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About Sifu (See-fu)* Keith Owen

Keith Owen was born in Barstow California to H.K. and Joan Owen in 1969. Mr. Keith's dad was a sergeant for the California Highway Patrol for many years. Mr. Keith moved with his family to Idaho after his dad retired from the highway patrol. He has lived in Idaho most of his life and spent time in Oklahoma as well.

Mr. Keith graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1987, attended the College of Southern Idaho and graduated in 1991. He attended one year at Utah State University majoring in Theatre and Speech.

He worked in an advertising agency for a short time before becoming a sales rep for the local Twin Falls NBC station until 1994.

Mr. Keith has always been fascinated with the martial arts. He started Kenpo Karate in 1984 after seeing the movie The Karate Kid. He later moved on to learn from TAI Kung-Fu instructor Gene Starr. He received his black belt from Sifu Gene Starr in 1994. Mr. Keith decided to become a professional martial arts instructor because he loves the martial arts and really has a desire to help students become better people.

In 1994 Mr. Keith opened American Self Defense in Twin Falls Idaho . He eventually had 175 students in his school making it the largest martial arts school in the State of Idaho at that time. He was a reserve deputy with Twin Falls County Sheriffs Department where he served for 9 years. He was also an instructor at the Idaho Police Academy where he pioneered the ground control for police officers program for the State of Idaho .

In 2003 Mr. Keith sold American Self Defense and moved to Las Vegas Nevada where he became a full time Firearms Instructor for Front Sight Firearms Training Institute. Mr. Keith pursued his love of firearms for two years and then he and his family decided to continue on with their original plan of opening a new martial arts school in the Meridian area. This school is Super Kicks Martial Arts and Life Skills Academy .

Mr Keith has a 4 th degree black belt in TAI Kung-Fu under Sifu Gene Starr, a black sash (black belt) in Wu Wei Gung-fu under Sifu Joseph Cowles (Sifu Cowles is a former student of the late Bruce Lee) and a 3 stripe brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Pedro Sauer of Salt Lake. He is also back at the Idaho Police Academy as a ground control and arrest techniques instructor.

* Sifu is Chinese for Teacher

Sifu (see-fu) Keith Owen 's Bio

Age 37

Time Teaching: 12 years

Time in Martial Arts: 20years

Personal Children 3 Alex, Carrigan, Chance

Spouse: Shirlane Owen

Martial Arts Education

•  Black Belt T.A.I Kung-Fu/Karate

Instructor- Gene Starr, Twin Falls , Idaho

•  2 nd Degree Black Belt, T.A.I Kung-Fu

•  1998-2001 Black Sash- Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do/Wu Wei

•  Instructor- Joe Cowles- (Former student of Bruce Lee 1960-63)

•  1998 3 rd Degree Black Belt, T.A.I. Kung Fu

•  2000 Purple Belt- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Professor Pedro Sauer- Salt Lake City Utah

•  2000 Inducted into The Society of Black Belts of America

•  2000-2002 Instructor - Peace Officers Standards and Training Academy (P.O.S.T.) Meridian Idaho, Officers Ground Tactics Instructor for State of Idaho.

Pioneered Program

•  June 2001 Purple Belt Kenpo Karate- J.R. Todds Kenpo Karate

•  January 2002- Law Enforcement Trainer - College of Southern Idaho .

•  1994 to 2003- Reserve Deputy, Twin Falls County Sheriff.

•  1994 to 2003- Co-Owner of American Self Defense in Twin Falls Idaho .

•  2003- Brown Belt-Brazilain Jiu-Jitsu

•  2003-2005 Hand Gun and Shotgun Instructor -Front Sight Firearms Training Institute- Las Vegas Nv .

•  2005- Co- Owner of Super Kicks Martial Arts-Meidian Idaho

•  2005- Ground Control and Arrest Techniques instructor - Idaho Police Academy

•  2006- Black Belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

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