HISTORY OF ZEN DO KAI MARTIAL ARTS FREESTYLE
Zen Do Kai is a Martial Arts System designed over four decades ago; founded in 1970 when Bob Jones opened his first martial arts club in Elizabeth St., Melbourne.
Originally intended to cater for those who worked in the security industry, the demand and popularity grew beyond expectation.
With the famous Bruce Lee movies flooding the cinema's more and more, people sought to participate in the martial arts phenomena...providing specialist security services and personal body guarding to all almost every major international Rock & Roll artists who toured Australia, tempered this popularity.
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Zen Do Kai has never had a closed attitude, nor is it a closed system, we are an open system, and as such we have to be open to influences and ideas from all around the world.
We must always be guided by a thirst for knowledge, understanding and meaning to the things we do and those things that have been handed down to us from previous generations.
Using modern self defence principles with traditional values, we seek to improve the system, improve ourselves and to be aware of creating the opportunities for the individuals within our organisation to achieve their personal best. We are proud, not only of our system, but of the many thousands of students that have developed from it. Train in Zen Do Kai and we are sure you will find the experience fulfilling, exciting and most of all .... enjoyable.
It has evolved from adding the principles and techniques of many martial arts disciplines together with the strong Bob Jones fighting tradition to form a modern, effective and comprehensive self defense system.
With schools across the whole of Australia & New Zealand, it is by far the largest Martial Arts organisation in Australasia, boasting nearly 1000 classes per week catering for all walks of life.
SOKE BOB JONES
Since
the 1960's in Australia and later in New Zealand, the name Bob Jones has
become synonymous with the Security Industry and the Martial Arts.
During these four decades, Bob Jones has taught thousands of Australians to protect themselves and many of these students went on to become Black Belts in the Martial Arts.
Bob Jones then taught the elite of these Black Belts how to "protect others" and they were then employed within the security industry.
Since the sixties, he has met the security needs of many organisations, events and celebrities.
In the seventies, he secured all of Australia's major rock concerts that ran over several days and drew crowds in excess of 50,000. At each concert, hundreds of his Black Belts were employed to secure all aspects of public well being.
In the eighties, Bob Jones personally toured as Bodyguard to many major rock and roll celebrities including the Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Fleetwood Mac, Europe's ABBA, David Bowie, Boy George and Linda Ronstadt to name just a few.
The emergence of Zen Do Kai.
"Since its very conception, Zen Do Kai has meant 'the best of everything in progression' to us. It has always had the one overriding concept, does the technique really work? With that in mind Zen Do Kai has gone through constant evaluation, endeavouring to search for just that, truth in practicality."
"In the teachings of my discipline as a fighting system, I endeavour to be a total purist. As a purist I translate Zen Do Kai to be adaptable to its current environment, which happens to be right now in the, to be a constant winner you have to be able to adapt to change."
"There have been many turning points in the organisation, but one that stands out in my mind was probably in 1980. By 1980 we had 300 clubs and around 5,000 students, but I felt I hadn't done enough, we weren't growing fast enough. We had the desire to expose the benefits of martial arts training to everyone in the community and to make it something achievable for all.
So in 1980 we introduced the Jet Black system and in 1983 we developed the 'FAST' (Freefighting-forms And Self-defence Tournaments) system. We put a lot of emphasis on heavy competition. We made it the most competitive style in the country, in order to lift and improve the standard through regular competition".
"In 1984 we modified our training practices, with the aim of again training people to fight from more practical postures, and applying techniques that work straight away."
"At the beginning of 1990 we introduced Muay Thai Boxing principles and techniques within our Zen Do Kai classes which again added to the effectiveness of what we were already doing. Further to all this, Bob Jones is recognised as the father of Australian Kickboxing."
"On September 9, in 1976 I promoted Australia's inaugural kickboxing event. Kickboxing is painfully 'true'. If it doesn't work you find out about it in the square ring."
"It was during a world tour with Rod Stroud (WA), to set up three World Kickboxing Titles and an International Teams Event for the America's Cup 'Festival of Sport' in 1986, that we both met Thai Boxing in the flesh. We trained with Tom Harink in Amsterdam with some of his world champions and in Thailand regularly in the past ten years and both of us have included Muay Thai into our Zen Do Kai regime almost daily ever since."
Bob Jones's time is also carefully allotted to advise and guide his martial arts organisation of 1,000 schools of self defence throughout Australasia currently developing 20,000 students towards Black Belt.
He has made numerous television appearances providing self defense tips for women.
He writes regular magazine columns and provides expert commentary for kick boxing bouts.
He holds the rank of eighth dan, is one of the highest ranked martial artists in Australia. In 1997 was awarded the prestigious Blitz Martial Arts Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award.
He has a number of highly successful business interests as well as being a grand father and family man.
Bob Jones continues to take an active interest in the ongoing development of Zen Do Kai, with many highly qualified instructors to assist him, conducting training sessions and seminars throughout the country.
Our Name
The formal name of our system or style is Zen Do Kai Martial Arts. This is because the full gamut of what we teach does not fit into one category of martial art.
Our syllabus not only includes what can be described as Karate techniques and Karate Forms (or Kata), but also the principles and practices of locks & holds, throws, vital point striking, grappling, boxing, kick boxing and Muay Thai Boxing as well as traditional weaponry.
Hence to encompass all these element, the term "Martial Arts" sits comfortably along side Zen Do Kai.
For us it translates as - "the best of everything in progression".
Our Logo
As the Bushido and Ishoa Crosses are synonymous with Zen Do Kai, so is our corporate logo. It epitomizes everything that Zen Do Kai has represented since its inception in 1970. The mind, body and spirit of Zen Do Kai can all be seen through the eyes of the Zen Do Kai Red Dragon.
The name's origins hark from the days when Bob Jones competed in tournaments and was dubbed 'The Red Dragon' due to his ferocious fighting style.
'The Red Dragons' was the name given to Bob Jones' first generation family whose family "Mon" (patch) bears this name on it.
NB: the above are trade marked and are not to copied or used without expressed permission. Only registered bona fide instructors of Zen Do Kai operating under registration conditions and terms are permitted to use the above.