HOTEIKAN SYSTEM of MARTIAL ARTS

By: Shihan Santiago Armstrong

There have been many stories about how the System got started. Some say it was formed in 1967, while others say it began in Brooklyn, N.Y. in the 1970’s. Well the truth of the matter is that the System as we know it today was started back in 1974.

The name “Hoteikan” was the name of the old Sosuishi-Ryu Jujutsu dojo in N.J., owned by Sensei Nelsen Fleming. Sensei Fleming was Emilio Claudio’s Jujutsu Sensei back in the early 60’s.  After the Dojo closed down Sensei Claudio kept the name “Hoteikan”, which means “House of  Hotei”. Hotei is the God of luck and good fortune and is often depicted as the Buddha with a sack and a staff. In the 60’s after the dojo closed, Sensei Claudio moved from Dojo to Dojo looking for and training with the best Judo and Jujitsu players he could find. He honed his skills at the Paja Dojo, with the Judo Twins and with Sensei Pereira at the Tremont school of Judo and Jujitsu.

Sensei Claudio was making quite a name for himself in the Metropolitan area, competing in Judo tournaments. In 1967, he met a man that would be his friend and partner until his death in 1994. That man was Sensei Robert Hasman. Sensei Hasman was a fierce competitor in Shotokan karate and was part of the circle of famous N.Y. Martial artists. Sensei Hasman participated in the famous workshops held by the legendary Grandmaster Peter Urban in the 60’s.

Together, both Sensei’s would teach students and train at different Dojos. In 1974, Sensei Claudio began teaching and training in Judo at the American Judo and Karate Academy owned by Sensei Tom Purdy. At the same time Sensei Hasman began teaching Shotokan karate in the same Dojo.

These two men were the very best of friends. They were like family to each other and this sense of family, together with their love for the Martial Arts was the fabric that would later define the values of the Hoteikan system.

Something very special happened in 1974, three new students began training in Shotokan Karate with Sensei Hasman. These students were: Henry Felix, Casimiro Zayas and Santiago Armstrong. With these students a special bond developed and as they progressed in the art, Sensei Claudio began to take a special interest in these three. So while the three students learned the basics of Shotokan karate, Sensei Claudio began to develop their Judo and Jujitsu skills.

Together, Sensei Claudio and Sensei Hasman realized that they could teach a more rounded form of Martial Arts by combining Judo, Jujitsu and Karate. As the two great Sensei’s contemplated on what to call this new form of training, Sensei Claudio remembered a name from his past. A name that exemplifies who we are and why we do the things we do. That name was “HOTEIKAN”. Thus the “Hoteikan System” was born, not in Brooklyn, but from 2 Sensei’s and three students in 1974, from the Bronx.