Instructor Bio

About the Instructor

Jason Hughes has been practicing Martial Arts for over 20 years, and has been teaching in Athens for over 13 years. He holds black belt ranks in Moo Duk Kwan Tae Kwon Do and Shinto Muso Ryu Jo-Jitsu, and has cross-trained in Judo, Ju-jitsu and Hapkido. An active competitor and coach, Mr. Hughes has coached himself to three A.A.U. National Championship titles and has coached several Junior Olympic, A.A.U. State and National gold medalists.

1982

  • Began studying Okinawan Kenpo under Ron Morris, 3rd Degree Black Belt, and Charles Gainey, 2nd Degree Black Belt--Thomasville, Ga.

1985

  • Began Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo training under Darrell Simpson, 2nd Degree Black Belt, and Young Seon Seo, 9th Degree Black Belt--Thomasville, Ga.

1987

  • Promoted to Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt) in Taekwondo.

  • Gold medal Forms division, Georgia Olympic Trials, sanctioned by the U.S.T.U. (United States Taekwondo Union) held in Atlanta, Ga.

  • Began teaching beginner and children classes at Young's Taekwondo--Thomasville, Ga.

1987 - 1990

  • Assistant teaching at Young's Taekwondo--Thomasville, Ga.

1988

  • First Place, Forms, Black Belt division at the U.T.A. (Unified Taekwondo Association) Championships held in Albany, Ga.

  • First Place, Fighting, Black Belt division at the U.T.A. Championships

1990

  • Moved to Athens, Ga.

1992

  • Promoted to Nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt) in Taekwondo.

  • Became Assistant Instructor at the U.G.A. Taekwondo Club under Jim Couch, 5th Degree Black Belt.

  • 2nd Place, Forms (traditional), A.S.K.L. (American Sport Karate League) Kickoff Championship, held in Atlanta, Ga.

  • 3rd Place, Fighting (lightweight Black Belt) A.S.K.L. Kickoff Championship

1993

  • Began Judo training under Mark Dudley, 1st Degree Black Belt

  • 1st Place, Forms, M.Y.B. (Midori Yama Budokai) Karate Open, held in Athens, Ga.

  • 1st Place, Fighting, M.Y.B. Karate Open

  • 2nd Place, Forms, 4th Annual Atlanta Open, held in Atlanta, Ga.

  • 2nd Place, Fighting, 4th Annual Atlanta Open

  • 1st Place, Forms division, Athens Area Spring Challenge, held in Athens, Ga.

  • 1st Place, Self-Defense division, Athens Area Spring Challenge

  • Ranked #10 Forms Competitor, Southeastern division, by N.A.S.K.A. (North American Sport Karate Association).

  • Began training in Shinto Muso Ryu Jo-Jutsu (Jodo - staff and sword arts) under Norio Wada, 6th Degree Black Belt from Tokyo, Japan.

1994

  • Became advisor of the U.G.A. Jodo Club, the first official collegiate Jodo club in the U.S.

  • Began teaching children's classes at the Y.W.C.O., Athens, Ga.

  • Promoted to Ikkyu (Brown Belt) in Jodo

1995

  • Grand Champion, All-Weight Fighting division, St. Valentines Day Classic Karate Open, Athens, Ga.

  • 1st place, Lightweight Fighting, St. Valentines Day Classic Karate Open

  • 2nd place Forms, St. Valentines Day Classic Karate Open

  • Founded Live Oak Taekwondo at the Athens, Ga. Y.W.C.O.

  • Promoted to Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt) in Shinto Muso Ryu Jo-Jutsu.

  • Helped Found the U.G.A. Judo Club.

1996

  • 1st place, Lightweight Shiai (Fighting), lower ranks, Bellarmine College Judo Tournament, Louiseville, Kentucky, representing Team Georgia.

1997 thru present

  • Teaching at Live Oak Martial Arts, Athens, Ga.

1998

  • 1st place in Weapons Forms (Jo staff), UGA St. Valentines Day Classic--Athens, Ga.

  • 1st Place Empty hands Forms, UGA St. Valentines Day Classic

  • 1st place in Lightweight Sparring, UGA St. Valentines Day Classic

  • Grand Champion Forms, UGA St. Valentines Day Classic

  • Gold medal, Adult Black Belt Forms, Georgia Games

  • Gold medal, Lightweight Sparring, Georgia Games

1999

  • Bronze Medal--AAU State Taekwondo Championships--Sparring

  • Married Christena Martin

2000

  • Silver Medal, Sparring--St. Valentines Day Classic, Athens, GA.

  • Grand Champion--AAU East Coast Winter Invitational--Forms

  • Silver Medal, Forms--AAU State Championships

  • Gold Medal, Sparring--AAU State Championships

  • Gold Medal, Forms--AAU National Championships

2001

  • Gold Medal, Forms--AAU National Championships

2003

  • Gold Medal, Forms--AAU National Championships

  • Bronze Medal, Sparring--AAU National Championships

  • Fought at A.A.U. National Team Trials, Las Vegas, N.V.

2004

  • Daughter, Maya Hughes born

2005

  • Opened Live Oak Martial Arts, independent school, Athens GA

2006

  • Promoted to 3rd Dan by A.A.U. National Testing Board