Master Ivan Chuan Hoe Tnay, a Malaysian born Chinese always had an interest in martial arts from a young age and started learning White Crane kung fu from a neighbourhood school. He then started Tang Soo Do training in Kuching, Malaysia in 1969 as a member of the Kuching Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan school.
His first TSD instructor was Master Chang Soon Ho (now USA). From 1969 till early 1972, he was taught by Master Chung Wha Yong (now US SBK MDK) and finally Master Lee Kang Uk (now ITSDF UK). He was awarded 1st dan black belt in 1972 (Dan # 017072) and is currently one of the few senior instructors from Malaysia still actively teaching.
While studying in England in 1972, he founded the very first Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan school in Watford, England, with a handful of students at the local YMCA. Tang Soo Do was unknown in England at that time and the school had to perform numerous public demonstrations to promote the art. The school’s membership grew rapidly to over 50 members and the Watford Tang Soo Do Association was formed in 1973.
Due to studies and increasing members, he decided to hand over the teaching responsibilities by arranging for another TSD instructor for England. Grandmaster K U Lee’s contract with the Malaysian TSD Association had nearly expired at this time and he expressed interest in the role. Master Tnay was then responsible for arranging Grandmaster Lee’s UK work permit and relocation from Malaysia to England as Grandmaster Hwang Kee’s European TSD MDK representative.
Master Tnay was a founding member of the UK Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation and was the first elected UK TSD MDK Federation Secretary General before leaving in 1975. He is rcognized by the The United Kingdom Tang Soo Do Federation (UKTSDF) and the World Moo Duk Kwan as the “UK Tang Soo Do pioneer” for being the first TSD instructor in England.
He continued private training/teaching with associates from other martial arts styles. He relocated to Australia in 1981 and was involved in private training/teaching until he decided to resume public teaching of Tang Soo Do in 1987 and established the Australian Tang Soo Do Academy, which was the first WTSDA affiliated school in Australia.
In 1993, Master Tnay was a guest participant at the US Soo Bahk Do MDK Fed. Kodanja in New Jersey with Master H C Hwang and GM Hwang Kee. In 1994 Master Tnay resumed his connection with the UK based International Tang Soo (Soo Bahk) Do MDK Federation till 2002.
Master Tnay teaches TSD with a strong emphasis on character development together with precise execution of techniques. His expertise and skills in self-defence techniques, forms, sparring, weaponry and breathing techniques ensure that all students undergo a comprehensive training system. He firmly believes that the most important virtues of being a genuine martial artist is respect, integrity and humility to all people and this philosophy is always a key point of his teaching.
He is one of a few Australian based TSD instructors whose true training roots goes back to the 70’s when there was only one TSD MDK organization worldwide under late GM Hwang Kee, TSD’s founder.
- Former President/Chief Instructor of the Australian Tang Soo (Soo Bahk) Do MDK Federation 1994-2002.
- Former Australian Chief Instructor and Executive Board Member of the International Tang Soo (Soo Bahk) Do MDK Federation 1994-2002.
- Internationally qualified referee/judge at tournaments overseas — USA 1988, 1990, 1992, Malaysia 1997, England 1999.
- Australian team manager to Malaysia 1997, England 1999 and Australia 2001.
- Chairman Organising Committee of the 9th International Tang Soo Do Championship held for the first time in Melbourne, Australia in 2001.
- Honorary Senior Technical Adviser to the Canadian Tang Soo Do MDK Federation
