Our Founder: Master Peter Wahlstrom
“True masters must remain servants. What are masters but the sum total of all their students? The one who teaches learns. No one can become a teacher without students. None can call themselves ‘master’ if they have not cultivated the martial arts in others, like a master painter working the canvas. The history of the martial arts is clear to see; the essence of mastery is teaching and the essence of teaching is serving others.”
– Master Peter Wahlstrom, Founder of SMBTKD
Master Wahlstrom began training in Taekwondo in 1979 under Master Kun Y. Park of Park Institute in Rochester, Minnesota. As he pursued his goals in higher education, he moved to St. Paul and resumed his training under Master Il K. Kim of Kim’s Taekwondo Center in Fridley. He earned his 1st Dan Black Belt in 1984 and in the same year began teaching Taekwondo for Master Il K. Kim. In 1995 Mr. Wahlstrom earned his 4th Dan Black Belt from Kim’s Taekwondo Center. In 1996 he founded his own school, The Sound Mind and Body School of Taekwondo, in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has been enjoying his role of owner and Master Instructor since that time. He is certified by the Kukkiwon in Seoul, South Korea, and has served as the Vice President of the Minnesota Taekwondo Association. In addition, Mr. Wahlstrom was the founding director of the Andy Wallen Memorial Taekwondo Tournament held annually in Osseo, Minnesota.
In addition to his Taekwondo career, Mr. Wahlstrom is an Instructor in Philosophy, Humanities, and Physical Education at the Cambridge Campus of Anoka Ramsey Community College in Cambridge, Minnesota. There he teaches courses in Ethics, Logic, Introduction to Philosophy, World Religions, Heritage of the Western World, Taekwondo and Wilderness Challenge, which involves guiding students into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Mr. Wahlstrom has also taught Latin at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
Mr. Wahlstrom holds a Master’s Degree in Classical Studies from the University of Minnesota, with a minor in Philosophy. When he’s not teaching, Mr. Wahlstrom devotes time to his two children, Aurora and Sophia, with whom he enjoys a variety of activities, including skiing, skating, cycling, softball and swimming. He also enjoys reading and writing. Each week he meets with a small group of close friends (Greek Reading Group) to read works of Plato. He has written several articles for the Boundary Waters Journal based on his extensive canoe travels of the Boundary Waters wilderness, of which he has been partaking for over twenty years.
When he has a chance to get away, Mr. Wahlstrom likes to retreat to his cabin situated on 160 acres of Canadian wilderness. There he finds time for contemplation and revels in the beauty of nature.
In April 2017, Master Peter Wahlstrom retired to an advisory role, designating Mr. Ken Meisner as the active Kwan Jang Nim of SMBTKD. Mr. Meisner began his Tae Kwon Do training at SMBTKD in 2005, earning his 1st Dan there in 2009 and his 4th in 2017. Mr. Meisner remains loyal to Master Wahlstrom’s tradition of cultivating excellence in every one of SMBTKD’s members and holds to the school’s motto and mission of developing health of body and peace of mind.