Our Instructors

Shihan Bob R. Smith

Sensei Smith began his karate training in New York City in 1967. He studied various martial arts including Tae-kwon do, Kung-Fu, and Jui Jitsu. It was after Meeting Master Rico Guy, a master of Goju-Ryu Karate, Kempo and Iaido (the way of the Japanese Sword) that he decided to pursue Goju-Ryu Karate.

Sensei Smith has been teaching in Bermuda since 1980 and has made a point of educating himself in related subjects. He has received a certificate for sports injuries, diagnosis and treatment from the Bermuda College, coaching certification from the American Coaching Effectiveness Program and a sport karate judge certification from the Pan American Union of Karate Do Organizations (PUKO).

He has served as President of the Bermuda Karate Do Association, the Bermuda Martial Arts Commission and the Bermuda Martial Arts Federation.

Although he is semi-retired from tournament competition he is a 5 time Kata Champion, 5 time Weapons Champion and a 4 time Impact challenge(a striking power competition) Champion. He has been a member of 3 National Teams including the team sent to the 1995 Pan-Am Games in Argentina which was karate's first appearance in the Pan-Am Games.

In 1999 Sensei Smith was appointed Deputy Provost Marshal General & Head Bailiff for the courts of Bermuda and it was here that he appreciated the need for his staff to learn an effective personal protection system. This inspired him to develop what is now known as TCS or Tactical Control Systems which is currently being taught to Law Enforcement, Security Personnel, Teachers & the general public.

Sensei Smith is currently a 6th degree Black Belt and the chief instructor in Bermuda for the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation (I.O.G.K.F.). The IOGKF is established in over 45 countries and is headed by Master Morio Higaonna, who is one of the most knowledgeable and dynamic instructors in the world today.

	Sensei Nichole Burch Nichole has been studying Okinawan Goju-Ryu since 1991 at The Academy of Martial Arts. She is currently ranked as Nidan (2nd degree black belt) and is an assistant instructor for the children's and adult classes.
	Sensei Chuck Newman While working in Singapore in 1973 Chuck received his 1st degree black belt in Goju-kai karate from the Japan Karate-do Federation. He continued to practice karate in Toronto, under Sensei Masami Tsuruoka, Calgary and finally in Bermuda. After retiring in 1986, due to injuries, Chuck started training again with his son Rhys (a junior black belt) under Sensei Bob Smith in 1997. Chuck currently holds the rank of Nidan.
	Sensei Robert Hargadon Robert began his martial arts training in 1990 practicing Japanese Goju-Ryu in his hometown of Ottawa, Canada. He was introduced to traditional Okinawan Goju-Ryu by Hing-Poon Chan in 1996. The following year he moved to Bermuda and began training under Sensei Bob Smith and is currently ranked as Nidan.