Master Barry Cook teaches in the peaceful rural village of Much Hoole in Preston, Lancashire where he formulated his Martial Arts system of Cheongye Kwan. His career began at the age of 9, where he started his training with Judo, which after 3 years changed to Ju-Jitsu. 4 years later he left Ju-Jitsu and began Shotokan Karate.

As most people did, he attended many Seminars and courses with high-ranking Masters over those early years and also competed in several Tournaments, but his heart was always in the Philosophical and Traditional aspects of the arts and then in 1990 Master Cook joined WTF Taekwondo and as a result left Karate after 4 years to focus on the art that would lead to the foundations of his lifelong study.

In 2003 after 13 years in Taekwondo, Master Cook opened his own school and developed his unique system of Martial Arts training, that was a culmination of several Korean Martial Arts methods and his own Martial Arts training. His mission was to provide a top level, systematic, scientific and dynamic Martial Art that everyone could practice. Classes began in a local Church Hall with a mere 5 students, and has now grown to become an exceptional Martial Arts and Learning Institute in the Much Hoole area with a range of dedicated and motivated members.

Master Cook has had training in many Martial Arts over his 33 years of education, which most recently includes: Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and Wing Chun Kung Fu, he is also a successful National level Taekwondo Coach who has won many commendations and accolades. However, his proudest accomplishment is the CKDI curriculum and system which embodies all his lifetime of training, experience and knowledge. He formulated and developed the system from 2005 until its launch in 2007, and now 5 years on, the system has gone from strength to strength and Master Cook now looks forward to producing the future generations of Black Belts and Masters who will carry the Cheongye Kwan torch forwards into the future.                   

From a sporting perspective, Master Cook is a Gold and Silver Medallist and is a former Great Britain National Taekwondo Team member, competing at both National and International levels. Master Cook is the former Southern Technical Synchron and Individual Freestyle Champion, which gained him a National Ranking of 3rd overall in Great Britain, and after retiring, Master Cook became a National Technical Team head coach and senior advisor.

Master Cook is also a published author and now visits the United States of America each year, training, gaining qualifications and studying Martial Arts theory and history, as well as being part of a high level Masters forum, including training and developing with many of Hollywood’s outstanding Martial Arts Actors, Directors and Stunt Choreographers.

Recent Achievements:

2012 - Nominated for induction into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame

2010 - Commendation from the Jin Mu Sool Martial Arts Association in South Korea

2009 - Achieved 5th Dan Black Belt in Kukkiwon Taekwondo

2009 - Commendation from the American Martial Arts Academy in California, USA

2008 - Elected British Taekwondo Alliance National Technical Advisor

2007 - Appointed National Technical Team Coach of the British Taekwondo Alliance

2005 - Opened the Cheongye Kwan Daehando Institute

2001 - Gained a National Technical Ranking of 3rd in Great Britain

2000 - Achieved Great Britain National Taekwondo Team member status

1998 - Qualified as a Class 3 National Referee