Grandmaster "Soke" Casarez began his training in the martial arts in 1949. Soke Casarez became interested in martial arts at the age of 11. His brother sent a Charles Atlas add in from a magazine. "This is the add that shows a muscular man kicking sand into the face of a small man on the beach, while he was sitting with his girl." Soke Casarez says he received an envelope with all types of martial arts magazines. Soke began to read and practice the Martial Arts techniques in the books and at the age of 12, Soke Casarez began to train in Jujitsu under the late, Jujitsu Sensei Tracy Cook and Judo Sensei Don Hutchinson.

Soke has taught many students in his 60 years in the martial arts including:

Huntington, WV. Police Department under 3 Police Chiefs.
Cabell County Sheriff's Department under two Sheriffs.
South Point, OH. Police Department under 2 Police Chiefs. He also served as a Police Officer there for 5 years.
He also trained the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department, Chesapeake, OH. Police Department and the Ironton Police Department.
He also trained some of the Marshall University R.O.T.C. Reserve Officer's Training Corps., The US Army Special Forces Reserve Company of Huntington, WV., The US Air Force Civil Air Patrol Wing of Huntington, WV.
Soke Casarez also trained Frank Newman, Instructor to the Huntington, WV. State Police Unit in the use of specialized police tacticts techniques.
He also taught FBI agents, several Summitt Prision correction officers. Soke Casrez still holds free seminars for these groups.
Soke Casarez taught several years at the Huntington YMCA back in the early eighties. He still does a few class there on occasion.

Soke has 59 years in the martial arts an holds the rank of Grandmaster, 10th Dan in Manabi-Masho Jujitsu. Soke Casarez obtain his 10th Degree Black Belt in 1993. Soke Casarez also holds several other black belts, 6th Degree black belt in Judo-achieved 1983, 2nd Degree black belt in Aikido-achieved 1974, 2nd Degree black belt in Karate-achieved 1983, 1st Degree black belt in Chuck Norris System-achieved 1980 and 1st Degree black belt in Ninjutsu-awarded 2004.

Soke Casarez was honored by The World Head Of Family Sokeship Council and was the 51st grandmaster member on the council and was inducted into the WHOFSC Hall of Fame in 1993. Soke Casarez is also a member of three other Halls of Fame, The World Martial Arts Hall of Fame, The USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame and the Cosmopolitian Florida Hall of Fame.

Listed below are the Awards Soke Casarez has be honored with:
1993: Awarded 10th Dan in Manabi-Masho Jujitsu, Manabi-Masho was recognized by the World Head of Family Sokeship Council, He was also inducted into their Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 1993.
In 1993 after attending a WHOFSC event Grandmaster Yamato a representive of the Imperial Temples of Japan sent Grandmaster Frank E. Sanchez founder of the World Head of Family Sokeship Council a letter officially recognizing the World Head of Family Sokeship Council, in which the Manabi-Masho Jujitsu system is a part of.
Soke Casarez was awarded Founder of System Award in 1993 by the WHOFSC and Judo Man of the Year by the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
International Grandmaster of the year WHOFSC 1994,
Golden Lifetime Achievement Award WHOFSC 1994,
Grandmaster of the Year WMHOF 1995,
3 Pioneer Awards-Life Merit of Excellence WHOFSC 1996, 1997, 1998,
Platinum Award Cosmopolitian Florida Hall of Fame 2006,
Pioneer Award 2007 CFHOF
3 Platinum Life Achievement Awards WHOFSC 1999, 2000, 2001,
Best Martial Arts School in Nation WHOFSC 1998,
International Man of The Year WHOFSC 1999,
Grandmaster of the Year Award WHOFSC 2000,
Patriot Award WHOFSC 2002.
Life Achievement Award WHOFSC 2001,
Councilman of the Year award WHOFCS 2005,
Living Ledgen Award USA Martial Arts Hall Fame 2006, Founded in 1974.
Soke Casarez has been awarded other awards by other orginizations but are to numerous to mention.

Soke Casarez has attended several seminars over his martial arts career. Listed below are some of the instructors he's trained with.
Wally Jay-Small Circle Jujitsu, Remi Peresas-Modern Arnis, Stephen K. Hayes-Ninjutsu Bujinkan and Toshin-Do, Manuel Taningo-Stick Fighting, Tony Maynard-Jujitsu, Richard J. Van Donk-Bujinkan Ninjutsu, Gary Dill-JKD, George Noble-Sambo, Katsumi Niikura-Karate, Al Thomas, Joe Hess, Michael DePasquali-Jujitsu, Chuck Norris-Chuck Norris system, Bob Wall-Superfoot system, Dan Severn-UFC champion, Jeff Speakman-Actor, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Grandmaster Ron "The Black Dragon" Van Clief, Frank Dux, Kathy Long and many more to numerous to mention.

