Robert Zingg Owner and Chief Instructor Mr. Zingg is the owner and chief instructor at Zingg's Karate Center. He began his martial arts training in 1967 at Quantico Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA.
Mr. Zingg has earned black belts in several styles of Karate, Kempo, Weapons, Ju-jutsu, and Traditional Japanese Sword (Iaido).
Mr. Zingg represents The American Kempo-Karate Association, and holds a 7th degree black belt, teaching the Shorinji Torakenryu Kempo-Karate and Ju-jutsu curriculum at Zingg's Karate Center. His instructors are Mr. Ray Ferrell 10th dan, and Dr. Ron Cherry, 10th dan and Founder of The American Kempo-Karate Association.
For the Karate and Weapons systems, Mr. Zingg teaches the traditional Okinawan Tozan-ryu Shindokan Karate style and is a 7th degree black belt, while in Weapon Arts Mr. Zingg hold a 5th degree black belt, operating under the guidance of the All Okinawan Karate Association and the International Seishinkai Karate Union. Mr. Zingg's Karate instructors are Mr. Bobby Joe Blythe, 6th dan, Tozan-ryu Shindokan Karate, and Kaicho Robert Burgermeister, 8th dan, Motobu-Ha Shito-ryu Karate
In the Traditional Japanese Sword style of Tenshinsho Jigen-ryu, Mr. Zingg is certified and licensed as a 5th degree black belt, to teach the Tenshinsho Jigenryu Iaido and Kenjutsu style of Traditional Japanese Sword. He is under the guidance of the current Master of the system, Mr. Takahashi Tamon, Soke.
As Mr. Zingg begins his 57th year studying, training, and teaching the martial arts, he can reflect back on the many positive benefits the martial arts has brought to his life as well as those of the thousands of students he has taught in the last 57 years. The key is to keep learning and never be idle. Mr. Zingg continues to train, learn and compete, but is focusing more on the coaching side of competition these days.
Mr. Zingg is the Team Leader for the United States Kempo Team, and is the North American Director for the International Kempo Federation (IKF).
The IKF promotes all styles of Kempo, (often also spelled Kenpo), around the world though international, national and regional full-contact competitions, in several full-contact fighting styles and traditional competitive categories.
To date the US Kempo Team has competed in 16 International competitions and has won 34 Gold, 45 Silver, and 65 Bronze medals. The US Kempo Team continues to win at the highest levels of international competition and against the best martial artists in the world. More information about the US Kempo Team may be seen at www.uskempoteam.org
Mr. Zingg's professional career has covered a variety of fields; starting out in his early years working for several engineering and architectural firms as a draftsman, then he transitioned into the professional security field as a professional executive bodyguard and private investigator with clients in the entertainment industry, middle eastern royalty, as well as Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus, to mention a few. Upon moving to Jefferson County, West Virginia, Mr. Zingg earned his Masters Degree in Education and taught Physical Education in several area schools and then transitioned to special education where he worked with teens with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Upon retiring from teaching in the local public school system, Mr. Zingg spends his time working around his home and at the karate center, continuing to teach martial arts and travel around the world with his team competing and representing the USA.