In 1966, Steen won the Long Beach International Karate Championships, in the process defeating both Chuck Norris and Joe Lewis.

[5] Steen has been inducted into American Karate Black Belt Association Hall of Fame.

The moniker stems from Steen's rigorous training methods, discipline and requirement of toughness from the Texas students.

Steen's methods were inspired by his master, Jhoon Rhee, who also ran a very tough training regimen.

[7][additional citation(s) needed] Under Allen Steen instruction, he produced some of the most successful Karate sportsmen of the era.