Region 8 Leaders: Oliver Whitcomb, Sa Bom Nim

Oliver Whitcomb, Sa Bom Nim

  • Pahl (8th) Dan, # 23268
  • Instructor: Jeff Moonitz, Sa Bom Nim and Hu Kyun In
  • Owner and Chief Instructor, Sawtooth Martial Arts, Idaho
  • Region 8 Testing Board Member
  • Advisory Board Member, Heritage Membership Program

Oliver Whitcomb, Sa Bom Nim, has had a deep passion for Soo Bahk Do since he began training on October 4, 1979.  It has been the foundation for everything in his life, which has been “a beautiful path”. He has dedicated his entire life to this path and giving back to others what has been so good for him.

Training/Education History:

  • Began training in the Moo Duk Kwan organization in 1979 under his current instructor, Jeff Moonitz Sa Bom Nim.
  • Obtained 1st Dan (#23268) in 1983.
  • Traveled to Headquarters in Seoul, South Korea to train for one month in 1986 as an  Ee Dan, and has visited and trained there thirteen times in total.
  • Received his 3rd Dan and Kyo Sa Certificate in 1988.
  • Pursued East Asian Studies at the University of Hawaii where he started Hawaii Tang Soo Do which he ran for two years.
  • Attended Yonsei University Foreign Language Institute in Seoul, South Korea for  three months in the summer of 1992.
  • Obtained 4th Dan in 1993 at Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa at the U.S. Headquarters.
  • Moved to Seattle in 1993 and attended the University of Washington to pursue Korean Studies; taught extensively in Region 10.
  • Obtained 4th Dan in 1993 at Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa at the U.S. Headquarters.
  • Moved to Seattle in 1993 and attended the University of Washington to pursue Korean Studies; taught extensively in Region 10.
  • Graduated with honors from the University of Washington in 1995. Moved to Hailey, Idaho in 1996 and opened Sawtooth Martial Arts. Built The Gateway, a wellness center in 2000 and ran his martial arts school out of the wellness center until 2018.
  • Opened up Gravity Fitness & Tennis in 2018 and owns and operates Sawtooth  Martial Arts and Gravity Fitness & Tennis currently.
  • Received his 8th Dan Promotion from the 2021 Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa process.

Additionally, Whitcomb Sa Bom Nim served as Regional Examiner to Region 8 for 20 years, and he currently sits on the advisory board for the Heritage Membership Program.

Whitcomb Sa Bom Nim is also deeply involved in his community in Idaho since moving there in 1996. He has:

  • Taught modified martial arts to children and adults with cognitive disabilities since  2003.
  • Worked with hundreds of injured veterans through various programs like Higher Ground  doing “Therapeutic Martial Arts” to help with TBI, PTSD as well as physical challenges since 2007.
  • Through working with injured veterans, developed “IBAM”, Integrated Breathing &  Movement” or Therapeutic Martial Arts, which are designed specifically for optimizing  health and performance through techniques in integrating breath with movement.