Mastering Life Beyond the Mat Grand Master 10th Degree Black Belt Jim Butin

Grandmaster Jim Butin is a 10th-degree black belt whose lifelong journey in traditional karate spans competition, teaching, leadership, and historical preservation. Beyond the Fighting explores the lessons, philosophy, and character forged through decades of real martial arts experience — inside and outside the dojo.

Jim Butin is recognized as a Grand Master tenth-degree Black Belt by both the World Martial Arts Ranking Association and the American Karate Black Belt Association owns and operates National Karate and Tae Kwon Do in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Jim started his Taekwondo training in Fort Worth, Texas, in November of 1965 at the age of 16 under Pat Burleson. Master Burleson’s lineage comes from his association with Allen Steen from Dallas and Jhoon Rhee, who is considered to be the “Father of American Tae Kwon Do.”

After making Black Belt in June of 1968, Jim competed in and won every major tournament that was prevalent in the Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas area. He has won over 150 awards, all in fighting divisions. He won four national titles, and was rated as the #2 light heavyweight in the world by the PKA from 1974 to 1978. He was inducted into Official Karate’s “Legion of Honor” and he is listed in four Martial Arts Halls of Fame, including an inaugural induction to the Tae Kwon Do Hall of Fame, and can be found in the “Who’s Who of Martial Arts”.

Besides competing and winning the silver medal in the first World TKD Championships in Seoul, Korea in 1973, Jim also competed in Europe in 1974 with another famous U.S. team, which included Joe Lewis, Jeff Smith, Howard Jackson and Bill Wallace, against Germany, and the Netherlands. The team was undefeated in six separate contests. Jim is also a history general for the Sport Karate Museum.