Martial arts and fitness training facility. Kids programs, adult programs. Women's self defense. Get in the best shape of your life!
Robert E. Zingg is the owner and Chief Instructor of Zingg's Karate Center. Mr. Zingg began his Karate training in 1969 at Quantico Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia, studying Okinawan Isshinryu Karate under the late Gunnery Sgt. Donald Bohan, 6th Degree Black Belt, (later at the time of his death he was ranked as an 8th Degree Black Belt.) Mr. Zingg trained for 2 years under Sensei Bohan until Bohan was transfered to Viet Nam. Mr. Zingg then began his study of Full-Contact Karate in the form of Okinawan Tozan-ryu Shindokan Karate under Sgt. Bobby Joe Blythe, 6th Degree Black Belt.
Shindokan is a rugged form of full-contact karate from Okinawa that utilizes full power kicking, punching and striking techniques during sparring matches and training sessions. At the age of 14 through 17 Mr. Zingg routinely fought daily matches against the other students in the class who were US Marines, more than twice his size. Mr. Zingg trained 7 days a week, 6 hours per day for 17 months to earn his 1st Degree Black Belt in Tozan-ryu Shindokan. In September of 1972 he was promoted to 1st Degree Black Belt and was the youngest student to ever earn a Black Belt in Shindokan at that time. His Shodan test lasted 12 grueling hours without a break.
From 1972 through 1984 Mr. Zingg was the Senior Assistant Instructor at Shihan Blythe's school in Dumfries, Virginia and became the school manager in 1979. In 1984 he moved to Charles Town, West Virginia, where he opened his own school.
Mr. Zingg met Dr. J. Ronald Cherry, Soke of the Shorinji Toraken-ryu Arts and founder of the American Kempo-Karate Association and Kyoshi Ray Ferrell in 1987 and began his training in Shorinji Toraken-ryu shortly thereafter. Mr. Zingg had been impressed by Dr. Cherry's in-depth knowledge of the Martial Arts, his ability to easily defeat and control men more than twice his size, and his friendly, easy going manner. Mr. Zingg first started his training by attending seminars and then soon became a personal student of Dr. Cherry and Kyoshi Ferrell. Mr. Zingg currently teaches the AKKA curriculum in Kempo-Karate, Ju-jutsu, Kobudo, and in Shindokan Karate. He operates his dojo 5 days per week and teaches 3 classes each night.
Mr. Zingg has been a licensed and certified instructor since 1973 and has earned the title of Shihan (Master Instructor, Teacher of Teachers). Mr. Zingg holds a 6th Degree Black Belt in Shorinji Toraken-ryu Karate and a 4th Degree Black Belt in Okinawan Tozan-ryu Karate as well as a 4th Degree Black Belt in Shorinji Toraken-ryu Kobudo (Weapon Arts). Mr. Zingg also has extensive training in Toraken-ryu Ju-jutsu and holds a 1st Degree Black Belt, he also has an Instructor Rating in Unconventional Personal Combat (a style of Military hand-to-hand combat originated and taught by Mr. Zingg's current instructor Dr. J. Ronald Cherry, 10th Degree Black Belt).
Mr. Zingg's spent eight years as a professional bodyguard in Washington, DC. This experience gave him many high-risk opportunities to use his Martial Arts skills in the daily performance of his duties. Mr. Zingg encorporates this experience into the self-defense training aspect of the school, using his unique perspective and insight.
Mr. Zingg also worked for eight years as a physical education teacher in elementary, Jr. High and High school. This experience has helped him to understand and relate to young people in a friendly and non-threatening manner.
Currently, Mr. Zingg is a Special Education Teacher, where he specializes in teens with emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as the mildly mentally impaired
