Charyut, Joon Bi, Sijak! (Attention, ready, begin)

USTA Martial Arts taekwondo instructors teach students respect and bodily health one board at a time

By Taras McCurdie Sta Reporter

WHATCOM — Master Joshua Ross’ rst introduction into martial arts was the Chuck Norris movie “Firewalker.” Ross also enjoyed the action-packed Bruce Lee classics while also taking the time to collect dozens of the Wu Tang kung fu and Jet Li movies.

When he was 13 years old, Ross participated in taekwondo classes as part of his merit badge in boy scouts. However, he did not pick up the art again until years later when life took him down a di erent path. While being in the middle of bartending and with aspirations to go back to college for nursing, one trip to work in 2003 at age 26 would soon turn out to be his blessing in disguise.

As Ross drove past a grand opening sign for a taekwondo studio in Mt. Vernon, he said it sparked his memory of when he was a kid, participating in the art. So, Ross gave the owner a call and training began