Today, we join Tom Urso, an Eastern Martial Arts practitioner who has been studying various forms for nearly two decades. With extensive training experience in Kum Do, Goshindo, and Tae Kwon Do we expect to witness a broad-spectrum of Eastern Martial Arts.

Tom is meeting us on the shore of Lake Hartwell for a series of cutting demonstrations and an extensive interview session. The location is beautiful and Tom performs his warm-ups followed by some cutting exercises on the beach.

We move into a forested area around “Golden Hour” to shoot Tom’s interview. The orange light from the fading sun reflects off the lake, perfectly lighting Tom during this segment. Tom’s vast knowledge of his art makes for a fascinating interview.

During these demonstrations, Tom is using a sword from Martial Arts Swords.

More about Tom:

Thomas Urso is an instructor of both Korean and Japanese sword martial systems and is the South Carolina state representative for both the World Kum Do Association and the United States Chanbara Association. He currently holds the rank of 3 degree black belt in Kum Do (Korean Kendo) and is a direct student of WKA Executive Director Master JK Jun and WKA secretary Dr. David Birdsell.

Master Jun was the 1982 thru 1984 Korea Kumdo Federation champion, and is currently a 7th degree WKA black belt and founder of the World Kum Do Association. While not only being a 5th degree WKA black belt and accomplished chiropractic doctor, Dr. Birdsell is also one of the highest ranked Caucasians in the Japanese system of Shinkendo.

Under the auspices of the United States Chanbara Association, which is a branch of the All Japan Goshindo Federation, Tom is a 4th degree black belt menkyo instructor and is under the tutelage of International Director Shihan Dana Abbott. Some of Mr. Abbott’s accomplishments are 7th degree Goshindo black belt, graduate of Nihon Taiku Daigaku (the “West Point” of Japanese martial art universities) and founder of Samurai Sports Inc. Abbott Shihan has personally instructed Tom in the 3 tier system of Goshindo. This art consists of…

(1) sword combative sparring through modern Chanbara and/or traditional Kendo,
(2) Batto-do quick draw techniques of traditional Toyama ryu and Nakamura ryu
(3) test cutting with a live blade, otherwise known as tameshigiri.

With his in depth experiences in both the tried and true ancient traditions and advanced modern sword systems, Tom’s knowledge of the blade is note worthy.

Besides swording, Tom also holds rank in other arts such as a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do Moo Duk Kwan. Moo Duk Kwan is one of the oldest hard style schools of Tae Kwon Do (Korean Karate). With the supervision of Moo Duk Kwan Master Kirk Hess (Fremont, OH), Tom trained with IOC qualified coaches and athletes in hopes of competing in the 1988 Olympics. Although he did not make the final 1988 team, Tom did succeed in winning several state and collegiate titles along the way. In order to make himself a more well-rounded fighter, Tom has also cross trained in other combative arts such as Haidong Gumdo, Filipino Kali, Western boxing, Thailand Muy Thai kick boxing, Free-style wrestling, Jujitsu and Hapkido.

In the film Reclaiming the Blade, one can see Tom in action showing examples of traditional Kum Do and modern Chanbara, demonstrating drawing and sheathing techniques of Toyama/Nakamura ryu and performing rarely seen demonstrations of tameshigiri using his fine blade made by the reputable sword smiths from Martial Art Swords.