Sensei Marino began his martial arts training in Treviso, Italy, in 1972 under the tutelage of one of Italy's great Karate instructors, Sensei Ofelio Michielan. Sensei Marino received his black belt in 1975 from Shihan Hiroshi Shirai, one of the world's leading Shotokan masters. In addition to this training, Sensei Marino attended the arduous instructor's training program under Shihan Shirai and Shihan Taiji Kase, both students of the father of modern Karate, Gichin Funakoshi, and two of the Japan Karate Association's (JKA) original four great masters who were dispatched from Japan to Europe in the mid-1960s. After moving to the US to earn his doctorate, Sensei Marino continued to study under Master Teruyuki Okazaki - another student of Master Funakoshi who was dispatched to the US and established the 50,000-member International Shotokan Karate Federation - an affiliate of the JKA. In 1980, Sensei Marino was captain of the Kata (forms) team that placed first at the East Coast Karate Championships and second at the US National Championships in Philadelphia.

After moving to the Washington area, Sensei Marino taught Karate at the Washington, DC Karate Club in Georgetown until he established the Alexandria Shotokan Karate Club (ASKC) at the Alexandria YMCA in 1985 where it continues to operate as an independent, non-competitive Shotokan Karate dojo that adheres to the basic principles and traditions of the JKA.

Sensei Marino continues his senior-level training with Sensei Ahmad Ali Mazhari, JKA VA, in Fairfax, Virginia.

Associate Instructors

Gabriel Riego de Dios

Began studying Shotokan Karate in 1973. In 1978, he studied under Sensei's Arsenio Bawingan and Edgar Kapawen - athletic staff of the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City , Philippines . Sensei’s Bawingan and Kapanwen were senior instructors and the first generation students of Master Kunio Sasaki – Japan Karate Association headquarters, Manila . After retiring from the Philippines Army Special Forces, Gabriel came to the US in 1989 and trained under Sensei’s Emil Valdez and Joji Mercado under the supervision of Master Yutaka Yaguchi, International Shotokan Karate Federation, Daly City, CA; the Las Vegas School of Shotokan Karate under Sensei James Tawatao of the late-Master Osamu Ozawa Karate-do; and the Traditional Karate School, Lancaster, CA.

Anthony Torio

Began Shotokan Karate training in 1984 in Rhode Island; in 1986 he trained under the Tetsubukan International (Hawaii) with Sensei Walter Chihara of Lahaina dojo in Hawaii. In 1995, Tony returned to open Shotokan Karate club in Newport , Rhode Island with Dermot McDermott. Tony received a JKA Shodan from Tetsubukan International - Chief Instructor Sensei Edward Fujiwara presiding; JKA nidan from Tetsubukan International – Master Tetsuhiko Asai presiding (1996), and a Japan Karate Shotorenmei sandan under Master Asai (2002-Thun, Switzerland). He has also trained under JKS Hawaii Chief Instructor and JKS Americas Technical Director Sensei Charles Lee.

Noboru Inoue

Began Shotokan Karate training in 1986 at the Japanese National Defense Academy. He continued his Shotokan training with the Japan Self-Defense Force Karate Association throughout four different assignments in Japan (Shariki, Hamamastu, Ashiya, and Iruma. He received JKA Shodan at the Academy in 1988 and JKA Nidan at Saitama in 2005.

Dan Santillo

20 years Shotokan experience with Sensei Marino. Shodan - Shotokan. Trained Shotokan (Sensei Toryu, JKA, Boston); Kung Fu, Wushu, and Shorinji Kempo and Jujutsu.