place, 1979
KDSA Championships - 3rd Place, 1980
Tweeds Southern Indiana Open - 1st Place, 1981
Mid West Open Tae Kwon Do Championships - 2nd Place, 1981
International Police Olympics - 2nd Place, 1986
Georgia Peach State Classic - 1st Place, 1994
North Georgia Double Eliminator - 2nd Place, 1994
Bushido Invitational Shiaii - 2nd Place, 1994
Georgia State Championships - 2nd Place, 1994
Georgia PKC State Champion - Annual Year End Award, 1994
Georgia Peach State Classic - 2nd Place, 1995
Bushido Invitational Shiaii - 1st Place , 1996
Battle of Rome National Championships - 2nd Place , 1996
Bushido Invitational Shiaii - 2nd Place , 1996
Georgia State Championships - 2nd Place , 1996
Selected Certifications:
Tracy's International Studio of Self Defense Instructor Certification
(Certificate Number I-605), 1986 (Recognition & Certification
issued by Grandmaster Al Tracy)
Peace Officer Standards & Training Senior Instructor Trainer
Certification, 1989
Peace Officer Standards & Training Master Instructor Trainer
Certification in 1994.
Tracy’s International Studio of Self Defense Master Instructor
Certification
(Certificate Number MI-107-05), 2005 (Recognition &
Certification issued by Grandmaster Al Tracy)
Selected Awards:
Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Man of the Year – Kenpo, 2003
Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Outstanding Master Award, 2004
Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Master of the Year – Kenpo, 2005
Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Universal Master of the Year, 2006
Charter Member Inductee - Kenpo International Hall of Fame, 2007
Master Pat Munk's
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| 1979 | Promoted
to Shodan - 1st Degree Black Belt / Certificate Number OB-0096 Promoted by Gary Avery Kentucky AAU Championships - 3rd Place |
| 1980 | SEKA Judge & Referee
Seminar
KDSA Championships - 3rd Place |
| 1981 | Tweeds Southern Indiana Open
-
1st Place
Mid West Open Tae Kwon Do Championships - 2nd Place |
| 1982 | Promoted
to Nidan - 2nd Degree Black Belt / Certificate Number B-208 Promoted by Gary Avery & Grandmaster Al Tracy |
| 1985 | Police PR-24 Baton Instructor Nominated Professional Karate Association Instructor of Year |
| 1986 | Police Officer Standards &
Training Associate Instructor Promoted to Sandan - 3rd Degree Black Belt / Certificate Number B-341 Promoted by Grandmaster Al Tracy Tracy's International Studio of Self Defense Instructor Certification / Certificate Number I-605 International Police Olympics - 2nd Place |
| 1988 | Police Officer Standards &
Training Instructor Certification Police Straight Baton Instructor Certification Police Asp Baton Instructor Certification |
| 1989 | Police Defensive Tactics
Instructor Certification Police Firearms Instructor Certification Police Officer Standards & Training Senior Instructor Trainer Certification |
| 1990 | Police Tactical Hand Cuffing Instructor Certification |
| 1991 | Police Tactical Flashlight
Instructor Certification Police Side Handle Baton Instructor Certification Designed Defensive Tactics Courses for the Police Officer Basic Recruit Training Course for the State of Georgia |
| 1992 | Police Chemical Aerosol Spray
Instructor Certification Promoted to Yodan - 4th Degree Black Belt / Certificate Number B-458-13 Promoted by Grandmaster Al Tracy |
| 1994 | Police Officer Standards
& Training Master Instructor Trainer Certification Professional Karate Commission Judge Seminar (Certified Class "C" Judge) Professional Karate Commission Referee Seminar (Certified Class "C" Referee) Georgia Peach State Classic - 1st Place North Georgia Double Eliminator - 2nd Place Bushido Invitational Shiaii - 2nd Place Georgia State Championships - 2nd Place Georgia PKC State Champion - Annual Year End Award |
| 1995 | Peach State Classic - 2nd Place |
| 1996 | Professional Karate Commission
Judge Certificate Class "B" Promoted to Godan - 5th Degree Black Belt / Certificate Number B-563-35 Promoted by Grandmaster Al Tracy Grandmaster Al Tracy awarding 5th Degree Certificate to Pat Munk Bushido Invitational Shiaii - 1st Place Battle of Rome National Championships - 2nd Place Bushido Invitational Shiaii - 2nd Place Georgia State Championships - 2nd Place |
| 2001 | Promoted to Rokudan - 6th Degree Black Belt
/ Certificate Number B-652-36 Promoted by Grandmaster Al Tracy |
| 2003 | Inducted into The Universal Martial Arts Hall of
Fame 2003 Man of the Year - Kenpo |
| 2004 | Inducted into The Universal Martial Arts Hall of
Fame 2004 Outstanding Master Award |
| 2005 | Promoted to Shichidan -
7th Degree Black Belt / Certificate Number B-742-34 Promoted by Grandmaster Al Tracy Inducted into The Universal Martial Arts Hall of
Fame Master Instructor Certification
/ Certificate Number MI-107-05 |
| 2006 | Inducted into The Universal Martial Arts Hall of
Fame 2006 Universal Master of the Year |
| 2007 | Inducted into The
Kenpo International Hall of
Fame Charter Member |