Allen Steen

Steen had attended one of Rhee's martial arts demonstrations in the fall of 1959. Steen had prior done little boxing and being impressed with Rhee's skills, wanted to learn Rhee's style of Karate.{{efn|name="Karate"|At the time, "traditional/pre-KTA Taekwondo" was referred to as "Korean Karate."}} Steen was a business student at the University of Texas when he began studying under Jhoon Rhee in 1959. During his studies, his money was limited and could only afford his University education and martial arts studies.

He achieved his black belt in 1962. Following Rhee's departure from Texas, Steen set up the "Jhoon Rhee Institute of Karate", his first Karate school, in Dallas. Over time, Steen would establish other Karate schools and would grow into a network of schools throughout the Texas state.{{cite web|last=Angerstein|first=June|date=1 December 1970|title=Allen Steen, On the Business End of Karate|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ps4DAAAAMBAJ&q=Allen+Steen&pg=PA17|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=2 January 2018|website=Black Belt Magazine|publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc.|via=Google Books}}{{cite web|last=Dreis|first=David|date=1 May 1969|title=Pro/Karate, The Ordeal of Growth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Os4DAAAAMBAJ&q=Allen+Steen&pg=PA15|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=2 January 2018|website=|publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc.|via=Google Books}} Some of these schools go by the names like "Texas Karate Institute" or "Allen St".

In 1964, Steen founded the Southwest Karate Black Belt Association,{{cite book |date=1966 |title= Black Belt - Sept 1966|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=V84DAAAAMBAJ&dq=Southwest%20Karate%20Black%20Belt%20Association&pg=PA55|quote=The tournament was directed by Allen Steen of the Tae Kwon Do association, who is director of the Southwest Karate Black Belt Association.|page=55}} which in 1972 became the American Karate Black Belt Association.

In 1966, Steen won the Long Beach International Karate Championships, in the process defeating both Chuck Norris and Joe Lewis.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

In 1967 Steen retired from Karate competition. Following his retirement from competition, Steen remained active as promoter of the Karate.

In April 2000, Steen hosted the "Allen Steen Event Millennium Karate 2000", which was one of the largest Karate events at that time.

Allen Steen is regarded as one of the most influential martial artists from United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usadojo.com/allen-steen/|title=Allen Steen: Tae Kwon do|date=4 March 2007}} Steen has been inducted into American Karate Black Belt Association Hall of Fame.

Of the original 184 students that enrolled under Jhoon Rhee in 1959, Steen was one of the only six to achieve a black belt.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usadojo.com/allen-steen/|title=Allen Steen: Tae Kwon do|date=4 March 2007}}{{additional citations needed|date=January 2021}}

Steen has reputation as the "Father of Blood-N-Guts Karate", which refers to a style of Karate that flourished in Texas during 1960s. The moniker stems from Steen's rigorous training methods, discipline and requirement of toughness from the Texas students. Steen's methods were inspired by his master, Jhoon Rhee, who also ran a very tough training regimen.{{Cite web|url=http://www.abbahouston.com/texaskarate.html|title = In 1956 Jhoon Rhee came to the U}}{{additional citations needed|date=January 2021}}

Under Allen Steen instruction, he produced some of the most successful Karate sportsmen of the era.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usadojo.com/allen-steen/|title=Allen Steen: Tae Kwon do|date=4 March 2007}}

Steen was inducted into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame in 2007.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

• 1963 Chicago World Karate TournamentBlack Belt Magazine, July–August 1964 issue - Volume Two, Number Four. Page 44. ISSN 0277-3066
• Free Sparring, 2nd Place
• 1964 First Southwest Karate ChampionshipsBlack Belt Magazine, July–August 1964 issue - Volume Two, Number Four. Page 45. ISSN 0277-3066
• Brown Belt Kata - 2nd Place
• Team Freestyle Kumite - 1st Place, as part of Jhoon Rhee Institute team.

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• {{Cite web |url=http://www.akbba.com/hof/steenhof.html |title=Allen R. Steen: Father of Texas Karate |work=American Karate Black Belt Association web site |first=Charles G. |last=Bouton |access-date=2009-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531182439/http://www.akbba.com/hof/steenhof.html |archive-date=2009-05-31 |url-status=dead }}
• {{Official website|http://allensteen.com/}}

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Category:20th-century births

Category:Living people

Category:American male karateka

Category:American male taekwondo practitioners

Category:University of Texas at Austin alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

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