Head Instructor Shawn Morris has been practicing in the martial arts for over thirty years. Born in an Ohio suburb and then moving to Colorado, he met Qisheng Raymond Bennett of the Shaolin Institute of Chinese Martial Arts. Beginning his official training there, Head Instructor Morris took a brief hiatus to serve in the United States Marine Corps. Upon his return, he continued his training with Qisheng Bennett. Along the way, Instructor Morris also took the time to add training at the American Black Belt Academy in Shorin-Ryu Karate where he began his teaching career as an assistant instructor, the Black Lotus Kung Fu School and at the Jeet Kune Do Concepts school.
In 2001, moving to Minnesota, Instructor Morris joined with the Young Americans School of Self Defense in order to bring martial arts to those who could not afford the usual costs of going to a traditional school. There, he achieved his Shodan–ho, or first degree black belt. In 2006, he earned his 2nd Degree Black Belt.
During this time, Head Instructor Morris also began studying with ABC Combatives, now called the FightFast Military Combatives System.
In 2007, with Special Permission from Qisheng Bennett, Instructor Morris opened the Minnesota Branch of the Shaolin Institute of Chinese Martial Arts Association.
In 2012, Head Instructor Morris earned both his 3rd Degree Black Belt in Shorin-Ryu Karate and Probationary Black Sash in Kun Ga Do Kung Fu, the art of the Shaolin Institute of Chinese Martial Arts Association
In 2013, Head Instructor Morris earned his First Degree Black Sash.
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 crisis, Head Instructor Morris started creating videos for the Morris Martial Arts, LLC Patreon page, so he could continue to bring martial arts to others despite the restrictions.
In 2021 and beyond, Head Instructor Morris plans to continue training in the martial arts and bringing that knowledge to his students.