Dr. Michael Kaye has over 33 years of training experience in the Asian martial arts, and 23 years of training in Tang Soo Do. In the World Tang Soo Do Association, he holds the Master rank of Oh Dan (fifth degree black belt), and is also certified as a Master instructor. Master Kaye is the most senior World Tang Soo Do Association instructor in the State College area. His development in Tang Soo Do proceeded under the instruction of Master Michael White of Appalachia Tang Soo Do, although he has trained with numerous other instructors, as well. Since 1984, Master Kaye has been the chief instructor of the Penn State Martial Arts Group and has been directly responsible for the training and certification of countless students of Tang Soo Do.

Master Kaye received his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He received his Master of Science (1984) and his Doctor of Philosophy (1987) in Clinical Psychology from Penn State University, with a major concentration in psychotherapy and minor concentrations in sports psychology and psychological assessment. He has served as an intern with the Temple Medical Hospital (Philadelphia, PA) and has also served for four years as a clinical psychologist in a physical rehabilitation setting. Dr. Kaye now has a private practice for clinical psychology in the State College area. With his experience in psychology-related fields, Master Kaye is interested in and specializes in the psychological aspect of martial arts training and instructor development.

Master Kaye is actively involved in the World Tang Soo Do Association from the regional to the international level. He has written several documents, produced several official documentary videos, and given numerous oral presentations for the WTSDA. Since 1984, he has organized or helped organize several annual regional activities including tournaments and clinics. Master Kaye has been an invited instructor and an invited lecturer at regional Black Belt clinics where he has taught lethal weapons programs, knife and sword cutting technique, advanced forms, knife fighting and knife defense, meditation, and ki-kong. He has also been an invited instructor at the annual World Tang Soo Do Association Master’s Clinic, where he has taught sword and knife cutting technique, advanced forms, knife fighting, and knife defense.

Apart from his training in Tang Soo Do, Master Kaye has extensive experience with martial training in many forms. At the State University of New York at Buffalo, he was a nationally ranked collegiate level fencer and later became the head coach of the SUNY at Buffalo fencing team. He has training qualifications in T’ai Chi and Northern Shaolin Longfist Style Kung Fu. With the permission of J.C. Shin, the Grandmaster and President of the WTSDA, Master Kaye currently trains with Master-at-Arms James Keating with a primary focus on various forms of knife fighting and with additional training in long weapons and handguns. He is certified by Master-at-Arms James Keating as an instructor in the Combat Technologies (COMTECH) in the method of Bowie Knife Fighting. He is also certified by the Pennsylvania State Police as a Lethal Weapons Skills Instructor (PA. Code, Title 37, Chapter 21). Other areas of expertise include knife fighting, long knife, sword, knife making, cutting techniques, meditation, and breaking.