Zen Do Kai

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Zen Do Kai is a freestyle martial art System which was developed in Australia in 1970 by Mr Bob Jones.

Bob Jones opened his first Zen Do Kai martial arts club in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Originally intended to cater for those who worked in the security industry, the demand and popularity grew beyond expectation.

It is a martial arts system which has evolved over the past three decades; combining and adapting the principles and techniques of many martial arts disciplines with the strong fighting spirit that it has always had.

Zen Do Kai is a comprehensive self defense system with clubs located across the whole of Australia & New Zealand; and affiliates based in most major cities. It has become by far the largest Martial Arts organisation in Australasia, boasting nearly 1000 classes per week; catering for all walks of life.

Zen Do Kai has never had a closed attitude, nor is it a closed system, it is an open system, and as such is open to influences and ideas from all around the world. Zen Do Kai literally translates as - "the best of everything in progression".

It is designed for people who are looking for an efficient system of self defence moves, katas, and strike work. Although Zen Do Kai is considered a form of karate, it is also very similar to Thai kickboxing in that each student is taught to fight in a Thai kickboxing stance and to use all of its techniques. It is set apart from many forms of karate because it allows kicks to the legs to take place during sparring and pad drills as well as many other techniques and practices used by Thai kickboxing.

Zen Do Kai also uses katas as a form of discipline during training and these katas have been selected for the aid in rudimentary development of stances and techniques commonly used in daily training. Zen Do Kai also places a large emphasis on grabs and holds and other general close combat and ground fighting techniques which leads many people to consider Zen Do Kai a martial art very well suited to practical defence situations.

[edit] The Founder, 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.

[edit] 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 (number two in our organisation), 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 kickboxing bouts. He holds the rank of seventh dan, is one of the highest ranked martial artists in Australia and in 1997 was awarded the prestigious Blitz Martial Arts Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award. He has a number of highly successful business interests. He is a grand father and family man.

He continues to take an active interest in the ongoing development of all Bob Jones Martial Arts, with many highly qualified instructors to assist him, conducting training sessions and seminars throughout the country.