Roberto Martinez - Kyoshi
Born the 7 of November of 1972, with 46 years of training in martial arts, he began his path in 1978 at age 6 until 1981 in the art of Tae Kwon Do under the tutelage of instructor Juan Torres and trained with him for 3 years and obtained later his black belt from Instructor Esteban De Jesus (RIP). At that time Tae Kwon Do was one of the arts better known and practiced in the Island of Puerto Rico. Sensei Martinez got active again in 1984 training in the system of Hung Gar Gung-Fu under the instruction of Lam Huey Fong -Sifu, where he reached level 6. In 1989 practiced for the first time the art of Karate, in Japanese methodology. He trains in the style of Shotokan Karate Do with Raymond "Boy" Perez-Shihan (R.I.P - student of Ben Otake sensei and others) and later with Orlando Irrizarry-Shihan (student of Hidetaka Nishiyama Hanshi (R.I.P) and Vincent Cruz Hanshi (R.I.P) and to this art he dedicates four years. From 1993 to 2004 he trains under the instruction of G.A. García Hanshi (R.I.P) in the style of Okinawan Shorin Ryu and Okinawan Kobudo obtaining the rank of Yondan & Renshi license. In 2004 founded the Okinawa Bujutsu Hozon Kyokai and the Jisshukan Honbu Dojo. Since 2005 he has kept growing and learning from several respected organizations obtaining his godan and rokudan until January 2010 when he finally met one of his formal present teachers. He reactivated in Shotokan karate in 2012 under the NSKF of Pablo A. Ramirez Shihan obtaining his Shodan and recently his Nidan to finish what he started in the 90's.
Recognitions
Martinez sensei has been recognized numerous times for his quality as a martial artist, his comradeship and his desire of transmitting the message of peace between all budokas. This are some of the achievements that he accomplished in his career; has been recognized in tournaments by other styles and organizations for his excellent work, in 1991 formed part (but never competed) of the national selection for W.U.K.O and F.E.P.U.K.A tournaments, from 1992 to 1994 instructs karate at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, in 1995 and 1996 was recognized by the Okinawa Karate Federation, in 2001-2002 served as instructor of Karate and Kobudo for the recreation and sports department of Jayuya City, P.R., the Patrons Festival of 2002 were dedicated to him and his group and he participated in two occasions of the Municipal Olympic Games central region, bringing sports glory to this city.
Since 2012 has actively competed in black belts and masters division in national and international tournaments always ending up in 1st and 2nd place and some grand champion (specially in kata and kobudo). In 2013 the City of Jayuya, his mayor and the government of Puerto Rico recognized him and 386 athletes from different sports disciplines for their great contribution to sports to the country and also receiving from the major of that city a 20 USPS stamp book with Martinez sensei picture and seal of Jayuya for his outstanding contribution with the art of karate to that municipality. From 2013 till 2018 he created and hosted in Puerto Rico the OBKH Hall of Honors free for all nominees to recognize the hard work, effort, sacrifice, and years of training and teaching of martial arts around the island and in the US (2022 & 2024). In 2020 he was accepted into the Kokusai Bujutsu Bunka Renmei (International Martial Arts & Culture Federation) in mainland Japan.
Martinez sensei has written 4 booklets on martial arts. 1st “Budo, a path of knowledge a path of life”, 2nd “The essence of Uchinadi”, 3rd “Martial arts of Japan in Puerto Rico" and his 4th "Okinawa, the mystical island of karate" (based on his research and personal experiences} in his martial arts path, as well as training for police departments and the center of aid for rape victims. Martinez sensei is a former police officer of the Carolina City Police Department and the San Juan City Police Department, and his Honbu Dojo is in Puerto Rico other Michi dojos, in Maryland, Washington, Utah and Yauco city, PR. Martinez sensei was promoted to Nanadan (7th degree black belt in the art of Okinawan Karate and Kobudo) in April 2010 by one of his teachers Lewis B. Whitney - Hanshi and received in 2012 the license of Kyoshi granted by the same teacher and the Shudokan Shorin Ryu Karate Do Renmei. On August 22, 2016, he was recognized with the same rank and license by the OSKF (Okinawa Shorin Ryu Kempo Karate Federation) and in March 2017 inducted into the Universal Black Belt Society Hall of Honors as Master Instructor of the Year. In August 2017 he took his test for Hachidan (8th degree Black Belt) in Karate Do in the presence of the Kodo Butoku Renmei headmasters board recognizing and promoting him to that rank. On February 2nd, 2019, the Universal Black Belt Society recognized his Hachidan in Orlando, FL. In 2023 his Ryuha was certified as a traditional Karate/Kobudo system by the Kodo Butoku Renmei & in 2024 became a member of the prestigious Dai Nippon Butokukai. Martínez sensei is an active member of several associations, organizations & federations of national & international prestige as follows:
​
Dai Nippon Butokukai (Japan) - member
-
Kokusai Bujutsu Bunka Renmei (Japan) - member​
-
Seiryukan Kokusai Budo Rengokai - Shigemitsu Tamae Hanshi / Okinawa, Japan) – Member​
-
Kodo Butoku Renmei (USA) – Member/Director for Puerto Rico/Dominican Republic and Haiti​
-
Karate of Japan Federation (Dwight Holley Hanshi / USA) – PR representative/member​
-
​National Shotokan Karate Do Federation (Puerto Rico)- Board member​.
-
​Taigishinkan (Italy/Okinawa) – member/certified instructor (Martial Arts entity member of Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, IKO of Hanshi Tetsuhiro Hokama, The International Renpuryu Budo Association of Ken Ogura Shihan and The Armored Samurai Battle Association of Osaka)​
-
World Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karate Do & Kobudo Association (USA) - member/PR representative
-
World Registry Of Black Belts (USA) - member