Our studio is part of World Tang Soo Do Association Region 22

Our Philosophy

Tang Soo Do training is focused on the betterment of your mind, body and spirit. Our training aims to build confidence and self-defense skills and enhance overall health and fitness.

We focus on building individual character, strong spirit, positive attitude and respect for self and others. We teach the values of respect, discipline, self-control, self-improvement and etiquette, to ultimately live a healthy, harmonious and productive life, physically and mentally.

The real value of Tang Soo Do training is not the belt you earn, but the changes that occur within you as part of your training and developing the ability to use the lessons you learn in the studio to enrich every part of your life.

Our Studio

We are a family-oriented studio. Parents and their children, brothers and sisters train together in classes with a wide range of ages and ranks. Students as young as 6 years old to senior citizens, and from beginners to advanced Black Belts, learn and train together. Students of all fitness levels are welcome in our classes.

A Mountain Wind Martial Arts is a proud member of the World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA). With its mottos of Traditionalism, Professionalism and Brotherhood/Sisterhood, the WTSDA is a widely-respected world-wide martial arts organization, with members in about 30 countries.

The studio’s history begins with Master Michael White, Appalachia Tang Soo Do, who brought Tang Soo Do to the central region of Pennsylvania and began teaching in the Philipsburg area. In 1983, Master White brought Tang Soo Do to State College, teaching a class at The Athletic Club, a local health and fitness facility. Later, Master White turned the class over to Master Michael Kaye, Penn State Martial Arts Group. On January 1, 2005, Master Kaye turned over Penn State Martial Arts Group II, the studio located at The North Club, to Master Scott Merrill. Master Merrill named the studio “A Mountain Wind Martial Arts.” Continuing the tradition of passing on the studio, Master Merrill turned over A Mountain Wind Martial Arts to his Chief Instructor at the studio, Master Susan Strohm in 2014. Master Strohm has trained in Tang Soo Do for more than 30 years and currently holds the international rank of Sah Dan (fourth degree Black Belt).

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Our logo honors the shared lineage between A Mountain Wind Martial Arts and Appalachia Tang Soo Do.

In the center of the logo, the Um-Yang symbol reflects the concepts of the complimentary nature of opposing forces, the connection between all things.

The red symbol over the Um-Yang is the Chinese character for Mountain, which refers both to Appalachia Tang Soo Do and A Mountain Wind Martial Arts.

The eight trigrams around the outside are traditional Korean trigrams, symbolizing the elements of heaven and earth, fire and water, lake, mountain, wind and thunder.

Our Service

Honoring the traditional role of the martial artist in the community, the students and instructors at A Mountain Wind Martial Arts are active contributors outside the studio. They serve in World Tang Soo Do Association positions at the international, Association level and at the WTSDA Regional level, and they volunteer in many different capacities at local, regional and worldwide WTSDA events.

A Mountain Wind Martial Arts members are also engaged community service in the State College area, with food drives for the State College Food Bank, volunteering at the local hospital, the animal rescue shelter and with the Boy Scouts.