Soke Casarez invented the Manabi-Masho Jujitsu system in the late 1960's. Manabi-Masho has progressed throughout the years. In 1994 Manabi-Masho began in North Carolina through Master Mark Murdock. It's now is being taught in Kentucky by Sensei Allen Wilson and in West Virginia by Sensei Micky Metz.

Manabi-Masho Jujitsu translates as The Working Way. Soke Casarez actually made this phrase up when he officially began the system in the late 60's. The system was called "the working way" through out the seventies. In the eighties a Japanesse student translated the working way phrase into Japanesse "Manabi-Masho".
Manabi Masho was then adopted as the name of the system.

Manabi-Masho Jujitsu was officially recognized in 1993 by the World Head of Family Sokeship Council as a martial arts system.

For the future of Manabi-Masho Jujitsu, Soke John H. Casarez has said the he wants the Manabi-Masho system continue to grow, add black belts and masters and continue to spread through out the USA and the world. Soke Casarez, the masters and the black belts of Manabi-Masho Jujitsu continue to create and perfect the Manabi-Masho Jujitsu system year by year.

In the picture, Manabi-Masho founder Soke John H. Casarez, 10th Dan and Manabi-Masho Jujitsu's second highest ranking black belt Shihan Mark Murdock, now a 7th Dan.

Master/Shidoshi-Ho Mark Murdock, Master in Manabi-Masho Jujitsu, 7th Degree Black Belt in Manabi-Masho Jujitsu, 4th Degree in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu Ninjutsu, 3rd Degree in Judo and 2nd Degree in Aikido.

Shihan Mark Murdock officially started his Martial Arts training in 1985 at Tri-City School of Martial Arts under Grandmaster John Casarez. I became interested in Martial Arts in 1979 when Soke Casarez, "then a 6th Degree black belt" came into the grocery store that I worked at "Tradewell". He demonstrated various techniques to some of the employees, myself included. Soke Casarez put a finger lock on my manager who was 6'4", first he had him on his toes then had forced him to the ground with two fingers. I thought this was magical and then I was hooked. In the early 80's I learned some techniques from some friends that were students of Soke Casarez which sparked my intrest even more. In 1985 I officially began training on a regular basis with Soke Casarez and have been for nearly 24 years. In 1988 I began to assist Soke Casarez in teaching. In 1994 I moved to the Raleigh, NC. area and brought Manabi-Masho Jujitsu to North Carolina. I began privately tutoring students 1994 through 1996. In May of 1996 I established Southern School of Martial Arts. In May of 2006 Southern School of Martial Arts celebrated it's tenth anniversary.

In October, 2001 I created a special children's martial art called Kobushi-Do, "The Little Warrior Way". This children's martial art specializes in children's self defense in a fun and entertaining way. I also have a 4th Degree Black Belt in Bujinkan Ninjutsu and teach the style of Bujinkan Ninjutsu in addition to Manabi-Masho Jujitsu. In 1996 I officially began training in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, Ninjutsu under the guidance of Shihan Richard Van Donk. I also trained once a week from 1998 to early 2001 in "To Shin Do" at the Stephen K. Hayes Quest Center in Chapel Hill, NC. In 2000 I earned my Shodan in Bujinkan Ninjutsu. I was tested during the Atlanta Tai Kai in 2000, this was one of Maasaki Hatsumi's last American Tai Kai's. In 2003 I received my Sandan and Shidoshi-Ho/Shidoshi-Kia Licsense in Bujinkan Ninjutsu from Masaaki Hatsumi, through Shihan Van Donk 15th Dan. In 2003 I created Rivers Edge Bujinkan Dojo, a fully recognized Bujinkan school. In the fall of 2006 I changed Bujinkan Instructors due to distance and then began to train in Ninjutsu under Shihan Ed Martin 15th Dan Bujinkan Ninjutsu, from McCungie, PA. I became a member of Manabi-Masho Jujitsu Board of Directors in 1993 and a member of the World Head of Family Sokeship Council's Masters Division in 2006. I am a member of three Halls of Fame, The World Martial Arts Hall of Fame, The World Head of Family Sokeship Council Hall of Fame and The Cosmopolitian Florida Hall of Fame. I,ve received several awards from these three Halls of Fame. Listed below are some of the awards that I have received over the years:

Jujitsu Man of the Year-World Martial Arts Hall of Fame 1996, Outstanding Instructor-World Head of Family Council 1996, Humanatarian Award-WHOFSC 1997, Instructor of the Year-WHOFSC 1998, Best Martial Arts School Regional-WHOFSC 2000, Jujitsu Man of The Year-WHOFSC 2001, Master Instructor of the Year-WHOFSC 2003, Outstanding Contributions to The Martial Arts Acheivement Award-WHOFSC 2005, Best Children's Martial Art of the Year Kobushi-Do-WHOFSC 2006, Master Instructor of the Year-WHOFSC 2007, International Instructor of the Year-Cosmopolitian Florida Martial Arts Hall of Fame 2007.

