Grandmaster Bio

Jiu Jitsu:
Master Timmerman began his training in Jiu Jitsu (often called catch as catch can in those days) with his uncle, Willem Timmerman, who was a policeman and the hand to hand combat instructor for the police force in The Hague. In 1987, he was awarded a fifth degree Black Belt (certificate #3377) in Nihon Jiu Jitsu by the International Martial Arts Federation (IMAF) signed by Shinsaku Hogen Hanshi. Master Timmerman also received fifth degree Black Belt recognition from the Jiu Jitsu International organization. This certificate was signed by Professor Richard Morris, Hanshi.

Kuk Sool Won Hap Ki Do:
Upon arriving in Canada, Master Timmerman was unable to find a Jiu Jitsu school. To continue his training, he joined Master Pak in shyuk's Kuk Sool Won Hap Ki Do school as a white belt. During the late sixties and early seventies, Master Timmerman received his first, second, third and fourth degrees (certificate # A-6011) in Kuk Sool Won Hap Ki Do. These certificates were sent from Korea signed by Grandmaster Suh in hyuk and countersigned by Master Pak in shyuk.

Kong Shin Bup™ Hap Ki Do:
After a political upheaval among the Masters of Kuk Sool Won Hap Ki Do, Grand Master Pak founded his own martial art and called it Kong Shin Bup™ Hap Ki Do. Even though Grand Master Pak moved to Toronto and later to Edmonton, Master Timmerman continued to study with him on a regular basis. Kong Shin Bup™ was based on the old Kuk Sool Won Hap Ki Do curriculum, and the change in style did not pose a problem.

In 1984, Master Timmerman was promoted to eight Dahn in Kong Shin Bup™ (certificate #106). Meanwhile, Grand Master Pak had founded yet another style called Tae Keuk Do. When Master Timmerman indicated a strong desire not to change styles again, Grand Master Pak asked him to take charge of Kong Shin Bup™ and gave him the seals to the art. On Grand Master Pak's request, Master Timmerman immediately registered the name Kong Shin Bup™ with the Canadian Government as a nonprofit organization.

Out of respect for his Grand Master, Master Timmerman did not assume his rank and position as Grand Master of Kong Shin Bup™ until after its founder, Grand Master Pak, passed away in 1995. In 2000, at a ceremony in Orlando, Florida, the W.H.F.S. Council of Grand Masters recognized Master Timmerman as Grand Master of Kong Shin Bup™. Shortly after, Grand Master Timmerman's rank and position were recognized by Grand Master Seo In Sun of the World Kido Federation and Korean Kido Association.

Kuk Sool Won™:
Eager to learn more about the roots of his martial art, Master Timmerman traveled to San Francisco to attend the first seminar conducted by Grand Master Suh In Hyuk and establish contact with the Grand Master who signed his earlier certificates. Master Barry Harmon was instrumental in bringing Master Timmerman into the WKSA fold, and in 1989 Grand Master Suh In Hyuk came to Canada to see Master Timmerman's school. Shortly after, Master Timmerman was appointed as WKSA Director for Canada and the State of Michigan

After his appointment, Master Timmerman single-handedly put Kuk Sool on the map, and soon established no less than fifteen schools in Ontario, Manitoba, and Michigan. In fact, until he left the assocation in '98, nearly all Kuk Sool practitioners in this area were recommended for promotion by Master Timmerman. In 1996, during a gala event in Houston, Texas, Master Timmerman was promoted to sixth Dahn in Kuk Sool™.

During this time, several students of Master Timmerman opened their own schools with his blessings; however, when one of his students raided Master Timmerman's school, a problem arose. Despite the fact that his license agreement with WKSA guaranteed no one could open a school within a 20 mile radius of his own school, WKSA allowed the renegade student to continue his membership with WKSA. This total lack of martial art and business ethics forced Master Timmerman to resign his position as Director of WKSA, and he left to concentrate his efforts on further developing the National Korean Martial Arts Association he founded in 1974.

Sixth Degree Testing Group