Mark Shuey Sr. was raised in the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. He moved to Lake Tahoe in 1976 where he still resides. In high school and college, Mark’s primary focus was bodybuilding, wrestling, and swimming. Starting Martial Arts in 1970 in the Chuck Norris System of Tang Soo Do, he received his 1st degree Black Belt in 1978 under Master Neil Citron, and started teaching the martial arts in 1979. In September of 1999 he was promoted to 7th degree by the USMA.
Mark Shuey Sr. has degrees in Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, and Hapkido. He has a Master’s Certification with USNKA (United States National Karate Assoc.), USMA (United States Martial Arts Association), as well as the Independent Karate School Association. Mark is also the Head of Cane Instruction and Nevada State Director for the International Combat Hapkido Federation.
Mark Shuey Sr. is a top competitor in martial art tournaments worldwide. He was rated competitor of the year in 1994 with the National Coalition of Martial Artists. In 1997, he was rated number 2 in overall points in the Pacific Rim Tour Tournament circuit. The same year he was rated number one in weapons and katas in M.A.R.R.S for his age division and number two in overall points. On November 14th, 1998 he attended the Unified World Martial Arts Federation year end banquet, walking away with 1st place winnings in each of 4 categories: Forms (Katas), Weapons, Kumite (sparring), and he won overall Grand Champion in both weapons and forms. That same year, Mark took Grand Champion in Kata’s at the Golden State Karate Assoc. (GSKA) finals held in Lake Tahoe, as well as taking first place in the senior weapons and traditional open. After taking the National title in senior weapons in IMAC, Mark was also awarded Competitor of the Year by IKSA. In 1999, Mark reached his goal of taking NASKA’S World and National, Masters Weapons Title, and IMAC’S National title. For 2000 he defended his World Champion title for NASKA and won top honors in the World for KRANE Ratings.
In 1998, Mark Shuey Sr. was inducted into the Martial Arts Masters, Pioneers, and Legends Hall of Fame as a “Master Instructor”, as well as 1999. The year 2000 saw Shuey inducted into the USMA hall of Fame, as well as the prestigious World Head of Family Sokeship Hall of Fame, and for 2001 the Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame. In 2003 Black Belt Magazine honored Grand Master Mark Shuey with Weapons Instructor of the year.
Mark Shuey Sr. has been promoting tournaments in the martial arts since 1980, and has hosted over 16 tournaments of his own. Mark owns Cane Masters. This company has introduced the Cane to a greater audience in the martial arts community, as well as senior citizens and the physically challenged. Furthermore, Mark travels throughout the world giving seminars on using the cane for self-defense as well as exercise. At the start of 2000, Shuey formed the Cane Masters International Association for students of the cane and to certify instructors for his system.
Mark Shuey Sr. started practicing Yoga in 1985, and incorporated it into his martial arts to develop more flexibility, mind control, chi flow, breathing, visualization, and health. He believes through Martial Arts and Yoga, one can learn discipline, self-confidence, strength, flexibility, and total body balance. As a result, he has formed a new company, YogaPlay, which produces instructional videos for yoga practitioners of all backgrounds.
