You won't believe the life of Hanshi Eddie Morales, 9th Dan: From Gangs to Goju-Ryu Master! 🥋

In the 1950s, Eddie Morales' family moved from Puerto Rico to the gritty streets of New York City. Born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn's Williamsburg, Eddie's childhood was anything but peaceful. The 1970s were rough, with gangs running the streets of all five boroughs. 📸

Raised in a school of hard knocks, Eddie began his martial arts journey as a young child, scavenging for any information he could get his hands on before eventually finding formal training. 📸

According to Eddie, "Williamsburg Brooklyn had a sense of darkness that only the residents can see and feel. It felt like something was going to happen at any moment. Anyone living in NYC at that time knows what I’m talking about. Every small incident turned into a battle for survival, and it was never a fair fight." 📸

His father was a quiet man dedicated to God, work, and family, maintaining a disciplined household. His mother, however, had a no-nonsense approach to life—she once chased two hoodlums off the roof with a baseball bat! Talk about a tough upbringing. 📸

The family eventually moved to Park Slope, another Brooklyn neighborhood, and Eddie's dedication to martial arts only grew stronger. He trained every day, eventually learning under Grandmasters Aaron Banks and Master George Bradley in Japanese Goju-Ryu. 📸

As Eddie recalls, "The Dojo was as hardcore as you can get, with two hours of nonstop Karate practice followed by an hour of fighting, five days a week. The fighting was brutal, and bumps and bruises were a regular occurrence like any other Dojo in NYC at that time." 📸

The mid-1970s saw Eddie excelling in art at Pacific High School in Brooklyn. An art show at Aspira, a Latin community center, introduced him to people who would change his life forever. It was in the basement of this location that Eddie was first introduced to the Goju Karate system. 📸

Motivated by his newfound friends, Eddie found his way to the Tiger Dojo, run by Kyoshi Victor Vega, where he learned Chinese Goju and eventually earned his first-degree black belt. 📸

Eddie was also a singer-songwriter in the 1970s, performing in nightclubs, theaters, and on TV and radio in both English and Spanish. Talk about a multi-talented guy! 🎤📸

In the 1980s, Eddie began teaching at a Dojo in lower Manhattan with one of his instructors from Grand Master Aaron Banks' New York Karate Academy, Sensei George Bradley. For four years, he produced dedicated students who are still active in martial arts today. 📸

Eddie later moved to California, where he studied Kobudo (Traditional Okinawan weapons) and received a black belt in 1999 under Kyoshi Anthony Marquez. He also trained with Sensei Juan Benavides in Kobudo, Kensei Ryu, and Okinawan Goju. 📸

Throughout his journey, Eddie trained with notable martial artists, including Sensei Ben Otake, Sifu James Ibrao, and his best friend and training partner, Shihan Tom Serrano of the Gosoku Ryu system. Eddie emphasizes the importance of strong basics in any martial arts system: "Regardless of what system you study, whether it be traditional or eclectic, if you don’t have strong basics, you have nothing." 📸

In California, Eddie became involved in law enforcement and eventually taught defensive tactics, arrest and control, and use of force for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Academy and other local agencies. 📸

Eddie is also a published author with many books available on Amazon. He was a radio announcer on KCAA 1050 AM NBC News Radio and ran a successful martial arts online magazine called Martialforce.com for 24 years, featuring interviews with top martial artists from the East Coast and beyond. 📸

Eddie's favorite phrase is, "Karate is not what I do, it’s who I am." He believes that dedication and commitment are key: "Whether it’s martial arts or anything else in life, without a dedicated commitment to practice, you have nothing. You only get out of anything what you put into it, so put your heart behind it." 📸📸

About the Author

Miss Tatsu @misstatsu @misstatsunee creates vlogs 🍝 Living in Philippines. Eczema survivor and food adventurer. Crafter and passionate VA 💌 For business and collaborations send me a message: https://twitter.com/MissTatsuNee