ZENYOGKIDO KUNG FU

The founder of Zenyogkido Si-Jo David Lyons studied Judo from a young age, after achieving his Black Belt, he studied karate and Aikido, but he found his greatest love when he came across a  Kung Fu teacher called Russell Merryfield in the 1960s in Leicester. Alongside David`s martial training was his life long pursuit of spirituality. `I always wanted to find an art that blended martial arts and yoga but never could, it was then I decided to create such an art`. said David. Originally David created Zenyogkido just for himself, over ten years he constructed it from all of his martial experience. In his own words; `I took it out and pressure tested it and if it didn`t work, it went in the bin`. After ten years in 1979, a friend of David`s Wife (Lin) who was a second dan in a hard form of karate saw his black Gi on the washing line and enquired what David did. After David explained his concept of Zenyogkido, she became very interested and asked to spar with David, After a few minutes of sparring she stopped, took off her belt and formally asked david to become her teacher. It took a few weeks of persuading until David agreed. He formally opened the doors of his club at Holbrook road church rooms in September 1979 and we are still there today.

​

David charged his first students £1 per class, he didn`t take any money for himself, the subs were purely to pay for the room. Interestingly over 40 years later, we only charge £2 now!

​

For over four decades David has taught literally thousands of students.

He has trained over 30 students to black belt, with two reaching 6th degree Black.   There have been two other clubs, one in Birmingham and one at Enderby leisure Centre, sadly both of these have closed, There are also currently 2 Tai chi clubs running in Leicester, a meditation class every Sunday morning and of course Krox Gym, a fully fitted gym floor to ceiling with punch bags and striking equipment.

​

David still teaches to this day but day to day the school is run by a comittee under the guidance of Si tai Gung`s, James Bedford-Stradling and Peter Smith.

​