Lakewood Martial Arts

By Dale Sanders, 1st dan

The Colorado Taekwondo Institute, CTI, has been bringing martial arts to the Denver metro area for 41 years. In that time the Institute has opened six schools including Westminster, Lakewood, Littleton, Conifer, Golden, and Craig Colorado. 

The Lakewood martial arts school, also referred to as our Green Mountain Campus acts as a Hub for many of our activities ranging from promotion rank tests, Black Belt Master’s Class, Lead Team, and other extra avenues where we can enhance and extend our abilities in taekwondo. 

I have been a member of the CTI for five years and have enjoyed being part of a large community of people from all walks of life. We all have taekwondo in common and through that bond we have made many friendships inside and out of school. I assist in the Youth class and then attend the adult class Monday and Wednesday nights at the Westminster Campus. We also have black belt club on Monday after the adult class where we learn some additional forms and techniques that help us on our journey towards being masters of the basics, a 1st dan black belt in taekwondo. 

Our Lakewood martial arts school also offers leadership programs for our students. LeAD Team is available for purple belts and above to learn more about not just honing individual skills but also how to be leaders in the CTI that can one day have the opportunity to teach taekwondo to future students. It’s one thing to learn the moves yourself. It’s another thing to learn how to teach another student what you have learned. In so doing your taekwondo skills increase even more. 

This is a tradition that has been handed down within taekwondo that dates back to the 6th century in which a social, educational, and military organization practiced the precursors of taekwondo, became well educated and thoughtful individuals, learned the fine arts, including music, and served their king and country. We continue on the tradition of the Hwa Rang Do in pursuit of becoming leaders in an out of the martial arts school. Who knows, maybe someday I might learn how to play with them. 

When I went to college, I had another opportunity to join a taekwondo school, the Moo Sul Kwon Martial Arts Institute. They held a class on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. Here I really enjoyed learning taekwondo in the Moo Sul Kwon style. I trained with Grandmaster Doug Johnson for about three semesters as well as took his college martial arts course for credit. I transferred from SEMO to attend Louisiana State University to get my degree in Architecture. I looked for another taekwondo school to attend, but never found one that was as well rounded and fulfilling as what I had experienced in Missouri. 

Flash forward to 2018, now living in Colorado with my wife and kids and I stumbled across the Colorado Taekwondo Institute, founded by Grandmaster James M Sautel, who was trained by Great Grandmaster Lee H. Park while he attended SEMO. I was shocked to learn that I may be able to join a taekwondo school that grew up out of the same style that I had enjoyed so much.

The Colorado Taekwondo Institute has been a wonderful place to learn and grow as a martial artist. My oldest daughter now practices with me, and I couldn’t be prouder of her. Although I am a little jealous of her high kicks, but that doesn't stop me from pushing hard and trying kick just as high!

If you are looking for Lakewood martial arts school, I highly encourage you to check out the Moo Sul Kwon style of taekwondo at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute. I promise you will not be disappointed.