Credited for having assembled and trained many of the karate stars on the East Coast of the United States, Hanshi Ruiz used Nisei Goju to foster his personal training method. Many karate masters trained to enhance their martial arts with Hanshi Ruiz.Some of these men were Louis Delgado, Malachi Lee, Ronald M. Taganashi and Thomas "La Puppet" Carol.Other that also trained with Hanshi Ruiz were Ron Van Clief, Chaka Zulu, Earl Monroe, Owen Watson, Raymond A. Fitzpatrick, Herbie Thompson, Bill Wendell, Joe Richardson, Elsie Roman, John Giordano, Carlos Serrano (Ruiz's first black belt), Jose Serrano and Wilfredo Roldan.Some of these men would form their own martial arts systems.
Hanshi Ruiz, a student of the American karate pioneer Peter Urban, Grandmaster, was an avid tournament competitor in the early sixties.One of the fierce fighters of his time, he secured championships at the nation and international levels in 1963 and 1964.By 1965, he was undefeated in 186 matches.In 1969, he come out of retirement to win the Pan American Kata Championship in Puerto Rico.
Frank Ruiz was a highly decorated hero of the Korean War (1951-1954).A member of the United States Marine Corps, he earned the Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star with the Combat V, Jump Wings, the United Nation Ribbon, and the Presidential Unit Citation.
Hanshi Ruiz developed the "The Spinning Top Principle" based on the centrifugal force application in sparring, i.e., Spinning kick, blocks and hand techniques.In 1969, along with Master Harry Rosenstein, he founded the NISEI GOJU-RYU SYSTEM.The organization spread throughout the United States and US Virgin Islands.
Ruiz dedicated his life to the martial arts, his students, and the community in which he lived. He worked as an undercover police officer in the Virgin Islands and was instrumental in setting up karate programs for the NY Police Department.Contributing to the community of the lower east side of Manhattan, Hanshi Ruiz worked in the Hamilton-Madison House community center and was Head Instructor of the UNIVERSITY OF THE STREETS.
In July 1970, Hanshi Ruiz was struck by a speeding car; while repairing a flat tire.With broken legs, arms, ribs, and several skull fractures, doctors predicted that he wouldn't walk, let alone do martial arts.Even after breaking the pins in his legs, Ruiz overcame the odds; discarding the crutches and once again was demonstrating his prowess in the system that he created, NISEI GOJU-RYU.
Hanshi relocated to South Florida in the late seventies and worked as Chief of Security at several hotels in Miami from 1979 through 1983. He taught classes at various venues, while offering advice and support to the various Nisei Goju schools in the South Florida area until 1995. His legacy continues in the hearts of Nisei Goju-Jitsu.