Master Ron Cain

7th Dan, Board Member

Master Ron Cain Roku‑Dan’s (7th Degree Black Belt) first studied of martial arts began with kung fu in 1975 as a 19-year-old college freshman. It didn’t go very well and it was 20 years later that he discovered Isshin‑ryu Karate. After introducing himself to Master Tommy True and Master David Love, his studies began in earnest and he has never looked back.

Master Cain has studied at the Roane School of Isshin‑ryu in Harriman, Tennessee since 1995, and earned his Sho-dan (First Degree Black Belt) in 2000. He has become a devoted practitioner, having competed regularly in kata, kumite, and weapons throughout his 40’s, 50’s and into his 60’s. Ron is a regular participant in the International Isshin‑ryu Karate Association and Isshin‑ryu Hall of Fame events. He is a recipient of the IIKA Legacy Circle of Honor Award and the I.H.O.F. Spirit Award. He holds the IIKA Isshin‑ryu instructor certification.

In 2023, Grandmaster Tommy True passed the Roane School of Isshin‑ryu to Master Cain. Ron’s unique teaching style combines old-school expectations with contemporary instructional methods to establish clear boundaries for student performance and behavior. With the assistance of the school’s black belt instructors, Ron’s initiative has energized students, expanded classes, and grown membership.

Besides his work at the dojo, Ron has supported the IIKA Board of directors since 2004 – first as a secretary and now as a full IIKA Board Member. His contributions have included creation and operation of the IIKA newsletter and the IIKA website, and oversight of the IIKA Constitution and By-laws.

In 2019, Ron was offered a seat on the Isshin‑ryu Hall of Fame Board of Directors, where he now serves.

Today, Ron continues to study and teach regularly at the dojo, attend IIKA and other Isshin‑ryu related tournaments and events, and participate on the IIKA and I.H.O.F. Boards of Directors.

Ron is an avid motorcyclist. Two of his notable rides have included a 26-day tour that covered 26 states from Maine, to Washington State, to Southern California, to Key West, and an endurance ride from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast back to the Atlantic coast in less than 98 hours.

Ron is devoted to his wife Sue, their two daughters Sarah and Megan, and their three grandchildren Cash, Griffin, and Kai.