The tough love that the men of the American Cobra Goju-Ryu karate dojo impart on their students stems from the difficult lessons learned two years ago when their beloved instructor, Nelson Garcia, was murdered by his brother.

Garcia created American Cobra, which was his own style of Goju-Ryu, a type of karate from Okinawa that combines hard and soft techniques. He taught his demanding style to students in a small warehouse with concrete floors and no air conditioning.

Those students included 40-year-old fifth-degree black belt Robert Gil, who committed himself to making sure that American Cobra would not fade away.

Garcia's brother, Jose L. Garcia, was convicted in March and is serving 10 years in prison for his crime, which prosecutors said was caused by jealousy. Gil and the others opened the American Cobra Goju-Ryu dojo in Kendall two months ago to continue the karate master's legacy.

``We could not let his system die,'' said Gil, who began training with Garcia in 1992. ``At the time [of his death], all of us separated because of life and because of work, but we came back together because he instilled that in us.''

Gil describes Nelson Garcia's style as ``not the right way and not the wrong way; American Cobra is simply the changes he made and I want to keep it that way. What was different about him was the love. He trained from the heart. He was teaching you what he believed in. You felt the intensity.''

Gil described the grueling training sessions that became common to the ``inner circle'' of Garcia's students.

``It was common to throw up in class. The windows would fog up so that you could not even see outside. Some people would pass out but we'd just keep on going,'' Gil said.

Gil wants to continue that intensity in the new dojo, which is the term for a room where martial arts is practiced. However, now they have matted floors and the air conditioning is on when children are training.

The dojo provides separate training for young beginners, intermediates and adults. Classes and workout sessions are offered six nights a week for the price of $85 per month.

Though it's a business, Gil said money is not a driving force for he and his five colleagues, all of whom also trained under Garcia. There are no contracts, and they do not advertise. And unlike many dojos, there is not a charge to test for a higher belt level. However, Gil promises that his students do pay a price for their belts.

``How do they pay? When they're bleeding, when they're sweating. You pay by your struggle, your training and whatever you put into it,'' Gil said. ``We induce that stress upon them. They earn their rank.''

Things do not come easily to the students of the American Cobra senseis -- a term for an instructor of martial arts -- a fact even the children of the senseis will not debate.

Fourteen-year-old Chris Taboada of Lamar Louise Curry Middle School is the son of another sensei of American Cobra, fourth-degree black belt Raymond Taboada, 45, and has been training for two years. His knuckles are already feeling the effects.

``You get push-up penalties for many things, and most of us have to do them on our knuckles,'' Chris said. ``And my dad and I train on sandpaper.''

Twelve-year-old Amber McGuire of Howard Doolin Middle School, the daughter of third-degree black belt sensei Joseph McGuire, 38, has been training since she was 3. She said it is hard training with those who know her so well.

``What draws people here is that it is all family here; there's no judging,'' she said. ``They really care. We even have to bring in our progress reports.''

Yes, their report cards from school. If a student's grades drop, the student can't train until they improve.

``I need the money to pay the rent, but if you don't have the grades, you can't train,'' Gil said. ``It is not their right to train; this is a privilege that their parents work hard to give them.''

The American Cobra Goju-Ryu dojo has grown since the earlier days when the senseis could offer classes only in their backyards, but there is still work to be done. All that matters to Gil, his colleagues and his students is that the legacy of Nelson Garcia never dies.

``What I want to do is continue his system and teach the open-mindedness that he had,'' Gil said. ``And as long as we have a place to keep learning and training, we're happy.''

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