Andre Arnold
When did you start martial arts?
I became interested in martial arts at a very young age. I remember being around five years old, practicing martial arts moves in the backyard with my cousin. However, it wasn’t until I was 35 that I began properly training under the guidance of an instructor.
When my son showed an interest in martial arts, I immediately signed him up for Taekwondo. After about a year of watching him train—and making sure he practiced at home—I decided to join him.
We made a promise to each other that we would earn our 1st Degree Black Belts together. After about three years of training for me and four years for him, we fulfilled that promise when we tested for our 1st Degree Black Belts together on October 31, 2020. That is a memory I will always cherish.
How long have you been doing Hapkido?
I began training in Taekwondo in 2017 and Hapkido in 2018. I have now been actively training in martial arts for a little over nine years.
Martial arts has become a part of who I am. One of my biggest goals is to create a martial arts legacy for my son that he can someday pass along to future generations.
What rank do you hold in martial arts?
I currently hold a 3rd Degree Black Belt in both Taekwondo and Hapkido. If everything goes according to plan, I hope to request testing for my 4th Dan sometime after the second quarter of 2029.
For me, advancing in rank isn't simply about earning another belt. It represents continued growth, knowledge, responsibility, and the opportunity to pass what I've learned on to others.
What do you like most about Hapkido?
What I enjoy most about Hapkido is its practical approach to self-defense. I also enjoy the problem-solving aspect of the art. Sometimes you have to think outside the box and understand how a traditional technique can be adapted and applied effectively in a practical situation.
That combination of technique, adaptability, and practical application is what makes Hapkido especially interesting to me.
What is your favorite Hapkido technique?
Wrist locks are among my favorite Hapkido techniques. When applied correctly, they can be extremely effective for controlling an attacker and gaining compliance.
I particularly appreciate them because they demonstrate an important principle of Hapkido: effective control doesn't always require relying on size or brute strength.