Chief Instructor:  Miguel Rios, Yondan (4^th degree black belt)

Sensei Miguel Rios has been studying martial arts for many years. An experienced competitor in the point karate tournament circuit, he changed focus in 1993 and began training in Japanese full-contact karate. In 1993, after having witnessed the beauty and power of Enshin Karate, he put aside his black belt and began anew as a student of the New Jersey branch chief, Sensei John Arnold. In 1994, Sensei Rios had the honor of becoming Kancho Joko Ninomiya's uchi deshi (live-in student) at Enshin Karate's International Headquarters.

In 2000, Sensei Rios won the lightweight division at the first Northeast Sabaki Regional Open Full Contact tournament. The following year he made an impressive debut at the World Sabaki Challenge, defeating the previous year's champion en route to the semi-finals. Since then, Sensei Rios has fought in numerous full contact karate events in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

In 2007, after many years with the Enshin Karate Organization, Sensei Rios decided to change directions. He officially resigned from the organization to focus on other aspects of budo karate. His desire to continue growing has lead him to seek instruction from some of the greatest karate-ka of our time. Since then he has had the pleasure and honor of studying with many great instructors including Hanshi Steve Arneil of the International Federation of Kyokushin Karate (IFK), Shihan Cameron Quinn and Shihan Tom Flynn of the International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan (IKO Sosai), Shihan Jacques Jadotte of the American Kyokushin Institute (AKI), Shihan Kenji Ushiro of the Ushiro Karate Jissen Juku (UKJJ), and Kancho Hatsuo Royama, Shihan Kenji Fujiwara, and Shihan Hiroto Okazaki of the Kyokushin-kan International Karate Organization (KIKO).

In addition to operating Karate-do Shurenkan, Sensei Rios is a firefighter with the Jersey City Fire Department. He is also a licensed acupuncturist, currently supervising clinical rotations at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in New York City.

Assistant Instructor:  Edward Potter, Shodan (1st degree black belt)

Edward Potter has been a dedicated student of karate for several years. A former, outstanding collegiate track and field athlete, he has channeled that energy and passion into his karate training. His athleticism and hard work have yielded tremendous results in a short time. He has competed successfully in numerous full contact tournaments both here and abroad. In 2010 he was the first karate-ka to represent not only Karate-do Shurenkan, but the United States at the 10th Annual Kyokushin Seibukai All Japan Full Contact Karate Tournament.

Eddie currently assists Sensei Rios with all adult and children's classes and leads class in Sensei's absence. Additionally, he conducts fitness classes specifically designed to help students increase their strength, flexibility, and endurance.