Grandmaster Bob Maschmeier

Coast Karate Studio Headquarters

Pacifica, CA

Grandmaster Bob Maschmeier, a direct student of the late-Senior Grandmaster Joe Halbuna, teaches Kajukenbo with a two-part philosophy: teach students to survive a street confrontation and encourage them to explore other martial arts. Grandmaster's focus is to seek new techniques that will not only make his students better fighters but also help them develop the personal restraint needed to use their martial art skills only as a last resort.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Grandmaster was born on December 8, 1942 to Italian (Mom-Helen) and German (Dad-Bob) parents. He resided in Cincinnati until he was fifteen, attending St. Teresa Grade School and freshman year at Elder High School.

Young Bob Maschmeier moved with his family to Burlingame, California in 1957 where he attended Burlingame High School and graduated in 1961.

In October of 1962, Bob Maschmeier entered the United States Air Force serving four years at Beale Air Force Base, a SAC Base, in Marysville, California. He served in the Air Police with the 456th Combat Support Group until his Honorable Discharge in October 1966. While in the military, Bob was first introduced to Kodenkan Judo by fellow service buddies Gary and Rodney Henderson. As part of his Air Police Combat training Bob continued in Kodenkan until 1966 under Sensei Smyers, a Staff Sergeant in the same military unit.

After his military discharge, walking down a street in Pacifica in 1967 he heard a lot of yelling and screaming coming from a local storefront. He went in to investigate the activities. This was his first exposure to the self-defense martial art of Kajukenbo (Emperado's Original Method). The students were pounding on each other and were placing a great deal of stress on animal instinct and brutality for survival. The teacher, the late-Senior Grandmaster Joseph Halbuna, also aimed to instill a sense of restraint and respect for human life. Bob immediately signed up for classes and began his journey on a path that would eventually lead him to his current ranking of Grandmaster - 9th Degree. During the early years of his Kajukenbo training, his chief instructors were Joe Halbuna, Joe Dela-Cruz, and Frank Conway. Training partners for the first five years were Jeffrey Wong, Tony Hutchinsen, Bill James, Rodney and Dick Anoba.

After the service and returning to Pacifica in 1967 Bob was employed with Georgia Pacific Box Manufacturing as a general laborer, was quickly reassigned to machine operator, assistant pressman, and finally to sales estimator until 1969. He also worked with his teacher and fellow black belts Joe Halbuna, Jeff Wong, and Tony Hutchinsen as a milkman for Foremost Dairy in the Hunter's Point area of San Francisco.

In 1971 Bob took a position with Airborne Freight Corporation, at the San Francisco International Airport, as a rate clerk but was later assigned to Night Operations Supervisor and then to Day Operations Supervisor before advancing to the sales department. In 1976 his career moved to Emery Worldwide as an Operations Manager, then as Terminal manager in Fresno, CA, retiring in 1988 as the District Manager of the northwest seven states with BOR-AIR Nycon.

During his 20-year full-time career in the airfreight industry, GM Bob trained in Kajukenbo during evenings as well as teaching as an Assistant Instructor to Joe Halbuna at the dojo and also training classes for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. In 1971, Grandmaster received his first Black Belt in Kajukenbo and remained with Joe Halbuna as his assistant until opening his own school in partnership with then-Professor Frank Conway (also a student of Joseph Halbuna). This partnership would open the doors to the first Coast Karate Studio in Pacifica in 1985. Coast Karate Studio was not only a new school name in Pacifica, but also a newly developed style of Kajukenbo that had evolved from Emperado's Original Method by Professor Frank Conway, with influences from Grandmasters Tony Ramos, Aleju Reyes, and Charles Gaylord.

In 1986 the partnership between Frank Conway and Bob Maschmeier ended by mutual agreement, leaving Bob with sole ownership of Coast Karate Studios.

