We are thrilled to present an interview with martial arts expert and social media influencer Liam Gutmacher. With over 17 years of martial arts experience and 10 years of teaching experience, Liam holds black belts in both Taekwondo (3rd degree) and Karate (2nd degree). He currently works as a full-time Taekwondo instructor at both public and private schools as well as in after-school programs.
In addition to his extensive martial arts background and teaching career, Liam has found tremendous success as a social media influencer, with over 700,000 total followers across all of his platforms. His enjoyable and instructional martial arts content has resonated hugely, amassing over 100 million views to date. Be sure to follow Liam on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to learn more about his journey and skillset.
So read more to glean some of Liam’s unique perspective on the importance of martial arts as he shares his experiences in our exclusive interview:
HFR: What does “Taekwondo” mean?
Liam Gutmacher: Taekwondo is the combination of 3 Korean words, Tae meaning kick, Kwon meaning punch and Do meaning the art of. The whole sequence transcribes to “The art of kicking and punching”.
HFR: What is the difference between forms and sparring in Taekwondo?
Liam Gutmacher: In Taekwondo, we build up an enormous amount of inner and outer strength as well as energy. Taekwondo forms (Poomsae) is the inner energy we use to demonstrate our memorization of patterns and techniques. Taekwondo sparring (Kyorugi) is the outer energy we use in real time against our opponents in combat. Both forms and sparring require a great understanding of timing, balance, power and spirit.
HFR: How long does it take to get from a Black Belt to 3rd Degree?
Liam Gutmacher: Every Taekwondo program will run their belt promotions differently, but generally the break down is 3 years for 1st Dan Black Belt, 2 years more for 2nd Dan, 3 more years for 3rd Dan and continued all the way to 9th Dan Black Belt.
HFR: Who is your favorite martial artist?
Liam Gutmacher: My favorite Martial Artist is a young, up and coming sparring athlete named Julien Roman. Already a USA National Champion in 2023, he is leading the next generation of Taekwondo practitioners, so make sure to follow his journey!
HFR: Who is your favorite celebrity martial artist?
Liam Gutmacher: My favorite celebrity martial artist is Scott Adkins. He is a very talented British actor, who is most famous for his role as Yuri Boyka in the Undisputed franchise. His incredible martial arts skill and abilities are something I strive to reach for everyday.
HFR: What do you think of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris?
Liam Gutmacher: Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris laid the framework for all future martial artists and are people I have great respect and admiration for. I hope one day to become an actor in the martial arts industry, and I know that wouldn’t hold the same weight in pop culture without the contribution of both those individuals.Â
HFR: What initially drew you to the practice of Taekwondo, and how has your journey evolved since then?
Liam Gutmacher: I began my journey in Karate at age 5 and at the age of 17 I switched to Taekwondo looking for more fast-paced and advanced kicking techniques. I got exactly what I was looking for and have continued developing my kicking skills since that day. I plan to stay in Taekwondo and expand into the competition world along with teaching the next generation.
HFR: Could you tell me about some of your most memorable experiences or accomplishments from your Taekwondo journey?
Liam Gutmacher: Earning my 3rd degree black belt in Taekwondo was a 13-year journey that meant so much more to me than just the belt rank. I overcame training alone during the pandemic, a severe hamstring tear, multiple ankle breaks, and family hardships throughout the process of achieving it, but I never gave up. I also began my social media journey in 2022 and that was the best decision of my life. Since that time, I have grown exponentially and collaborated with people around the globe sharing our passion for martial arts with the world.
HFR: Which areas of Taekwondo do you find the most difficult and how do you deal with these difficulties?
Liam Gutmacher: The most difficult part about Taekwondo for me is dealing with chronic injuries. Although I am still young, I have dealt with many serious injuries, so finding the balance between intense training and taking care of my body can be challenging. As much passion as I have to improve, listening to my body and taking proper care is really important for longevity.
HFR: What, to you, separates Taekwondo from any other martial arts?
Liam Gutmacher: Taekwondo has become much more mainstream and entertaining in recent years which has brought it much more attention compared to its counterparts. While other martial arts have been more recognized in the past, Taekwondo has just begun its ascension. I believe Taekwondo is the perfect balance between combat and peace. Throughout the world of Taekwondo, every practitioner has a different goal and it can all be encompassed by their Taekwondo training. People can learn how to become a better person and develop their character through training and that can’t be said about all martial arts.
HFR: Taekwondo emphasizes both physical and mental strength. How do you foster a holistic approach to health and well-being within your Taekwondo community?
Liam Gutmacher: In our Taekwondo school, we believe there should be a balance between physical and mental growth. If your physical skills are improving, then your mental skills should be improving simultaneously. We do this by teaching the skills necessary to be successful in society such as leadership, discipline, respect, teamwork, and having a positive attitude. With all these tools, our students can overcome any adversity they face in life while improving their Taekwondo skills and ability through physical training and drills.
HFR: Taekwondo emphasizes physical fitness and agility. How do you balance between pushing your physical limits and preventing injury?
