Profile of Presenters

Grand Master Monty Hendrix – 8th degree

North Carolina, USA

Master Monty Hendrix became interested in martial arts when he had to battle away two 12 year boys while on a field trip with his third grade class (8 years old). At that moment he learned the power of fear and adrenaline.

The next year he saw the original Karate Kid movie and began a lifelong interest in the arts. He immediately took up “Karate” at the local YMCA but had to eventually stop due to a scheduling conflict.  However, in high school he would be faced with an older bully and hence began to get self defense training from his best friend’s father who was a former LEO who had owned a Tae Kwon Do and Boxing/Kick Boxing gym.  From there he moved into formal martial arts training, beginning with Taekwon-Do and went on to become a tournament champion on the: Local, Regional, State, National and World levels.

Master Hendrix & wife Ellen (a 6th Degree Black Belt) own Essential Martial Arts in Greensboro, North Carolina.  He holds the rank of 8th Degree Black Belt Master in ITF style Taekwon-Do and is an Internationally Certified U-ITF Instructor.  In the realm of HapKiDo he holds the rank of 5th Degree Black Belt Master, Certified International Instructor, and is the World HapKiDo Association’s former Eastern US Director and the WHA’s 2013 Master of the year.

Master Hendrix is a multi-style martial artists who primarily focuses on the Korean martial arts of Taekwon-Do and HapKiDo.  However, rounding out his resume’ Hendrix also holds a master instructor rank in health/wellness based tai chi and is a level 3 (of 3) Catch Wrestler along with having earned earned Full Instructor status in both Filipino Martial Arts and Contemporary Jeet Kune Do.

Additionally, he has had several articles published on various martial arts subjects and is a former monthly columnist for TaeKwonDo Times.  When he is not teaching or training in martial arts, Master Hendrix enjoys spending time with his family and playing competitive golf