The Gary Alexander untold story is truly remarkable and it is a comeback saga of epic proportions. In the world of martial artists, Shihan Gary Alexander has been a force to be reckoned with for nearly four decades. Grand Master Harold Long described him as "the Best Isshinryu Fighter that has ever been on the North American continent." Other accolades include Al Weiss’ comment in The Official History of Karate in America as "The best fighter in the country." For any martial artists such acknowledgements would require extensive training, skill and dedication. It might be assumed that such a fighter was always a natural athlete and had diligently exercised God-given physical prowess. In Alexander’s case, that assumption would be wrong-very wrong!  

Except for his family, few know that in his childhood Gary Alexander was literally bed-ridden for several years. He was the victim of rheumatic fever an acute disease that produces fever; causes pain to inflamed joints and frequently involves damage to the heart valves. Any movement whatsoever is painful and over-exertion or high levels of stress can have fatal consequences. Unlike most childhood diseases that are temporary annoyances at most, rheumatic fever preys on its victims for years. The long-term effects are extremely debilitating. Therefore, Alexander was deprived of participating in the normal sports activities enjoyed by boys of that era.

                  Grandmaster Gary Alexander executing powerful side kick

Instead of playing football, baseball, and basketball, he was obliged to stay in his home and play with his Lionel 027 gauge electric train set. School teachers came to the house and provide his lessons. Running and jumping were out of the question. In fact, he was so weak that for the few outings he was allowed to take, he had to be physically lifted and carried to the family car by his father. Against these long odds he struggled to preserver. Enduring the pain, Alexander exercised his joints developing and maintaining the necessary muscle tone to become ambulatory. Eventually, as the fever subsided, he had to develop the strength that others of his age had naturally attained years before. It required great effort to overcome these obstacles but in the process he learned lessons of perseverance that would become invaluable as he fought his way to the top of his profession.

Alexander had many surprises for his friends and family who knew him and his medical history. First, at only 17 years of age and still in high school, he amazed everyone by joining the US Marine Corps Reserve and spent his summers in military training. Upon graduation from high school he went on active duty and spent his third session at Paris Island completing Boot Camp. Working his way up the enlisted chain he eventually rose to the rank of sergeant. His was not a desk job. Alexander joined the infantry and was part of the Fleet Marine Force, the Marine Corps element charged with amphibious assaults across hostile beaches. While in the Marines, Alexander was exposed to several forms of martial arts. Assigned in Okinawa, he first learned of the Isshinryu karate style that he would later adopt as his bedrock.

Upon his return to the United States Alexander continued studying intently. By then the once sickly Alexander had developed extraordinary strength and the ability to attack both swiftly and powerfully. In 1962, still in his early twenties, he went on to become a karate legend by becoming the first Karate Champion in the U.S. and North America. Since then Alexander has been a paragon of physical fitness and the epitome of courage and integrity. In martial arts, as in the Marines, he worked his way up the ranks the old-fashioned way-by earning it. Over the past four decades Alexander took on all comers. The old-timers will remember that these early matches were full-contact and without pads, a far cry from today’s fencing contests.

GMA: Being over 6’2'’ tall and endowed with broad shoulders, I can outreach many opponents and deliver knockout punches. Therefore, it made sense to him to incorporate moves that were foreign to Isshinryu. I acknowledged the laws of physics, then, based on American physiology, applied them in the ring with devastating results. From a street perspective, I use what works for me. Like Lee before me, I incurred the wrath of many traditionalists of my style. For both of us, it was argued that centuries of evolution of our particular style should not be subjected to radical change. After all, how dare such upstarts alter traditions faithfully passed down from generation to generation by venerated masters who tolerated only the most modest changes. While firmly rooted in Isshinryu, I have continued the process of tailoring the style to meet the requirements of today. I evaluate the individual needs of each student then train them to their full potential. Success is often judged on the deeds of progeny. My black belt students are now spread around the world, many running their own dojos.Many people know about my accomplishments in martial arts. Very few know about the obstacles that I had to overcome to attain success.