Some of our lineage

Some of our lineage here at the National Institute of Pressure Point Arts is traced From Grand Master Robert J.Moran was promoted to 10th degree Black Belt legitimately by his long time instructor Grand Master Lambert in the month of March in the year 2013. Grand Master Moran is on of the few true Grand Masters in the world that had his instructor step down from his position of Grand Master in order to promote him as the Grand Master a honer he never looked forward to because in most all cases it is not received until the passing of the Grand Master or shortly before. Grand Master Lenard P.Lambert R.I.P. who Trained under quite a few systems of martial arts before he met and trained under Grand Master Dr. Raymond Gonthier R.I.P.. Dr. Gonthier began his martial arts training in Judo in 1959 at the YMCA in Manchester, New Hampshire. Then, between the years of 1970 and 1973, while stationed in Okinawa to serve in the Army, he studied Matsumura Orthodox Shorin-Ryu Karate-do under Grandmaster Fusei Kise (1935-), and Fusei Kise’s teacher, Grandmaster Hohan Soken. After receiving his 1st Dan (shodan), Raymond felt his sparring ability was not as good as he wanted it to be. Seeing his frustration he was pulled aside by his Okinawan instructors and given the meanings to real karate that had nothing to do with the sparring game that most of the  American students  thought was important in learning real Karate. He soon learned that the sparring part of his training was only a way to keep students busy until they learn the deeper meaning of Karate Kata and that sport sparring has nothing to do with the original Karate training or combat. Once he was free from worrying about proving his sparring ability he was able to dig into the true development of his Karate knowledge.  Dr. Gonthier left the military and Okinawa, returning home to New Hampshire. He opened his first dojo in 1973 in Claremont, NH with George Dillman. In 1977, after his falling out will George Dillman he began the Gonthier Karate Academy. Between the years of 1980 and 1989, he only taught private lessons. Dr. Gonthier was promoted to 7th Dan (shichidan) in 1989 by Grandmaster Porferio Lanada, the Grandmaster of the Arnis style Arnis Lanada. Dr. Gonthier continued to be promoted over the years by Prof. Moore of the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He was promoted to 10th Dan (judan) in 1996. Student of Grandmaster Fusei Kise.Grandmaster Fusei Kise who was studying karate in 1947, under his uncle Master Makabe. Then In 1958, Fusei Kise studied under Grandmaster Hohan Soken (1889-1982). Then in 1960, Fusei Kise studied under Grandmaster Nakamura Shigeru, The Master who founded the Okinawa Kenpo Karate Do Federation. Master Fusei Kisei received his 9th Dan qualification by Hohan Soken on September 1, 1976. In 1977,

Grand Master Fusei Kise founded the Shorin-Ryu Karate Kenshin Kan Karate and Kobudo Federation, which he renamed to the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Matsumura Seito Foundation in 2001. Fusei Kisei received his 10th Dan promotion from Master Shigaru Tamaiya on October 25, 1987.Fusei Kise’s instructor Grandmaster Hohan Soken hailed from a farming family. Hohan Soken’s mother introduced him to karate when he was only 13 years old, through her brother, Nabe Matsumura. Hohan Soken studied under his uncle, Nabe Matsumura (c. 1860-1930) making him 3rd generation from Sokon Matsumura,Who was the originator of all the Shorin styles of karate, including Shorin-Ryu. From his uncle, Hohan Soken learned kata and kobudo. He also learned kobudo from Ushi Komesu Tanmei. Hohan Soken worked doing farm labor from 1920 until 1952 in Argentina, leaving Okinawa because of work shortages. Then he returned to Okinawa in 1952 were he taught karate to members of the United States military, and named his style Matsumura Orthodox Shorin-Ryu Karate Do.

Grandmaster Hohan Soken’s instructor Nabe Matsumura Was from an upper-class Okinawan family, yet worked as a guard and pulled a rickshaw for money, which was typical of people in his social class during that time. Nabe Matsumura studied under his grandfather,Sokon “Bushi” Matsumura (c. 1809 – 1901). Sokon Matsumura is considered the father of Okinawan karate. Sokon Matsumura studied the first martial art on Okinawa called Ti or Te from the time he was a youngster. Ti dates back to the 1600s and emphasizes grappling techniques. It was practiced by the nobility for self-defense and personal development, and eventually became known as “te” in Japanese, meaning hands. Sokon Matsumura formally trained martial arts under Satunushi “Tode” Sakugawa, from whom he learned the kata Kusanku, and how to use the staff. During visits to China, Sokon Matsumura learned Chinese boxing and swordsmanship. His legacy includes the katas Chinto, Wansu, Passai, and Seisan,Naihanchi,And more.

Satunushi “Tode” Sakugawa (1762-1843), Was a key influence in modern karate. He was one of the first to combine the techniques of te and tode together. Tode, which means Chinese hand, was first seen on Okinawa in the late 1700s or early 1800s. The karate that is studied today is based on Chinese boxing from Fuchou (the location of a Shaolin Temple) that was brought to Okinawa between 1850 and 1950, mostly during the late 1800s. Around 1950, tode became known as karate, meaning empty hands.

Sakugawa studied Chinese Kempo with Kusanku on Okinawa, and continued this training with visits to China where he also studied bojutsu. Sakugawa’s legacy includes the kata Kusanku, the bo kata Sakugawa No Kun, and the concept of dojo etiquette. Kusanku, who was from China, was reported as the first to demonstrate tode and grappling on Okinawa. He was another key influence in the development of Okinawan martial arts.
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Grand Master Moran Karate Belmont