Our instructors are motivated individuals that are dedicated to bringing the most advanced training to our students in all areas of self defense. Our head instructors are 6th degree black belts in Taekwondo, hold belts in multiple other martial arts including Jiu-Jitsu and Hojutsu-Ryu, and also have degrees in physical education and health.
Traveling with the 2012 AAU National Team to Hamburg, Germany to compete in the 2013 German Open.
Mr. Kurt has been training in TaeKwonDo since the age of 7, which means that he has trained for over 25 years, and he currently holds a 6th Dan Master Black Belt. He has traveled all over the world, training with Olympic Athletes and competing against some of the world's best martial artists. As a three time member of the AAU National Team, he has competed in Aruba, Puerto Rico, and Germany. In addition, he was the first recipient of the Chris Canning Award of Excellence in 2002, which was presented to a high school martial artist who demonstrated the competitive spirit, athletic accomplishments and personal attributes set as standards of the award.
Although Kurt enjoyed teaching classes at USFMA since it opened in 1997, as a preteen and teenager his main focus was competing and he made the AAU National Team twice during this time. After graduating college with a business degree, Kurt partnered with his parents as a co-owner of U.S. Family Martial Arts and he is now the Head Instructor. In this role, Kurt has not only continued training and competing in TaeKwonDo, he also integrated Gracie Jiu-Jitsu through becoming a Gracie Certified Instructor in 2008. Known for its ability to allow a smaller individual to defeat a much larger opponent, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is being used worldwide by hundreds of military and law enforcement agencies. Kurt has continued his Jiu-Jitsu training, traveling to California and other East Coast CTCs (Certified Training Centers) every year to train with the Gracie family. U.S. Family Martial Arts is currently the only NJ CTC.
In 2013, USFMA, together with Lt. Col. David Grossman, incorporated Hojutsu-Ryu with its founder Soke Jeff Hall. Hojutsu-Ryu is the "the Art of Firearms," which combines of the Modern Technique of the Pistol and traditional Japanese budo. Kurt immediately saw the benefit of this training in our martial arts program; having excelled in his shooting abilities, Kurt was awarded his brown belt which allowed him to begin teaching Hojutsu at USFMA in 2013. Since then, he has traveled to Spokane, Washington to further his training on various firearms and earned his 2nd degree Black Belt in September 2015.
Mrs. Fuhrmann earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Physical Education from Slippery Rock University. With the rest of the Fuhrmann family, she co-founded U.S. Family Martial Arts in 1997. Mrs. Fuhrmann currently holds the rank of 6th Dan Master, having studied TaeKwonDo for over 25 years. In addition, Mrs. Fuhrmann also has been an AAU Nationally Certified TaeKwonDo Referee and Coach since 1999 and is a 2-time AAU National Adult Forms Champion. As an active member of the AAU, Mrs. Fuhrmann has served as a Board Member of the AAU National Youth Leadership Award since 2005.
Self defense has always been very important to Mrs. Fuhrmann, who has trained in Judo, in addition to holding a Blue Belt in Jiu-Jitsu and a Brown Belt in Hojutsu-Ryu. She has trained in Women's Self Defense and Children's Self Defense under Master Phil Messina and has helped write curriculum for these programs.
Mrs. Fuhrmann is certified in Jin Shin Jyutsu, the Ancient Art of Harmonizing and Healing the Body.
​Mr. Fuhrmann earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Physical Education from Slippery Rock University. In 1997, with the rest of the Fuhrmann family, he co-founded U.S. Family Martial Arts. In addition to having studied TaeKwonDo for over 25 years, earning the rank of 6th Dan Master, Mr. Fuhrmann also has been an AAU Nationally Certified TaeKwonDo referee since 1999. Understanding the importance of self defense, Mr. Fuhrmann has Confined Area Survival Training (Bo Fung Do - Multiple Attacker Art) with Master Phil Messina. He has also studied Judo, Jiu-Jitsu and Hapkido, and most recently, he earned the rank of Black Belt in Hojutsu-Ryu under Soke Jeff Hall.
Mr. Fuhrmann became an iPec Certified Professional Business and Life Coach and Energy Leadership Master Practitioner in 2015, which taught him valuable skills he incorporates into the classes he teaches.
We also have amazing Junior Leaders who assist with our classes.