Kyoshi Ken Morgan was raised in Northern Virginia where he wrestled in middle and high school. His father was a career Marine and introduced Kyoshi Morgan to Gunnery Sargeant Donald F. Bohan who was teaching Isshin Ryu Karate at the SDT Gym on Marine Corps Base Quantico; he has been in the Martial Arts since this 1967 introduction.In addition to his initial Isshin Ryu training, he holds Dan rank in Shorin Ryu Karate Okinawan Kobudo and Goshin Jitsu. His Martial Arts performances have garnered awards in kumite and kata in tournaments throughout the Eastern Seaboard and in 2001 Shihan Morgan was presented with the prestigious “Martial Achievement” award during induction into the World Karate Union Hall of Fame in 2001, the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2008 and “Golden Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Universal Martial Arts Association in 2009.
Mr. Morgan was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the City of Virginia Beach for co-development and organization of the Volunteer Martial Arts Program for At-Risk Children in Virginia Beach. He also served the community as coordinator of the Annual Naihanchi Cup Karate Tournament for the benefit of these children. He is acknowledged nationally for his commitment to the need for recognition of the problem of missing and exploited children and for developing the first Martial Arts internet site directly linked to the National Center for Missing and Exploited children.
Mr. Morgan was born in 1953 in Bath, New York. The son of a United States Marine, he moved from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina to the Quantico Marine Base area in 1960 and graduated from Woodbridge Senior High School, Woodbridge, Virginia, in 1971. He began formal karate training in Isshin Ryu Karate in 1967 under Gunnery Sergeant Donald F. Bohan at HQ Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. He distinguished himself early as a student and promoter of the Martial Arts by developing and teaching a Womens and Dependents Self-Defense Course at HQMC Quantico in 1971.
He has attended Old Dominion College, Northern Virginia Community College and Germanna Community College and is nationally recognized in the fields of sales and marketing for both product development and the design of specialized training programs.
Ken is a NAUI Certified SCUBA Instructor and shares his interests in diving and Martial Arts with his two sons Matthew and Ryan. Kyoshi Morgan currently serves as the Texas State Director of the UMAA.
2. How has COBRA impacted you as a professional?
COBRA has provided the web presence, international exposure and support to allow me to focus on implementing the recommended marketing and training programs. The ROI from COBRA my first full year has been well over 700% and I honestly think I’ve only implemented a small portion of the programs offerings.
3. What are your training/business goals for the next 3 years?
2016 saw substantial growth, specifically driven by COBRA. We have multiple Academy’s scheduled for Q1 and Q2 2017 as well as commitments for more corporate training (as we did with Catapult and Texas Electrical Coop, among others). My lease is up on my current space in October and we are actively searching for space to buy or lease to add additional classes and fitness training space.
We project another 25% increase this year and as we move into 2018 with more space and the ability to implement COBRA fitness programs (we currently have lease restrictions due to Planet Fitness in the same shopping center) we anticipate 35-40% growth in 2018 and 20% plus in 2019
4.What do you enjoy most about being a Self-Defense Instructor?
I find it exciting to see people who thought they simply could not master “real self defense” come to the realization that they are capable of far more than they imagined and desirous of continuing through ongoing programs and additional training.
5. If you only had 5 minutes to train someone what would be the most valuable survival skills you would teach them?
First and foremost, situational awareness. Understand TPM and avoid anything that “just doesn’t feel right”.
6. Describe your school , it’s location and all the programs you/ your staff teach.
My school is in a high traffic retail location which has great visibility from a major highway and has approximately 100,000 people in middle class homes within a 5 mile radius.
Our programs include traditional Shorin Ryu and Tae Kwon Do as well as kickboxing and an afterschool program. Our self defense program is C.O.B.R.A. based and includes adult and kids C.O.B.R.A. Academies, Bully Response and C.O.B.R.A. for Realtors as well as special programs for local security training agencies for security staff, bouncers and body guards
7. If someone interested in joining as a Cobra Instructor / School what would you tell them?
Owning 2 Martial Arts studios, belonging to a strong international martial arts organization and being a licensee for one of the largest group of branded schools in the country I think I have an idea of what makes a school successful.
I can honestly tell you that, at this point in my career, if I had to choose only one of the banners I currently teach and market it would ABSOLUTELY be COBRA.
The level of professionalism, the support that comes from ready to launch web sites, professionally prepared media kits, instructor training videos and support, marketing, sales and training materials is head and shoulders above anything else I am familiar with.
Combine that with the level of accessibility demonstrated repeatedly by Chris, Mark and the COBRA team and there is no question that COBRA has been the best investment I have made in the martial arts. With an ever expanding training curriculum I look forward to growing my business and my skills under the COBRA banner.
For More Information About Ken Morgan:
C.O.B.R.A. Self Defense Austin
2700 Pecan Street West, Suite 302
Pflugerville TX 78660
CALL – 512-522-3912 ext 700
