Randall Kleck

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Randall Kleck (born c. 1950) is an American martial artist and three time world champion. [1] In a martial arts career spanning over 40 years he has been a student, competitor, judge, instructor, and author. [2]

Contents

Martial arts competition

Kleck is best known as a martial arts competitor. He won two world titles from the Martial Arts Fighting Federation and an amateur world title from the International San Da Federation. He has title belts from kickboxing, sanda, and Muay Thai and won numerous national and regional titles in sport karate. [1] He was ranked #1 nationally by the National Blackbelt League (NBL) in point fighting [3] and among the world’s top competitors in forms, fighting, and weapons by the North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA). NASKA ranked him #2 in the world in fighting, [4] #4 in weapons, and #7 in forms. [5] Kleck qualified to be a member of U.S. teams and fought in multiple countries against fighters from all over the world. In his 50s he was still competing successfully in Muay Thai and sanda, as well as winning tournaments in adult continuous sparring. [6]

Kickboxing group of stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching

Kickboxing is a group of stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate mixed with boxing. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defence, general fitness, or as a contact sport.

Muay Thai martial arts

Muay Thai or literally Thai boxing is a combat sport of Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs" as it is characterized by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees, and shins. Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the late 20th to 21st century, when westernized practitioners from Thailand began competing in kickboxing, mixed rules matches, as well as matches under Muay Thai rules around the world. The professional league is governed by The Professional Boxing Association of Thailand (P.A.T) sanctioned by The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), and World Professional Muaythai Federation (WMF) overseas.

Besides being a student of Muay Thai, wrestling, boxing, and Shotokan karate, Kleck has also served as a coach and tournament volunteer. He has judged at major NASKA, NBL, and World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) events and is a certified judge for the World Sanda League. [7]

Shotokan Karate Shodan Style

Shōtōkan is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957) and his son Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi (1906–1945). Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing "karate do" through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including those at Keio, Waseda, Hitotsubashi (Shodai), Takushoku, Chuo, Gakushuin, and Hosei.

World Association of Kickboxing Organizations organization

The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations is an international organization of kickboxing. The governing body of amateur kickboxing certified by WAKO is created to develop support and govern at an amateur level In addition to holding world championship events, WAKO sanctions the champions of kickboxing. WAKO is the only organisation worldwide that is recognised by the GAISF and the IOC.

Kleck’s efforts have been recognized by a number of organizations. Among the organizations that have honored him are the World Karate Union Hall of Fame (Lifetime Achievement Award), [8] Action Martial Arts Magazine (Hall of Honor), [9] WAKO-USA (for coaching kickboxing), the American Freestyle Karate Association (Hall of Fame), and the World Kung Fu Masters Association. [1]

Personal

Kleck is an ordained elder and deacon at Laurel Presbyterian Church [10] and, according to one ratings website, is regarded as a helpful instructor of mathematics at Howard Community College. [11]

Howard Community College

Howard Community College is a community college in Columbia, Maryland. It offers classes for credit in more than 100 programs, non-credit classes, and workforce development programs. In addition to the main campus in Columbia, courses are also held at two satellite campuses.

Kleck has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mathematics from Michigan Technological University. He also writes the BLACK BELT INVESTMENT LETTER, an investment publication whose model portfolios have greatly outperformed the market. [12] Kleck also coached basketball at the Laurel Boys & Girls Club for many years.

Michigan Technological University Public research university in Houghton, Michigan

Michigan Technological University is a public research university in Houghton, Michigan. Its main campus sits on 925 acres (374 ha) on a bluff overlooking Portage Lake. Michigan Tech was founded in 1885 as the first post-secondary institution in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and was created to train mining engineers to operate the local copper mines. Science, technology, forestry and business have been added to the numerous engineering disciplines, and Michigan Tech now offers more than 130 degree programs through its five colleges and schools.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Randall Kleck bio at worldwidedojo.com". Retrieved on October 12, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Training Differences". Retrieved on October 12, 2010.
  3. ↑ "2002 Final NBL Standings". Sport Karate Magazine (79). Feb 2003. p. 48.
  4. ↑ "2002 NASKA world rankings". Archived from the original on 2002-06-04.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) Retrieved on October 12, 2010.
  5. ↑ "2003 NASKA world rankings". Archived from the original on 2003-06-09.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) Retrieved on October 12, 2010.
  6. ↑ Boice Lydell (Feb 2004). "Royal Crown USA". Sport Karate Magazine (83). p. 31.
  7. ↑ "World Sanda League judges". Retrieved on October 12, 2010.
  8. ↑ "WKUHOF Inductees". Archived from the original on 2012-07-19. Retrieved on October 12, 2010.
  9. ↑ Alan Goldberg (2009). "Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Honor". Action Martial Arts (73). p. 32.
  10. ↑ "Active Elders at LPC for 2010". Retrieved on October 12, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Professor Ratings". Retrieved on October 20, 2010.
  12. ↑ Randall Kleck (May 2014). "Performance". BLACK BELT INVESTMENT LETTER (77). p. 1.
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