I've trained many students in the last 20 years. I've trained students from Southeast Ohio, Western West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, Southern Virgina, Eastern North Carolina and Northern and Central South Carolina. I've trained several orginizations over my teaching career. Listed below are the groups and departments that I've taught in the past:

Southeast Ohio Paramedics, Lawrence County, Ohio Fire Departments, Cabell County EMS- Huntington, WV.

I've also privately tutored West Virginia State Police Officiers, Raleigh and Durham, NC. Police Officiers, Four Oaks, Selma and Smithfield, NC. Police Officers, North Carolina Highway Patrol Officers, Bay Leaf and Wake Forest Fire Fighters in Northern Wake County, Wake County EMS (whole department), Military and Special Forces personel on several ocassions. I taught a special needs class for West Lake Middle School in Wake County and taught a class for the elderly in Wake Forrest, NC.

I've also demonstrated my skills at the WHOFSC event in Orlando, Florida in 2002, 2003 and 2005.

I've attended several classes and seminars over the last 25 years. I continue to attend seminars and classes as time permits. Listed below are some of the Martial Art Instructors I've trainied with:

Soke John Casarez-Manabi-Masho Jujitsu "24 years", Bob Fraizer-Okinawan Karate, Bob Edwards-Judo, Lester Cohen-JKD/Eskrima, Mike Parsons-JKD/ Eskrima, Richard Van Donk-Bujinkan Ninjutsu, Jack Hoban-Bujinkan Ninjutsu, Stephen K. Hayes-Bujinkan Ninjutsu/Toshin-Do, Bud Malstrom-Bujinkan Ninjutsu, Masaaki Hatsumi-34th Grandmaster of Bujinkan Ninjutsu, Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu from Okimoto Sensei, Shihan Ed Martin-Bujinkan Ninjutsu, General Alexander Rutinski-Russian Martial Arts, Earnesto Peresas-Eskrima, Gary Dill-JKD, Frank Sanchez-Sanjutsu, Don "The Dragon" Wilson-Actor/Kick Boxer, Jeff Speakman-Actor/American Kenpo, Dan Severn-UFC Champ, Frank Dux-winner of a Kumite and many others during the last 11 years of the World Head of Family Sokeship Council Hall of Fame seminars, 1996 through 2007. My 23 years in the Manabi-Masho Jujitsu system and the other martial arts that I teach and train in have been so important to me. They have kept me in control of my life and have contributed to good health and have made me many, many great friends over the years. I hope that God grants me the strength and health to continue to teach and learn and especially give back as much knowledge as I've received.
Thank you, Shihan Mark Murdock, Manabi-Masho Jujitsu and Shidoshi-Ho, Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, Ninjutsu.






Grandmaster John H. Casarez is an original member of the World Head of Family Sokeship Council. Shihan/Shidoshi-Ho Mark Murdock is a member of the World Head of Family Sokeship Council Masters Division.





Grandmaster John H. Casarez and Shihan/Shidoshi-Ho Mark Murdock are both members of the World Head of Family Sokeship Council International Martial Arts Hall of Fame.





Grandmaster John H. Casarez and Shihan/Shidoshi-Ho Mark Murdock are both members of The World Martial Arts Hall of Fame.





Grandmaster John H. Casarez and Shihan/Shidoshi-Ho are both members of the USA Hall of Fame.





Grandmaster John H. Casarez and Shihan/Shidoshi-Ho Mark Murdock ar both members of the Florida Cosmopolitian Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Attention all other Manabi-Masho Instructors: If you're a 3rd Dan or higher in Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu and would like your information on our instructors page, please email your picture and your martial arts background including your time in Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu to manabimasho@yahoo.com and we'll be happy to put it on this page for you.

Thanks, Shihan/Shidoshi-Ho Mark Murdock

---

| Return Home | Southern School of Martial Arts - Angier, NC. | Tri-City School of Martial Arts - Chesapeake, OH. | Rivers Edge Bujinkan Dojo - Angier, NC. | S.S.M.A. and R.E.B.D. News and Monthly Schedule | Children's Self Defense, SSMA's Kobushi-Do | Manabi-Masho Jujitsu Instructors | Manabi-Masho Memorial Page | Links Page | School Contact Page |