Out of respect for his two teachers in Kajukenbo, Grandmaster decided to use some of the techniques learned from Frank Conway and Joseph Halbuna bringing back front rolls, standings, knives, covers and gun techniques. Grandmaster Maschmeier increased his knowledge of pain compliance and pressure point techniques from the influences of Wally Jay's Small Circle Jujitsu, Willy Cahill's Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, Arthur Lee and Andy Ching's Sil Lum Fut Ga Kung Fu, and Clarence Lee's weapons forms (sai and staff katas). He was also influenced by Tony Maynard's ground work in Combat Jujitsu, and Jeet Kune Do Master James DeMile, whose attitude of “I don't teach Judo, Karate or Jujitsu -I teach total destruction” had a significant impact in Bob's teaching. Thus, the “Maschmeier Method” of Kajukenbo was developed. Although not included in the Maschmeier Method, he also trained in Kyudo (Japanese Archery) with Sensei Susan Budge, and is certified in Seifukujutsu, the Okazaki Method of Restoration Massage training under the supervision of Sig Kufferath and Tony Janovich.

In 1996, Grandmaster released his interest in his school (Coast Karate Studio) while maintaining control of Coast Karate Studio Headquarters, Pacifica giving him time needed to travel the seminar circuit introducing “The Maschmeier Method” of Kajukenbo throughout the United States and around the world.

When not traveling overseas, Grandmaster frequently “chaired” promotion ceremonies at different Coast Karate Studio Schools (or their subsidiaries) to show his support of each school owned by his students, located not only in California but also around the globe. It was during this time that Bob Maschmeier received his Grandmaster rank in 2002. He continues to teach his method of Kajukenbo through his Headquarters in Pacifica, California.

In 2004 Grandmaster Maschmeier faced the hardest challenge of his life. He was diagnosed with phase 4 cancer. A tumor had grown in a lymph node in his neck. Although the seven-hour surgery proved successful in removing the tumor, it did not come without complications, both lungs collapsed and blood clots developed. Following surgery, chemotherapy and radiation regimens were started to keep the cancer at bay. The ordeal left him so weak, dehydrated and anemic that he was rushed twice to the hospital near death's door. Grandmaster states with the support of family, students, and friends, and his own inner strength, he was able to endure the ordeal and survive by treating it like a street fight and doing whatever it took to survive.

With over 40 years of experience and influence in marital arts, Grandmaster Maschmeier has been recognized for his achievements from the following organizations:

1. World Martial Arts Hall of Fame (1993)

2. America's True Martial Arts Cultural Treasures (2000)

3. Kenpo Jujitsu hall of Fame (2001)

4. United World Martial Arts Federation Certificate of Merit (2002)

5. Pacifica Sports Hall of Fame (2002)

6. Kajukenbo Self Defense Institute “Spirit of Ohana” award (2003)

7. Masters Hall of Fame (2004)

8. World Martial Arts Masters Association (2005)

9. Action Martial Arts Magazine's Hall of Fame (2006)

10. Featured on the cover of Karate-Kung Fu Illustrated (Feb. 1992)

11. Featured in the first Kajukenbo book, Kajukenbo, The Ultimate Self-Defense System, by Frank Conway.

12. Senior Advisor: Kilohana Martial Arts Association

13. Life Member: Jujitsu America: 3rd Degree Black Belt - Danzan Ryu Jujitsu

14. Authorized Instructor: Dragon Philosophy of Kajukenbo from Sil Lum Fut Ga Kung Fu

15. Lifetime Achievement Award: Unified World Martial Arts Federation

16. Senior Advisor to Martial Arts Collective Society

Grandmaster Maschmeier's current Associations include assignments from 2005 - 2008 as Coordinator for Disney Wide World of Sports, representing Kajukenbo worldwide, As Senior Advisor to the Gee Yung International martial Arts Dragon and Lion Dance Association, and as 2006/2007 Director for World Black Belt, Inc of Northern California. He is also very active in his fight for cancer research as he was the 2006 Chairperson for the San Francisco Bay Area American Cancer Society, being a cancer survivor himself since 2004.

Besides teaching at his school Grandmaster Maschmeier has been involved in many teaching forums such as, Camp Danzan (18 years), Budoshin, Kuwait and Camp Doha (twice), Kilohana, Jujitsu America, and DCA Northern California.

The Ultimate Maschmeier Kajukenbo Motto:

Train Hard

Be Humble

Fight Dirty