Grand Master Jose Torres

BIO – GRAND MASTER JOSE TORRES

CEO/Founder, Champion Training/Team Torres Martial Arts
Director/Founder, North American Federation of Martial Arts
Publisher- Martial Arts Xperience Magazine
Host/Creator- Video podcast series The Martial Arts Xperience
Actor/Producer- Movie “Killer Ex”

Master Jose Torres began training in the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do forty two years ago in 1982 under Master William Hamilton, receiving his 1st Dan Tang Soo Do Black Belt in September 1989. Furthering his martial arts knowledge Master Torres began training in Tae Kwon Do in 1991. In April 2001 he received his 4th Dan Black Belt Tang Soo Do from Grandmaster K. Rhee and in April 2002 received his 4th Dan Black Belt from the AAU Tae Kwon Do Organization. Grandmaster Ho Sik Pak, founder of the Hwa Rang Tang Soo Do Federation, issued Master Torres his Sa Bom/Master Certification in November 2006 and also promoted him to 5 th and 6 th Dans.

Master Torres opened his first martial arts school, Team Torres Martial Arts, in Edgewater Park, NJ in April 2000 and opened his second Team Torres location in Burlington Township in January 2006, instructing children beginning at the age of 3 years to adults well into their 70’s. His passion for teaching children combined with his love of martial arts led him to establishing several after-school programs, including programs in the Edgewater Park School System in 2003, Wee Kids Early Learning Center-Children’s Tot Program in 2005, and the Greenburg Academy in 2008. Team Torres Lambertville in 2014 and the Wee Kids After-school Burlington Twp Program in 2019.

One of the biggest accomplishments and contributions to the martial arts by Master Torres career is his founding of the North American Federation of Martial Arts in 2005, an organization whose members and tournament circuit have grown and become as recognized as the powerhouse organizations of NASKA and the NBL. Today NAFMA has over 2,500 competitors and 250 martial arts schools from various styles of martial arts, including Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, Kenpo and Tai-Chi to name a few. Furthermore, in 2006 Master Torres began the North American Hall of Fame and most recently in September 2010 founded the MAX Radio Show- Martial Arts Xperience
on WIFI 1460 AM.

For the last 20 years Master Torres has been a key promoter of Domestic and International Martial Arts Events in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, as well as the countries of Canada,Trinidad & Tobago, St. Lucia, and Guyana . He has hosted events in such facilities as the Taj Mahaj Casino, Spectrum- Philadelphia, Valley Forge Convention Center, Philadelphia Convention Center, Tropicana Resort, Oaks Convention Center and the Sheraton Resorts in Florida and NJ. Most notably Master Torres became the first ever martial arts promoter to host a fighting competition ( IKA) in the Wachovia Center (now known as Wells Fargo Center) in March 2009; preceding the UFC event at the arena six months later in August of 2009.

In March 2010- Master Torres served as Tae Kwon Do Director for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger- Arnold Sports Festival March 2010 and 2011 in Columbus Ohio and in August 2010 was chosen as the NJ Tournament Director for USA Tae Kwon Do to host the 2011 Junior Olympic and National Qualifier for NJ.

Master Torres was selected as one of only 6 Tang Soo Do Masters from the United States to attend the 2011 World Tang Soo Do General Federation Forum in Seoul, Korea. The forum hosted over 30 masters from around the world. Master Torres was selected among 5 other masters to test in Korea in front of the esteemed Grandmasters Board. Master Torres was successful and was promoted to 7th Dan by Senior Grand Master Hee Suk Choi ( Don Bom #3) and again tested in 2018 and was promoted to 8 th Dan Grand Master in Seoul, Korea. GM Master Torres was promoted to 8 th Dan by the Tae Kwon Do Moo Duk Kwan organization presided by President Jong-Hwan Lee and in August of 2023 was promoted to 9 th Dan by the World Tang Soo Do General Federation in Korea by President Koe W. Choung

Tae Kwon Do Times Magazine featured Master Torres on the cover of its March 2013 Magazine with Master Eric Kovaleski from Dixon City, PA. He was then put on a solo cover in Sept 2018 and again Sept 2021.

In 2019, Grand Master Torres purchased and became Publisher of Alan Goldberg’s Action Martial Arts Magazine. He also was appointed Professor of Sport Tang Soo Do and Youth Development for the World Tang Soo Do International Academy in Seoul, Korea

Beginning May 2020, he launched his new video podcast show The Martial Arts Xperience. He competed a total of 65 episodes as of 2023.

Summer 2021- GM Master Torres was selected for the show 52 Masters produced by William Christopher Ford as the 30th featured master. The show is featured on Amazon, Tubi, and YouTube.

Summer 2023- He was casted for the lead role of “Victor” in the upcoming Jim Towns film “Killer Ex”.

Throughout his 40 plus years in the martial arts Master Torres has received a staggering amount of Commendations and Proclamations, made great achievements in competition and been inducted into several Hall of Fames, some of which are listed below:

Commendations /Proclamations:

Proclamation- Edgewater Park Township- Junior Olympic Gold Medal Winner- 1996

Meritorious Commendation- Hwa Rang Tang Soo Do Federation- Grand Master Ho Sik Pak- 2005/2006

2016 Business of the Year- Edgewater Park Twp.

Proclamation- Burlington County Freeholders- Team Torres Day April 24, 2020

Competition Highlighted Achievements-

• Competed in Over 200 martial arts tournaments with 145 1st place finishes Highlighted Victories

• 1994 & 1995- NJ State Martial Arts Champion- Gloucester County College

• 1996- 16th Junior Olympic USTU Tae Kwon Do Championships-Orlando, Florida- Gold and Bronze Medalist

• 2004- Martial Arts World Games- Athens Greece- 3-time Gold Medalist- Forms, Sparring, Skills Competition

• 2008- Forms Grand Champion- Altoona Martial Arts Championship
Retired 2008

Hall of Fames/ Honors

• 2001- Outstanding Law Enforcement Instructor
Presented by- United States Martial Arts Association

• 2002- Most Superior Organization
Presented by- USA Hall of Fame

• 2003- Instructor of the Year- Tae Kwon Do
Presented by- USA Hall of Fame

• 2004- National Points Champion- US Martial Arts Alliance
Hall of Fame Inductions

• 2005- Outstanding Contributions in the Martial Arts
Presented by- Action Martial Arts Magazine

• 2018- Inducted into TKD Times Hall Of Fame
International Promoter of the Year/Martial Arts Ambassador of the Year

• 2021- Inducted into the International Hall of Fame (Argentina)
Grand Master Torres received his Bachelor of Science- Kinesiology from Pennsylvania State University in December 2000