About Us
Teaching Hapkido in Atlanta for over 35 years
We are passionate about martial arts and self defense. We believe
everyone should know how to defend themselves and their family. We have been serving the Atlanta community since 2003.
Our Story
Our story begins in 1984, at Georgia Institute of Technology, when two freshmen roommates, Nils Onsager and William Hayes, headed up tothe sports facility to do some Judo. They encountered Marlon Walker, a PHD student who was starting a new martial arts class. That martial art was Hapkido.
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William and Nils were passionate about martial arts. In addition to Hapkido, the two roommates studied Jujitsu taught by Ben Waldrop, Ninjutsu taught by Roy Wilkinson, and any other art they ran across. In 1988, they earned their Hapkido black belts under Master Eric Richards and Grand Master Ki Duke Lee. Shortly after, William went on to other martial arts and moved to Florida. When Marlon earned his PHD and moved to Washington DC, Nils tested to 2nd degree Black Belt and took over the GT Hapkido class .
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Fast forward a number of years, black belt tests and adventures/misadventures. In May of 2003, Master Nils Onsager opened Black Knight Martial Arts in Atlanta. After 20 years, Black Knight Martial Arts is still focused on teaching Hapkido and self-defense.
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In 2022, Nils and his partner Melissa Johnson moved to Australia with their two kids, and are now working on opening Melissa's martial arts school there. GM Nils Onsager still conducts classes in the Atlanta school virtually and when he is in town for black belt testing.
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On a side note, William, Marlon and Nils are still friends.