Owner and Head Instructor, Englewood Krav Maga
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx, NY, Juan lived within violence. Learning to fight in order to survive became a priority. As far back as a kid and into an adult, he encountered the viciousness of what the streets did to him and to his family. The street is a place where there are no rules, no ring and no ref. He had to become a protector and his own human walking weapon.
“I was mugged at gunpoint. I grew up in the old South Bronx in the 70’s when it was truly a war zone. There were two kinds of people. You were either going to be a wolf or a sheep.”
Juan trained in multiple fight systems and martial arts since he was 7 years old.
The discipline that he spent 26 years studying was Krav Maga. As a 2nd Dan Black Belt in Krav Maga, he was able to integrate all of his skills into this one civilian style street fighting system from full contact kickboxing, to Sambo, to Jiu Jitsu. Using the body’s own natural weapons against an attacker and effectively striking with multiple blows has saved him whether it was fists flying at him or sharp-edged weapons coming. Growing up in the environment of the streets can harden a human so he takes pride in training others to survive the violence and become their own protector.
He carries the inner traits of survival, perseverance, drive, discipline, and hard work onto the mat when he instructs and promotes these to his students. These traits stem from life changing experiences he encountered in the past.
Juan was a talented baseball player, playing in the minor leagues and was drafted by the Kansas City Royals. Before he began playing for the team, he suffered a severe shoulder injury, thus ending his career in baseball. His intense physical rehabilitation to regain use of his shoulder was life changing for him. He went on to become a personal trainer and continued his mission of training in the martial arts world. He strongly believes in his Krav Maga, in developing the body’s natural weapons into proficiency to be applied in the upmost savagery upon an attacker. He continues to train, developing his skills and body of knowledge in the art under his teacher, Grandmaster Rhon Mizrachi, whom he completed his instructor certification under.
Juan is dedicated to honoring his teacher’s goal of guarding the true art of Krav Maga as created by founder Imi Lichtenfeld. He provides the highest level of authentic and quality Krav Maga, not the modified versions. As the head instructor, Juan, better known as Sir to his students, refuses to give them fluff, but real-world hardcore training. He stresses that to survive you have to become violent with violence. He takes on the responsibility in turning the average human into a weapon through training in his programs at his school. “Whether it is a choke, a grab, a takedown, a weapon, you have to strike the attacker or attackers with multiple blows to vulnerable targets immediately and with force whether it be the groin, nose, eyes, etc.”
Sir is an instructor that does not sugar coat the process for his students and gives them the raw deal. He teaches Krav Maga to his students to become the first line of defense for themselves and their loved ones. Being proficient at operating their weapons is the key to survive an attack and do the most amount of damage in the least amount of time.
Juan Berrios’ Martial Arts Training includes:
Krav Maga
• 2002 Began training under Rhon Mizrachi
• 2011 Completed Krav Maga Federation Instructor Course taught by Rhon Mizrachi
• 2014 Black Belt Dan 1, under Rhon Mizrachi
• 2016 Black Belt Dan 2, under Rhon Mizrachi
Shotokan Karate
• Began training Shotokan Karate under Sensei Robert Rios at the age of 8
Katsugo Karate Kickboxing
• 1985 Began training under Shihan Tony Melendez
• 1996 Received Black Belt under Shihan Tony Melendez
Sambo
• 2000 Began training in Sambo under Sensei Igor Chernekov
• 2003-2005 competed in Sambo on the USA team
• 2003 Placed 6th in the world in the Sambo World Championship
• 2003 2nd place in the Pan American Sambo games
• 2004 1st place North American Sambo Championships
• 2005 Received Black Belt from FIAS (Federation International Amateur Sambo)
Brazilian Ju Jitsu
• 2005 – Began training under Marcos Santos
• 2007 received Blue Belt in Ju Jitsu under Marcos Santos