Martial Arts Studio Coming to University Plaza

Forget The Karate Kid. Ignore Bruce Lee. Two Portage Countians want to introduce Kent-area residents to the all-encompassing martial arts system known as kuk sool won.

Business partners Jack Edwards and Boyd Kumher are opening their newest Martial Arts Ohio studio in the 10,000-square-foot University Plaza storefront that formerly housed Rite Aid.

The Kent facility opens Sept. 1 as a replacement for the Martial Arts Ohio studio that Edwards founded by himself about eight years ago at 131 E. Main St. in Ravenna. The company’s Garrettsville studio, founded about 18 months ago, will remain open.

“Our business will bring a lot of value to the Kent community,” Kumher said. “In addition to the martial arts training, Martial Arts Ohio offers before- and after-school care for children and a popular martial arts summer camp program.”

Edwards, a black belt instructor, said kuk sool won is a traditional Korean system of martial arts created in 1958 by In Hyuk Suh, the art's grandmaster and president.

“Judo is big on throwing, tae kwon do is big on kicking, karate is big on handstriking. Kuk sool won covers everything in a very well-designed program,” Edwards said. “It’s a very effective system that is highly regulated, meaning if you come here it’s the same system of martial arts taught at other (kuk sool) studios in the world.”

Kumher, also a black belt, has lost 35 pounds since his return to practicing kuk sool last May.

“It’s a highly efficient system for self-defense, a great exercise and there’s a lot of meditation and breathing exercises to learn how to relax the body,” Kumher said.

It was their dedication to the Korean martial arts system that sparked a friendship between the men in the early 1990s. At that point Kumher, a Burton native who started learning kuk sool at age 14, was nearly a black belt. Edwards, a Ravenna resident, was a 26-year-old “under belt” just starting out.

“Back then we had a lot of dreams and aspirations of owning our own martial arts studio some day,” said Kumher, who lives in Hiram.

Their friendship faded away, though, as the men traveled different paths in life.

Edwards went back into the U.S. Marine Corps, serving in Operation Desert Storm, as well as tours of duty in Panama and Nicaragua. The carpenter by trade tried running different types of businesses before opening his first martial arts studio in Ravenna.

Kumher graduated from in 1996 with a nursing degree, then went on to earn a master’s in business administration. He works full time as a university compliance officer at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

The old friends reconnected early this year via Facebook. A series of discussions led Edwards to ask Kumher to become co-owner of Martial Arts Ohio. Edwards is the company’s senior-ranking belt and head instructor, while Kumher serves as business manager.

The studio will offer kuk sool instruction for children as young as 4, as well as adults of all ages.

The studio’s before- and after-school program will be modeled after successful ones run by Edwards in both Ravenna and Garrettsville. After-school program attendees will be required to work out at least 15 minutes daily and participate in two formatted classes weekly.

Homework assistance will be provided on-site in a classroom set up at the rear of the studio in an area that formerly housed Rite Aid’s pharmacy. Courtney Edwards, Jack’s wife, has a degree in child development and serves as summer camp and school program coordinator.

Kumher said he’s excited that Martial Arts Ohio has been selected to host the World Kuk Sool Association Great Lakes Tournament in April 2012, likely in a large facility on the Kent State campus.

The daylong event is expected to attract between 400 and 600 competitors from throughout the United States. Also in attendance will be kuk sool won founder, In Hyuk Suh, who personally performs all black belt promotion testing.

For more information on Martial Arts Ohio call Edwards at 330-389-0304 or attend the studio’s Sept. 17 grand opening reception.