Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 November 2010 21:18 Thursday, 02 December 2004 07:11

Soke Bob Jones is the founder of Zen Do Kai. We provide a brief overview about Soke here.

Soke Bob Jones founded the Zen Do Kai martial arts style in 1970. Prior to this time Soke was involved in running a security organisation which included work such as crowd control and personal protection services. Zen Do Kai's first Dojo (training place) was established in Elisabeth Street, Melbourne, Victoria, and it was here that Soke's security staff would come to train. Over time the club grew in numbers and with it grew a force of black belts. Soke taught many of these black belts the methods of protecting others and so his security force grew too. In fact, during the seventies the Bob Jones Corporation secured all of Australia's major rock concerts (some ran over several days and involved crowds in excess of 50,000). At these events, Soke employed hundreds of his black belts to ensure public security and well being. Soke would later tour as personal bodyguard to such identities as the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, David Bowie, Joe Cocker, Linda Ronstadt and Boy George.

Also developing during this time was the Zen Do Kai style itself. The style began with strong traditional Japanese based martial arts methods. This was influenced by the extensive training and skill that Soke had developed in Go Ju Karate and Taekwondo during the sixties (whilst developing his security organisation). Zen Do Kai was later influenced by American martial artists including Chuck Norris, Mike Stone and Pat Johnstone when Soke travelled to compete over there during the early seventies.

Further influences were evident when during the late seventies Soke introduced kickboxing to Australia. He is affectionately known as 'The Godfather' of Australian kickboxing. Martial Arts itself was gaining great popularity at this time in Australia with such influences as Bruce Lee and high media exposure that followed Soke Bob Jones and Zen Do Kai across the country. Zen Do Kai was becoming very strong and spread across Australia and New Zealand.

Zen Do Kai is a Freestyle Martial Art and has evolved by incorporating the principles of many martial arts disciplines with its own very strong fighting tradition. Combined, these disciplines form a very powerful, modern, effective, efficient and comprehensive self defence system. The translation for Zen Do Kai is 'The Best of Everything in Progression'. From this we determine that Zen Do Kai is a dynamic system and thus we constantly search for ways to improve and find truth in the martial arts...and therefore ourselves. Soke calls Zen Do Kai a 'purist' system. By this he means that Zen Do Kai is no styles but all styles. The idea is that originally in martial arts history, there must have been a core set of techniques that encompassed everything. Zen Do Kai therefore tries to develop this 'pure' system with everything in it.

To search for more knowledge and more dynamic skills to build into the Zen Do Kai style, Soke ventured to Thailand, where he saw, first hand, together with other senior Zen Do Kai instructors, the devastating ability of the Muay Thai fighters. Such ability has been developed over centuries of tradition. Consequently, many of the powerful techniques of the Muay Thai fighters have been included in the Zen Do Kai system. Soke insists that Zen Do Kai has always had one overriding concept - to test that the technique really works. Therefore, Zen Do Kai has progressed through constant evaluation, endeavouring to search for truth in practicality. Soke states that '...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 right now in the nineties, happens to be very sports orientated; to be a constant winner you have to be adaptable to change.'

Today Soke Bob Jones ("The Chief") carefully allocates his time to advise and guide his martial arts organisation of 1000 schools throughout Australasia. Soke has also made several television appearances providing self-defence tips for women. Soke also writes regular magazine columns and provides expert commentary for kickboxing bouts. Soke holds the rank of seventh dan and is one of the highest ranked martial artists in Australia. In 1997 he was awarded the prestigious Blitz Martial Arts Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award. Soke takes an active interest in the further development of Zen Do Kai and has many highly qualified instructors to assist him. He conducts training sessions and seminars throughout the country. He has many successful business interests and is a grand father and family man.

"When you see a worthy person endeavour to emulate him. When you see an unworthy person then examine your inner self." - BJC

In the following video Soke Bob Jones discusses the essence of Zen Do Kai and 'making the world a better place.' This video was recorded whilst Soke was on a tour to Western Australia in December 2008.