I began my martial arts training at the age of eleven. Only able to fight to protect my sister and brother, but was unable to fight to defend myself. My father seeing that I did not defend myself had his friend Rudy Martinez a brown belt in the martial art Japanese Shotokan.
I studied with Sensei Martinez for 3 years. Afterward I went to De Witt Clinton High School where I and a few other Martial Artist formed the first Karate Club ever in any New York City High School.
I was a green belt when that club was founded and I began studying Japanese Shotokan under Sensei Earl Razor as well as Japanese Goju Ryu under Sensei Craig Powell and John Hernandez.
After receiving my black belts in Japanese Shotokan and Goju Ryu I along with long time friend James L. McCoy who studied Korean Taekwondo under Sensei Thomas Lowe founded the Martial Arts Dojo of Inner Peace and Strength in the summer of 1969 in the Bronx New York.
Years past and McCoy and I went our separate ways, as he had college to attend and I had moved to Queens New York in 1974.
After moving to Forest Hills Queens, I founded the Forest Hills Community House Karate’ Club along with my little brother Tyrone Giles who was my first black belt student, my black belt students Antonio (Tee) Thomas, Kenneth (Legs) Allen and Marcus Harrington.
In 1976 I had met in combat Ossin Billy T Taylor who later on I befriended. Tee Taylor as he would preferred to be called was a student of Grandmaster Black Hawk San Carlos who was as street fighter and who founded several martial arts styles, one being San-Chin-do. Taylor was also a student of Chinese Goju under Master Teddy Wilson an art that was founded by the Black Dragon Ron Van Clief and Master Owen Watson. Tee Taylor also studied with Master Monroe Marrow the art of Yunokwan.
I studied San-Chin-Do under the instructions of Tee Taylor and received my Nidan from Grand Master San Carlos. Later on Tee Taylor founded his own system of martial arts which he named Sho-Yun-O. I received my Nidan in Sho-Yun-O from Tee Taylor and later on was given my Godan in Sho-Yun-O by Grand Master San Carlos after Billy Tee Taylor passing. Sho-Yun-O stands for Shotokan-Yunokwan and Okinawate. These were the various systems that Tee Taylor incorporated into his Sho-Yun-O martial arts system.
Before receiving my Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) I returned by to the Bronx and re-opened the Martial Arts Dojo of Inner Peace and Strength. Becoming a part of such organizations as MAFIA, Martial Arts Fraternity In America, which sponsored Karate’ Tournaments for Kids. I have appeared on Johnathan Burkes Martial Arts Forum on cable television, Westchester Cable, Manhattan Cable martial arts programs. I had also performed for the Dance Theater of Harlem for their various open houses.
Later on I had received my Chodan in Tai Chi Combat from Grandmaster J.B. La Bligen La Puppet. I now hold Black Belts in a variety of martial art systems, but always more focused on the art of self defense rather than sports Karate’. Passing along what I have learned, continue to learn from my students as I continue to teach, I have a long list of Black Belt students, some who continue to pass on the over the knowledge that I have acquired for more than 46 years.
My favorite sayings are: What is perfection? Perfection is no perfection at all, because no matter how good you are, you can always be better!
What is control: Control is an illusion. We cannot control that which is not a part of us. If you walk and someone throws down a bag of marbles under your feet you will fall. The only control that you have is to train on how to fall properly so not to hurt yourself so when an unforeseen event happens you will be prepared.
The best block is not to be there!
And to quote Bruce Lee: “When it hits, it hits all by it’s self!”