Rob Monaco was born on March 23, 1957 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He began training at the Tikau Shin Dojo in Japanese Goju Ryu under Sensei Bob Rutherford. When the dojo closed, he and Sensei Rutherford moved their training to the Eastern Karate Club under Sensei Tim Collingwood, who was Sensei Rutherford’s instructor. He currently runs the Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate and Kobudo program at Neworld Martial Arts Centre.
He also trains with Sensei Teruo Chinen of Jundokan International whenever he is in the area. While he has not received rank from him and doesn’t claim lineage under him, he has greatly influenced his training, especially the Okinawan versions of the kata. He also trained for awhile under Sensei Brian Alexander of Gojukan International in the Okinawan Jundokan style.
Other training history includes seminars and occasional training with Hanshi George Alexander of the International Shorin Ryu Karate Kobudo Federation in West Palm Beach, Florida. Through his association with Hanshi Alexander, he had the opportunity to train with Hanshi Ken Penland, and assisted in the production of a Ju Jitsu training video as his uke.
He current practices and teaches both Japanese and Okinawan Goju Ryu and Okinawan Kobudo, cross-trains in Kodokan Judo and Ju Jitsu, and “dabbles” in Japanese Kenjutsu and Iaido.