Master Wheaton's Bio

Dave Wheaton

Master Instructor/Founder
Hapkido International

Dave Wheaton has been training in martial arts for 37 years. He started with Tang Soo Do and later began studying Tae Kwon Do with Master Tae Hee Lee, receiving his Black Belt in 1974. From early in Dave's training, Master Lee taught Dave the art of teaching Korean Martial Arts as well as the art itself and over the next few years he ran schools for Master Lee in Seymour, Ansonia and Naugatuck, CT. In 1976, Dave moved to Honolulu and began teaching Tae Kwon Do at the University of Hawaii.Shortly after, a friend introduced him to Master Song Ok Hong and his art of Korean Hapkido and Dave trained and taught Hapkido under the guidance of Master Hong. During the '80's, Dave traveled back and forth between Honolulu and Connecticut where he had started a dojang and his own organization, Hapkido International, in 1981. Hapkido International currently has affiliate schools in Hawaii, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Florida and Japan.

Dave Wheaton’s system teaches Hapkido, children’s life skills, youth leadership and family fitness. He has a unique teaching style that has made him popular with thousands of students across the U.S.A and Japan.

Dave with David Spiegel, Master Tae Hee Yi(Lee), Young Hwang (1974)	Master Tae Hee Yi(Lee) 1st generation Black Belt under General Choi Hong Hi
General Choi Hong Hi Founder of Tae Kwon Do	Master Song Ok Hong
Dave with Song Ok Hong circa 1985	Master Choi, Young Sool
Master Dave with Ji Han Jae 2005