Combat hapkido is a hybrid martial art based in hapkido with a focus on what the organization describes as “reality based self defense.” Gray began in the martial arts in 1974, studying various systems. In 1988, he began studying WTF taekwondo under Sam Kim. In 1995, he also began studying combat hapkido under Pellegrini. Gray holds a seventh-degree black belt in combat hapkido, sixth-degree black belt in taekwondo, is a licensed police defensive tactics instructor and military combatives instructor (MCA). Gray’s dedication to the martial arts has been noted by his induction into the World Karate Union Hall of Fame (2001), Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame (2004), and the Budo Magazine Hall of Fame (2006).

Gray has taught martial arts programs in since 1993, running schools initially in DeKalb and then in Potsdam. He also ran the Clarkson University Taekwondo Club from 1999-2006. Gray taught classes in Potsdam from 2004 to 2012 and SUNY Canton from 2012 to 2014. He has taught military combatives seminars to 10th Mountain Division soldiers at Fort Drum and traveled to Afghanistan in 2006 and Iraq in 2008 in support of this training.

Since 2013, he has been teaching in Winthrop at Adirondack Martial Arts on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.