About Gusi Gonzalez Sensei
Pedro J. Gonzalez Garcia, known as “Gusi” to his friends and students, was
introduced to the Martial Arts in 1969. After years of being a
competitive and athletic young man in his homeland of Puerto Rico,
Pedro suffered a respiratory condition which prevented him from doing
any physical activity for two years, effectively weakening his health
and his body. Searching for ways to be active physically again, he was
introduced to the Shoreikan Okinawan Karate, by Sensei Kimo Wall in
Puerto Rico.
This system included a breathing form called Sanchin to
develop respiratory function. Pedro practiced nothing but Sanchin for
three months to be sure that the physical activity of the martial arts
would not adversely affect his health, but he started getting stronger
and increased his pulmonary capacity, and continued the way of Okinawan
Goju-Ryu Karate-Do.In 1971, Sensei Kimo Wall brought Sensei Nobuharu Shinoda to Puerto Rico to help propagate the system on the island. Sensei Shinoda took over Pedro’s training and teachings until 1972, when Grand Master
Seikichi Toguchi, Sensei Kow Loon Ong and Sensei Toshio Tamano visited
Puerto Rico and elevated his training to a higher level, along with the
other instructors from the island.
In 1973, Grand Master Seikichi Toguchi brought Grand Master Simpo
Matayoshi to Puerto Rico, an Okinawan Kobudo and Karate Master (6th
generation) of the Okinawan weapon arts. After training under the
guidance of Grand Master Toguchi, Grand Master Matayoshi and Sensei Kow
Loon Ong, Pedro’s school was invited to New York for an International
Demonstration and Training event. While at this event, he had
conversations with Grand Master Matayoshi about the Arts.
Grand Master Matayoshi asked Pedro to come and train in his school in Okinawa, to
learn the highest form (“kata”), and to create an organization and
follow the teachings of Sensei Kow Loon Ong when he returned to Puerto
Rico.That same year after teaching and training in the Shoreikan Organization, Pedro and the Puerto Rico dojo left the organization for personal and political reasons. In 1974, he and the other instructors from Puerto Rico traveled abroad and trained in Tokyo, Okinawa, Taiwan and India, in search of the roots of art and knowledge.
Since that year Pedro has continued to train and teach under the
tutelage of Sensei Kow Loon Ong, mostly underground since he left
Puerto Rico in 1979. Pedro lived briefly in Davenport, Iowa while
pursuing his Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine. Since 1982, Pedro has been in Maryland teaching mostly private or a select group of students the Chi-I-Do system of Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do, directed by Hanshi Kow Loon Ong.