Grandmaster
James McMurray

Biography

Grandmaster McMurray began martial arts training in 1962 when he was 12 and received his first black belt at 20. For almost five decades he has studied several martial arts and trained with many renowned teachers including: Sensei Ralph Linquist and Grandmaster George Dillman in Isshinryu, Grandmaster Jimmie Brown in Moodukkwan/Nammokwan Tangsoodo, Sensei Lorraine Lewis in Shoreiryu, Master Michael Echanis in Hwarangdo, Master Owen McDonald in Okinawa-Te Weapons, and O-Sensei Philip Porter in Judo/Jujitsu.

Grandmaster McMurray is also a former Special Forces / U.S. Ranger Combat Instructor who served two consecutive tours in Vietnam and Southeast Asia with the 5th Special Forces Group at B-52 (CCC), and later TF2AE. He is a qualified sniper, an expert in unarmed self-defense, and adept at unconventional warfare. He also specializes in “silent-sentry takeout” via pressure points, strangulation and bladed weapons.

To constantly enrich his skills, Grandmaster McMurray has attended a countless number of seminars. A few of his exemplary seminar instructors include:

• Bill “Superfoot” Wallace

• The legendary Joe Lewis

• Remy Presas

• Michael DeAlba

• Rudy Timmerman

• Kathy Long

• Marlin Sims

Although he has advanced rank in many martial arts, Grandmaster McMurray calls the Korean martial arts his home. He was the first African American to be a certified Grandmaster in the World Kido Federation under 10th Degree Supreme Grandmaster In Sun Seo of Korea, and is the Texas state representative for that organization. In addition, Grandmaster McMurray currently serves on the National Board of Directors for the United States Martial Arts Association.

Grandmaster McMurray confesses that he loves investigating the inner power techniques of Hwarangdo and Hapkido called “Nei Gong,” the art of advanced mind control that can directly affect the life force of human and animal bodies. He has demonstrated this technique by making his body as hard as metal as military vehicles rolled across him, snapping metal tipped arrows that were pushed against his throat, and exploding slabs of stone under his powerful blow. He continues to seek mastery of himself and his art through the knowledge of acupressure and acupuncture techniques.

Several magazines rate Grandmaster McMurray as one of the top weapons experts in the United States, including Karate Illustrated, Black Belt, Official Karate, Taekwondo Journal and Traditional Taekwondo. He has been inducted—along with notable martial artists Chuck Norris, Abel Villareal, Pat Burleson, Roy Kurban and Linda Denley—into the Texas Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Several military units and police departments have benefited from Grandmaster McMurray’s training in unarmed and “personal armed”
self-defense and “suspect control” techniques. Among others, he has trained: the Bell County Law Enforcement & Correctional Facility Personnel, the Fayetteville Police Department, the German Polizei, the Harker Heights Police Department, the Killeen Police Department, the North Carolina Highway Patrol and the U.S. Army Military Police. He is also currently the U.S. Military Martial Arts Coordinator and Advisor to III Corps & Fort Hood.

Grandmaster McMurray has also developed restraining techniques for medical personnel to deal with unstable patients. He has trained over 20,000 United States soldiers and their family members in self-defense, and the National Organization of Women (N.O.W.) has used his techniques to teach anti-rape/anti-abuse classes.

Concerned about the direction and options for today’s youth, Grandmaster McMurray constantly teaches martial arts, life skills and leadership to children and teens. For more than 30 years he has coached several youth and youth teams to win state, national and international martial arts titles.

Grandmaster McMurray constantly shares his vast knowledge of martial arts, life skills and leadership through his exciting and thought-provoking seminars.

-###-

Grandmaster James
McMurray

Martial
Arts Styles

Japanese
(1962-1969)

• Aiki-Jujitsu

• Kenpo

• Isshinryu/Uechiryu

• Shotokan

Okinawan
(1973-1978)

• Okinawan-Te

• Okinawan Weapons

• Shorei-Ryu

Chinese
(1975-1978)

• Southern Hon Gar

• Southern Praying Mantis

Korean
(1969-Present)

• ATA
(Songahm)

• Chang Moo Kwan

• Hapkido

• Hwa Rang Do

• ITF
(Chon-hon)

• Kuk Sool Won

• Moo Duk Kwan

• NaMooKwan Tang Soo Do

• SooBahk Do

• Tang Soo Do

• WTF
(Chung Do Kwan)