Konrad Spillmann: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Grandmaster K. O. Spillmann.png|thumb|”’Grandmaster K. O. Spillmann”’]]

[[File:Grandmaster K. O. Spillmann.png|thumb|”’Grandmaster K. O. Spillmann”’]]

”’Grandmaster Konrad O. Spillmann”’ (born in Plainfield, New Jersey), also known as ”’KwanJangNim K. O. Spillmann”’, is an American [[Martial arts|martial artist]], instructor, and founder of ”[https://globalmartialartsusa.com/page/kjn-history Global Martial Arts USA]” in [[Gallatin, Tennessee]]. He holds a 9th Dan [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belt]] in [[Taekwondo]], a 7th Dan in [[Hapkido]], and ranks in several other [[martial arts]] disciplines including [[Brazilian jiu-jitsu|Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu]], [[Karate]], and [[Judo]].<ref name=”:0″>{{Cite web |last=Gregory |first=Chris |date=2025-07-17 |title=Gallatin taekwondo teacher earns ninth-degree black belt – Main Street Media of Tennessee |url=https://mainstreetmediatn.com/articles/life-gallatinnews/gallatin-taekwondo-teacher-earns-ninth-degree-black-belt/ |access-date=2025-09-15 |website=Main Street Media of Tennessee -}}</ref> Spillmann has taught for more than five decades and has been involved in competition, instruction, organizational leadership, and [[Charity (practice)|charity]] events.<ref name=”:2″>{{Cite news |date=March 1992 |title=Dollar-A-Board Raises $1,000’s For Charity |work=TAE KWON DO TIMES}}</ref>

”’Konrad O. Spillmann”’ (born in Plainfield, New Jersey), also known as ”’KwanJangNim K. O. Spillmann”’, is an American [[Martial arts|martial artist]], instructor and founder of https://globalmartialartsusa.com/page/kjn-history Global Martial Arts in [[Gallatin, Tennessee]]. He holds a 9th Dan [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belt]] in [[Taekwondo]], a 7th Dan in [[Hapkido]], and ranks in several other [[martial arts]] disciplines including [[Brazilian jiu-jitsu|Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu]], [[Karate]], and [[Judo]].<ref name=”:0″>{{Cite web |last=Gregory |first=Chris |date=2025-07-17 |title=Gallatin taekwondo teacher earns ninth-degree black belt – Main Street Media of Tennessee |url=https://mainstreetmediatn.com/articles/life-gallatinnews/gallatin-taekwondo-teacher-earns-ninth-degree-black-belt/ |access-date=2025-09-15 |website=Main Street Media of Tennessee -}}</ref> Spillmann has taught for more than five decades and has been involved in competition, instruction, organizational leadership, and [[Charity (practice)|charity]] events.<ref name=”:2″>{{Cite news |date=March 1992 |title=Dollar-A-Board Raises $1,000’s For Charity |work=TAE KWON DO TIMES}}</ref>

== Early life and training ==

== Early life and training ==

American martial artist

Grandmaster Konrad O. Spillmann (born in Plainfield, New Jersey), also known as KwanJangNim K. O. Spillmann, is an American martial artist, instructor and founder of Global Martial Arts USA^[1] in Gallatin, Tennessee. He holds a 9th Dan black belt in Taekwondo, a 7th Dan in Hapkido, and ranks in several other martial arts disciplines including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, and Judo.^[2] Spillmann has taught for more than five decades and has been involved in competition, instruction, organizational leadership, and charity events.^[3]

Early life and training

Spillmann began martial arts training in the 1960s, starting with Judo and Korean Karate at a YMCA in New Jersey before expanding into Taekwondo. In his youth, he also trained abroad, including time in Peru and Panama, where he was influenced by his uncle, a U.S. Green Beret veteran. He later studied under Grandmaster Y.K. Kim and other notable martial artists, eventually earning certifications under multiple international federations.^[4]

Competitive career

Between the 1980s and 1990s, Spillmann competed extensively in Taekwondo and Jiu-Jitsu tournaments. He earned numerous first-place finishes at Y.K. Kim’s Championships, the U.S. Open, and other national and international events. He is also noted for block-breaking demonstrations, including a 1995 record of breaking 240 concrete blocks in 47 seconds^[5] and a 2006 record of breaking 411 blocks in 16.5 minutes, events often staged to raise funds for charities such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.^[3]

Teaching and Organizational Leadership

In 1993, Spillmann opened his first martial arts academy in Aliso Viejo, California. Over time, he established multiple schools and later relocated to Gallatin, Tennessee, where Global Martial Arts USA was founded in 2011. His organization has branch schools in California, Arizona, Texas, Brazil, and India.^[4]

He has served as Vice President of TaeKwonDo International, co-director of the WTF Taekwondo World Games in Los Angeles, and advisor to various martial arts federations. Spillmann has also authored instructional materials, including The TaeKwonDo Business Manual (2007), which addresses school management and teaching methodology.

Spillmann has been featured in Black Belt Magazine, TaeKwonDo Times, and regional newspapers including the Gallatin News and Orange County Register. His work has appeared in television programs such as Nickelodeon (1992), the movie Miami Connection (1988), and local news features highlighting his schools and students.^[6]

Awards and recognition

• United States Presidential Award (2003)
• California State Senate Community Service Award (2001)
• Inducted into the TaeKwonDo Hall of Fame (2006)
• Citations from Kukkiwon, Jidokwan, and the World Martial Arts Research Foundation
• Outstanding Instructor of the Year, ATF – Y.K. Kim (1992)

Philanthropy

Spillmann has raised funds for community programs and national charities through martial arts exhibitions and breakathons. His academies emphasize academic success alongside martial arts training, with students competing and achieving recognition in organizations such as the AAU and IBJJF.^[6][7][8]

References