San Yama Bushi Ryu Jujutsu: The Legacy of Dai Shihan Hector Negron

Martial arts systems that endure across generations are rarely built on technique alone. They are forged through discipline, experience, hardship, and an unwavering commitment to truth in combat. San Yama Bushi Ryu Jujutsu stands as one such system, a living lineage born from the rigorous training halls of the Bronx, refined through decades of real-world application, and carried forward under the leadership of Dai Shihan Hector Negron.

To understand San Yama Bushi Ryu is to understand the journey of its founder: a warrior-scholar shaped by multiple disciplines, tested through teaching and competition, and deeply rooted in the legacy of Shihan Antonio Pereira, founder of Miyama Ryu Jujutsu.

The Bronx Roots: A Lineage Forged on Tremont Avenue

The Tremont Avenue dojo in the South Bronx was not merely a place to train; it was a crucible. Founded by Shihan Antonio Pereira, the school became world-renowned for its uncompromising approach to combat-effective Judo and Ju-Jutsu. In a neighborhood defined by volatility and danger, techniques had to work under pressure, not just in theory.

Among Pereira’s most dedicated and accomplished students was Hector Negron.

As a direct student of Shihan Pereira, Negron immersed himself fully in the demanding training regimen of the Tremont school. His discipline, focus, and relentless pursuit of mastery quickly distinguished him among his peers. After earning his black belt in Ju-Jutsu, Negron began teaching at the school, where his ability to communicate technique and principle earned him increasing responsibility.

In time, he became Head Ju-Jutsu Instructor, entrusted with preserving Pereira’s methods while preparing students for real-world violence, not sport or ceremony.

From Student to Senior Instructor

Negron’s martial development did not stop with Ju-Jutsu. Recognizing the importance of throws, balance, and competitive pressure testing, he pursued Judo with equal dedication. After earning his black belt in Judo, he became an active competitor, gaining firsthand experience in timing, resistance, and physical conditioning.

This dual mastery, Ju-Jutsu for combat realism and Judo for structural precision, gave Negron a rare and balanced perspective. His teaching reflected this synthesis, blending control, leverage, and adaptability with intensity and practicality.

In 1981, his lifelong dedication was formally recognized when he attained the rank of Kaiden, becoming Head Instructor of the Ryu, a rank equivalent to 9th or 10th Dan in modern martial arts terms, within Miyama Ryu Ju-Jutsu. This distinction placed him among the highest-ranking practitioners in the system and affirmed his role as a true inheritor of the lineage.

Early Foundations: A Martial Path Begins in Puerto Rico

Long before the Bronx and Tremont Avenue shaped his journey, Hector Negron’s martial path began in Puerto Rico. At the age of 12, he started training in Kempo Karate, developing striking skills, discipline, and respect for traditional martial values.

This early exposure laid the groundwork for a lifelong dedication to martial study. Karate provided Negron with strong fundamentals, stance, power generation, and mental focus that would later integrate seamlessly into his Ju-Jutsu and Judo training.

In 1971, at the age of 19, Negron relocated from Puerto Rico to New York City, where opportunity, danger, and challenge awaited in equal measure.

Meeting Shihan Antonio Pereira

After arriving in the Bronx, Negron visited several martial arts schools in search of authentic training. It was during this search that he encountered Shihan Antonio Pereira and the Tremont School of Judo and Ju-Jutsu.

From the moment Negron stepped onto the mat, he recognized something different. This was not a commercial school. This was a combat dojo, one where techniques were tested, refined, and expected to work under real conditions.

Under Pereira’s tutelage, Negron studied Judo and Ju-Jutsu simultaneously, while continuing his Karate training. This multi-disciplinary approach became a defining feature of his own philosophy: no single art contains all answers, but together they form a complete system.

Breaking Away: The Birth of San Yama Bushi Ryu

By 1986, after years of teaching and leadership at the Bronx hombu dojo, Negron made a pivotal decision. He parted ways with the Tremont school to establish his own dojo in Mt. Vernon, New York.

This was not a rejection of his teacher’s teachings, but an evolution of them.

Negron sought to teach a more expansive version of combat Ju-Jutsu, integrating everything he had learned, Judo, Karate, traditional Ju-Jutsu, and real-world application, into a single, cohesive Ryu. He named this system San Yama Bushi Ryu, meaning “Three Mountain Warrior.”

The name symbolized balance, strength, and the convergence of multiple paths into one warrior’s way.

The Title of Shinan: Founder of the Ryu

As the founder of San Yama Bushi Ryu, Negron assumed full responsibility for its direction, integrity, and future. In recognition of this role, the Board of Directors unanimously bestowed upon him the title Shinan, meaning “Founder.”

This title carried both honor and obligation. As Shinan, Negron was responsible not only for technical accuracy but for cultivating character, discipline, and ethical responsibility within his students.

San Yama Bushi Ryu was never intended to be a mass-market system. It was designed for those willing to train seriously, think critically, and accept the responsibility that comes with combat knowledge.

Growth and Expansion: New Rochelle Dojo

By 1999, the influence and reach of San Yama Bushi Ryu had grown significantly. Student enrollment and demand made it clear that a larger facility was needed.

Shinan Negron relocated the dojo to New Rochelle, New York, establishing a 6,000-square-foot training facility. This new dojo became the central home for the Ryu, offering ample space for intensive training, seminars, and advanced instruction.

Despite the expansion, the core values remained unchanged: realism, respect, discipline, and preparedness.

Training for Real Life, Not Performance

Today, Shinan Hector Negron continues to train students from all walks of life. His students include:

• Active law enforcement officers, whose duties place them in immediate danger

• Security professionals seeking control-based defensive solutions

• College students aiming to maintain physical and mental resilience

• Everyday individuals who understand that awareness and preparation matter

Training emphasizes situational awareness, control, adaptability, and restraint, principles essential in both professional and civilian contexts. The goal is not domination, but survival and resolution.

The Philosophy of the Three Mountain Warrior

At its heart, San Yama Bushi Ryu teaches that a warrior must balance:

1. Physical skill – the ability to act decisively

2. Mental clarity – the ability to assess and adapt

3. Moral responsibility – the wisdom to know when and how to act

These “three mountains” form the foundation of the Ryu, guiding students not only in combat, but in life.

A Living Legacy

San Yama Bushi Ryu Jujutsu stands today as a living testament to lineage, evolution, and purpose. Through Shinan Hector Negron, the teachings of Shihan Antonio Pereira continue, expanded, refined, and preserved for future generations.

This is not martial arts for show.

It is martial arts for reality.

It is the way of the Three Mountain Warrior.