About Shihan Marty Kale

Shihan Marty Kale started in American Karate in Houston, Texas in 1985, training for two years and achieving his brown belt before moving to NH in 1987. He resumed his martial arts career in 1989 by training in Tenzan Karate-do in Hollis, NH and achieved black belt in that style in 1994. When Hollis Karate Club (the previous name of SVKC when we were located in Hollis) became affiliated with House of the Samurai in 1991, Kale started training in Goju Ryu karate-do, and two years later started in the Shorin Ryu style of karate-do. He then started training in kobudo (Okinawan weaponry) at House of the Samurai in 1997. In 1999 Kale started a kobudo program at SVKC and promoted a total of nine students into the black belt ranks in Okinawan weaponry between then and when he stepped down as kobudo director in 2006.

Shihan Kale currently holds the ranks of Godan (fifth degree black belt) in Shorin Ryu Karate-do, Godan in Goju Ryu Karate-do, Godan in Tenzan Karate-do, Nidan (second degree black belt) in Kobudo, and Nidan in Iaido (Japanese swordsmanship). Note: there are no colored belts to signify rank in Iaido, but Nidan is universally considered second degree black belt throughout martial arts.

Mr. Kale was assistant director of SVKC from 1993 to 2006 and kobudo director from 1999 to 2006. He holds the teaching title of Shihan (master instructor) and has been asociated with SVKC since 1989, currently as special advisor to the club.