Alvin Raúl Cardona holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Media and Theatre from Northeastern Illinois University and a Master of Science in Journalism from Roosevelt University. Cardona has accumulated over 30 years of martial arts training. His journey through the martial arts began in 1976 under Master José Zuñiga of The Dragon Academy of Martial Arts in Chicago, a traditional Shori Goju and Kung Fu school. Cardona opened the doors to his own school in 1989. After several years of running a school and teaching martial arts, Cardona had the honor of meeting and becoming a direct student of the Grandmaster of Northern Shaolin Eagle Claw Kung Fu, Lily Lau. Cardona is a direct student of Grandmaster Lau and he is the Chief Eagle Claw Instructor of her Chicago school.