Liam Gutmacher: I have dealt with many injuries during my own training along with recording videos for social media. The only way to prevent future injuries is proper rest, rehabilitation for weaker areas, hydration and food consumption as well as being practical in training. There was a time I was running a minimum of 3 miles in the morning, teaching Taekwondo classes for 5 hours and then doing a workout before bed every day for a year. This schedule wasn’t maintainable and led to both physical and mental fatigue, so after reassessing my goals, I found a better balance that has led to even better results. Injuries are not avoidable, but they can be less frequent, prepared for and treated with a healthy mind and body.
HFR: How have you seen Taekwondo change over the years in your own practice and how have you seen changes in the way that people practice at large?
Liam Gutmacher: As I have improved my ability, I have become more comfortable attempting difficult techniques as well as teaching these skills to my students. I try to stay relevant to the modern style of Taekwondo when I train and teach my students. Social media has really helped the spread of popularity in Taekwondo with the emergence of demonstration teams in America’s Got Talent, high flying board breaking videos and sparring knockouts. Some older practitioners will say Taekwondo has become watered down with the entertainment feel, but I believe this will only bring more attention to the sport and make it more globally recognisable as a top martial art for watching and training.
HFR: Could you tell me about a time when you had to take Taekwondo principles and apply them somewhere other than where you go to practice?
Liam Gutmacher: Although my social media is martial arts based, the ins and outs of growing on social media are far more complex than just kicking a board. Taekwondo has taught me patience and how to set goals as well as make plans to achieve them. When I started my social media journey, I only had a couple hundred followers on instagram and no presence on any other social media platforms. I had a goal to become an influencer and grow my brand, but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, so I made a plan to post everyday and not focus on the results, just continue making better content and improving my skills. Not only did my skills continue to improve, but I have amassed over 700k followers across all platforms and have reached over 100 Million views on social media. There was a time I would only get 100 views or less on my videos, now I will get a minimum of 10k views on every Instagram post daily. The attitude I learned from Taekwondo allowed me to continue working on my content even with no results in order to enjoy the benefits I receive now.
HFR: Can you share any insights into the importance of breath control and mindfulness in executing Taekwondo techniques with precision and power?
Liam Gutmacher: I can say there is definitely a correlation between mind and body when executing Taekwondo skills with accuracy and power. After a certain point in training, many techniques will become muscle memory and the room for growth in ability becomes increasingly harder. What I will say is, building good habits in both training and mindset allows for proper execution of techniques. I always try to have a positive attitude as well as be confident when I perform because my mind needs to continuously tell my body “we can do this”.
HFR: How do you approach teaching the historical and cultural aspects of Taekwondo to your students, and why do you believe it’s important for them to understand the roots of the martial art?
Liam Gutmacher: Although many martial arts started as means for war, we want our students to understand the level of respect and historical significance of performing the art that has been studied for generations. When students come to the Taekwondo school, it is not a place to play games and joke around, there is a level of commitment and responsibility when you enter and take class that you are learning a skill and out of respect to the instructor and other students and this should not be taken lightly. We remind our students of the value and etiquette during the Taekwondo class and if they cannot uphold these ideals, they cannot continue our program.
HFR: Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health. For example, depression increases the risk of many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. How can Taekwondo make you stronger to avoid these mental imbalances?
Liam Gutmacher: As someone who has dealt with many hardships including bullying, injuries and depression, I know what it is like to feel as though there is hope and life is too overwhelming. What I can say is Taekwondo was the thing that got me through and continues to help me overcome my obstacles to this day. Life has purpose when you dedicate your mind and body to self improvement and each day you improve some part of your life, you begin to feel more positive and confident; therefore, boosting your self-esteem and self-image. During my own transformation process, with the help of my Taekwondo training, I was able to lose 50 lbs and become the ideal self I wanted to become all my life. Trust the process because the otherside will always be brighter, just be brave enough to take the first step.
HFR: What is your take on MMA?
Liam Gutmacher: I personally don’t think I will enter the realm of MMA, but I respect the men and women who are willing to put their life on the line for their career and fame. Although my industry teaches people how to fight, I would never initiate a fight or want to harm another person especially with the health implications for both athletes involved. In that way, I believe Taekwondo sparring is much more strategic, focusing on scoring points instead of solely trying to knockout an opponent.
HFR: What are 3 combat sports that you believe are the best for defending oneself?
Liam Gutmacher: In no particular order, the top 3 combat sports that I believe are best for defending yourself are BJJ, Boxing and Krav Maga. I don’t have enough experience training in each to say which is the most effective, but through my years of talking to practitioners, watching classes, watching fights and experimenting myself, those would be my top 3.
HFR: Finally, how do you believe Taekwondo training can contribute to the development of important life skills such as perseverance, resilience, and adaptability, which are valuable beyond the realm of martial arts?
Liam Gutmacher: I know with certainty that Taekwondo can contribute far beyond its purpose of kicking and punching. Since beginning and continuing my Taekwondo training I have overcome bullying, severe injuries, family hardships, personal trauma, built my social media presence, created my full time career and allowed the opportunity to meet so many martial artists and celebrities. Taekwondo continues to help me stay positive throughout all the challenges of daily life and I hope you will begin your journey today!
