Hanshi Carlos H. Montalvo began his career in the Martial Arts during his early middle school years in the City of San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, where his father was the former City Police Chief. He practiced first Karate/Tae Kwon Do (1969) for a short period of time at the 4-H Club near his house. Later he practiced the Chinese style of Shaolin Tsu Kempo. His only brother began practicing Okinawa Kempo Karate Do under Sempai Luis Camara and Sensei Edwin Hernandez (a direct student of Toshimitsu Kina Naha, Okinawa). During this time, Hanshi Montalvo also practiced Boxing under Silverio Yeyo - Kid Salas, a former City Mayor at the same 4-H Club. Hanshi Montalvo joined his brother and both practiced Okinawa Kenpo Karate Do, later obtained black belt 1st and 2nd Degrees Black Belt under the guidance of Master William Hernandez.
On January 1974, both, opened their first Okinawa Kenpo dojo in San Sebastian, P.R. already Hanshi Montalvo was competing in Full Contact/Kick Boxing events in the Island making him one of the pioneer in that modality. In 1980, Master Hernandez and Hanshi Montalvo met and trained under Hawaiian Kenpo Karate Master Cecil Peoples (a direct student of Grand Master Bill Ryusaki, Van Nuys, California). Under Master Peoples, Hanshi Montalvo obtained 2nd and 3rd Degree Black Belt.
From 1974 to 1978, 80-81, Hanshi Montalvo was the Inter-American University, San German, Campus Physical Education/Martial Arts Professor, Team Coach and Team Captain. Hanshi Montalvo traveled to Connecticut from 1978-79 to study at Yale Univ. and the Univ. of Conn. Psychology Dept. Postgraduate courses. During that time, he taught Karate and Full Contact seminars at the Eastern Conn. State College and at the Windham Youth Center for disturbed youngsters. Upon his return to the Island, he competed in most of the major tournaments and established himself as one of the top fighters in the Caribbean. He was interviewed by many sport magazines and acted as bodyguard of many celebrities during their visits to the Island to include: Peter Frampton, Lou Ferrigno, Jose Feliciano, Jose Jose and Menudo. Hanshi Montalvo due to work related commitments in 1984 left the Island leaving a well established group of black belts in PR.
On April 1984, he moved to Miami, Florida to work as a Special Agent of the then US Treasury Department, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. During this time, he met and began a long lasting relationship with Grand Master Manny Saavedra founder of the World Sansei Goju- Ryu Karate Organization (WSGRKO), Hanshi Montalvo was tested to the ranks of 4th, 5th, 6th Degrees and later promoted to the 7th Dan in 1995 and 8th Dan in 2000. During his tenure in Florida, he became a member of the Internationally rated Miami Vice Karate Team and retired undefeated after four (4) years of competition. Hanshi Montalvo was the WSGRKO Vice-President in charge of approximately 200 black belts from the Caribbean and South America and later the President of WSGRKO in charge of over 400 black belts worldwide. At the end of 2000, then Kyoshi Montalvo with Hanshi Saavedras blessing, left Sansei and Founded the Rônin Goju Ryu Kai World Karate Organization, (a Goju-Ryu based karate style), also the International Rônin Martial Arts Federation (a Federation composed of different styles martial arts organizations) and finally the Rônin Police Defensive Tactics Association (an association composed martial arts instructors and/or assistant instructors who are Sworn Law Enforcement Officers from Local, State, Federal and Military LE Agencies that attempt to improve their tactical operations techniques through the proper use of the latest martial arts survival techniques adapted to the police enviroment. These three organizations presently are composed of approx. 500 members from approx. 14 countries.
During his martial arts career Hanshi Montalvo has been inducted into the following Halls of Fame: 1994 World Martial Arts Hall of Fame as Silver Life Achievement Award, 1995 Latin America Martial Arts Hall of Fame as Life Achievement Award, 2000 International Ju Jitsu Hall of Fame as Federal Law Enforcement Instructor of the Year, 2002 Florida Black Belt Association Hall of Fame as One of the Best Middle Weight Fighter of the FBBA History and 2002 Florida Martial Arts Hall of Fame as Grand Master of the Year. Also October 2000 he received Puerto Ricos Twentieth Century Martial Arts Excellence Award as the Most Outstanding PR Competitor. He was also inducted into the Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame. Hanshi Montalvo retired from active competition 1996 with an outstanding record of 380 tournaments winning top three positions in 360 of them. Presently Hanshi Montalvo is the World Police and Fire Games and International Police Olympics, State and World Champion, having competed in many of them. In 2006 Hanshi Montalvo won the Master Division in Kata and Kumite of the Battle of Colombus, Ohio and during the same year hecelebrated his 50th birthday by placing 3rd in Kumite in the Master Division at the largest wotld tournament, US Open Martial Arts Championships Disney, Florida. In 2007 he won the Grand Champion in Kata at the Florida Cosmopolitan Tournament and Hall of Fame in Orlando, Florida.
Hanshi Montalvo has been the PR and USA National Kumite Champion, the Florida State Champion and PR National Full Contact Karate Champion. As an Amateur and Profesional Full Contact fighter his record was 36 fights, 33wins, with 31 knock outs.
Hanshi Montalvo is considered in Puerto Rico as one of the Pioneers of Karate and appears in the First PuertoRican Martial Arts Encyclopedia titled PR Karate Pioneers and Legends written by Dr. Hector Sotomayor - Kyoshi. On February 2003, the Okinawa Karate Federation recognized Carlos H. Montalvo with the rank of 8th Dan and the title of Kyoshi as well as recognizing the Ronin Goju Ryu Kai as a legitimate martial arts style of karate. On March 2003, Hanshi Montalvo was recognized by a group of peers/grandmasters in Puerto Rico, as one of the Pioneers and/or Legends of the Martial Arts in the Westside of the Island.
Hanshi Montalvo is a Certified LE Close Quarters Combat Instructor, Safety & Survival Tactical Instructor, Advanced Undercover Techniques Instructor, SRT-SWAT Instructor, Street Alertness Instructor, Counter-Terrorism Instructor and he is presently a Peer Support Team member and a Crisis Negotiator for the Special Response Team (SRT), US Department of Justice. Hanshi Montalvo has conducted Martial Arts as well as Law Enforcement seminars all over the world, receiving numerous commendations to include Key of the City from at least 7 cities around the world for a job well done. He was responsible along with Ronin Goju Ryu Kyoshi Phil Davis for teaching Martial Arts (for the first time ever) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Glynco, Ga. (Largest Federal Law Enforcement Training Facilities in the US).
He is a loving father and a self-defense instructor who loves teaching little ones around the world about the benefits of Karate and the spirit of competition and self-control. Hanshi Montalvo had participated in protection details of at least 5 US Presidents (Reagan, Carter, Clinton, Bush G & Bush G.W.) and three other presidents from the Caribbean and Central America.
Hanshi Montalvo presently resides in the U.S. where he teach and continues his Bushido now as a Rônin Warrior.
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