Goju-ryu ("hard-soft style") is as traditional form of karate-do which features a combination of hard and soft techniques. Goju-ryu combines hard striking attacks such as kicks and punches with softer circular techniques for blocking and controlling the opponent, including: locks, grappling, takedowns and throws. Particular emphasis is given to correct breathing and the refinement of fundamental techniques. Associated with this, practice methods include kata (forms), body strengthening (traditional Okinawan weights,) conditioning, kakite (sticking hands), partner drills, and kumite sparring fighting and self defense.
 

Kobudo, or Ryukyu Kobujutsu, refers the martial arts weaponry systems originating on the island of Okinawa. Ryukyu Kobujutsu, literally "old martial way", is the comprehensive study of the classical weapons traditions including: Bo (six-foot staff),  Sai (metal truncheon), Tonfa (handled club), Nunchuaku (flail), Jo (short staff), Eku (boat oar), Jutte-Bo (spear),Kama (sickle), Sansetsukun (3-section staff), Tinbe-Rochin (shield and spear). Training methods include Kata (forms), study of Bunkai (practical application of Kata), body strengthening, Kihon Waza (basic strikes and blocks combined with balanced transitioning), partner drills.

Born on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico on June 13, 1949, Sensei Marquez lived there only six months before his family moved to the promising city of New York. There he began his life as a young boy on the streets of New York City. His first exposure to martial arts came in the form of a White Crane Gung Fu school that was located near his mother’s retail business in China Town.

In 1971 Sensei Marquez was stationed in Tachikawa, Japan as a young United States Air Force serviceman, where his passion for martial arts quickly grew. His first formal training came at the hands of Yoshukai Karate under the leadership of Sensei Fujikawa and Sensei Goto. His next four years of training were centered in the world of full contact fighting where he received his Shodan and a 2nd place finish at the 1972 All Yushukai World Championships. While training in Japan he was exposed to, and later joined, the Sakugawa Koshiki Shorinjiryu Karate-do under the leadership of Kyoshi Thomas Cauley who awarded Sensei Marquez his Yondan.

Sensei Marquez’s military travels eventually led him to the Mecca of martial arts, Okinawa, Japan. He arrived in Okinawa in July of 1977, and spent the next eight years studying the indigenous arts of the Ryukyu Islands. His first Okinawan experience led him to the Toma Dojo where he spent his first nine months studying with Shihan Toma from the Seidokan. He then found his first Okinawan Kobudo teacher, Master Sekichi Odo, and trained in Okinawan Kenpo Kobudo for the next eight months until he met Master Masanobu Kina of the Rengeikan. He stayed with Master Kina until Master Kina’s untimely death in 1979.

While stationed on Okinawa, Sensei Marquez was introduced to the exceptional and dynamic Goju-Ryu Instructor, Master Masanobu Shinjo, of the Shobukan Goju-Ryu Karate Organization. His first visit to Master Shinjo’s Dojo led to a personal friendship and close relationship that included private lessons, as well as an appointment as Master Shinjo’s advisor on International affairs. He received his 5th and 6th Dan from Master Shinjo and assumed the position of United States Representative upon his return to the United States in 1985. While training at the Shobukan Dojo, he was introduced to Master Shinjo’s close childhood friend Master Katsuyoshi Kanei from the Jinbukan Dojo.

Master Kanei was also a Goju-Ryu Master specializing in the Matayoshi-style of Kobudo, where he was one of the leading seniors under Matayoshi Sensei. Sensei Marquez again was accepted as a private student which led to his becoming one of Master Kanei’s most prolific students in Jinbukan Kobudo. Sensei Marquez received his Nidan at the Matayoshi Dojo in 1985 and his Godan and Shihan appointments as well as an appointment as Master Kanei’s United States representative until Master Kanei’s untimely death in November 1993.

After establishing his own organization, Traditional Martial Arts International, and forming the Okinawan Tanzenbukan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do and the Kokusai Ryukyu Kobojustu Kenkyokai, Sensei Marquez’s continued search for advanced Kobudo training returned him to Okinawa. There Sensei Marquez sought out the little known art of Ufuchiku Kobujustu and trained under Soke Kaisu Isa in this unique and powerful system of Okinawan Kobudo and Karamite. In 1998 he received a Renshi appointment from Soke Kaisu Isa.

After returning to the United States in 1985, Sensei Marquez began his efforts to establish himself as a leader in both Goju-Ryu and Kobudo training. He spent the next decades developing a unique and exciting blend of all his extensive Kobudo training, spreading his firebrand style of Okinawan Kobudo and Goju-Ryu. Sharing his passion throughout the United States and South America he developed a strong following of students and supporters that hailed his incredible training regimen and passion for sweat. This enthusiastic following continues to grow today. In June 1999, Anthony Marquez was promoted to Nanadan and received his assignment to Kyoshi.

During this period, as he was establishing his Goju-Ryu and Kobudo in the United States and Internationally, he was introduced to the elegant art of Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaijutsu. His mentor and the head master of Jikishin Isshinryu Iaido, Hanshi Masayuki Shimabukuro, and Sensei Marquez later developed a personal friendship that eventually led to the collaboration and the creation of Sekai Dento Budo Renmei. Hanshi Shimabukuro awarded Sensei Marquez his Nidan in 2000 and his Sandan in Iaido on September 29, 2007.