Born in New York City in 1944, Michael Campos began his martial arts training in late 1959 with the study of Judo at the Judo Twins Dojo on 3rd Ave. and 23rd St. in Manhattan.

He served in the U.S. Army as a Military Policeman from 1961-64.  After his discharge, he trained in TaeKwonDo under the direction of Master Sun Duk Sung, author of Korean Karate - The Art of TaeKwonDo.

While earning his Bachelor's degree at Albany State University in NY, he studied Okinawan Karate under Sensei Les Mayo.

While training with Sensei Mayo he established the first martial arts program at Fulton-Montgomery Community College in Johnstown, NY in 1969. He was awarded his Shodan rank by Sensei Mayo in 1970.

While attending graduate school at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio in 1972, he trained in Shotokan karate with Sensei Greer Golden. After receiving his Masters degree in education, he trained in Okinawan Uechi-Ryu Karate with Sensei Ted Kresge in St. Petersburg, FL.

In 1974 he opened the Zen-Do Kai Martial Arts Training Center in Johnstown, NY. Since that time the ZDK has developed into an open international organization with members from many styles in the U.S., Canada, South America, and Europe.

Campos sponsored the very first open competitions in the Capital District region of NY (1973), the first Police Defensive Tactics, and rape prevention programs in his area, and hosted a local cable TV program on the Martial Arts in 1977.

He was also the first instructor in his region to sponsor seminars by internationally recognized instructors including: Bill Wallace, Joe Lewis, Hidy Ochiai, Fumio Demura, Gary Alexander, Jean Frenette, George Dillman, Tadashi Yamashita, Tak Kubota, Ed Parker, Wally Jay, Christine Bannon-Rodriguez, Graciella Casillas, Kathy Long, Larry Tatum, Casey Marks, and Tony Blauer. Many of these instructors have been special guest instructors at his Super Summer Seminars Martial Arts Camp held every summer in upstate NY. Super Summers was established in 1983 and was the first open camp in the upstate NY region.

Campos was a consistent regional winner in Weapon's, Kata, and Sparring and has over 100 trophies and awards to his credit. He was the Capital District (in NY) Senior's Kata and Sparring Champion from 1984-87.

He has been listed and featured in Bob Wall's Who's Who in the Martial Arts (1975), Who's Who in Karate (1982), Master's, Founders & Leaders of American Martial Arts (1985), Who's Who in American Martial Arts (1987), and a Who's Who book entitled Orden De Los Caballeros De Las Artes Marciales which was produced in Barcelona, Spain in honor of the 1992 Olympics.

In 1990 Master Wally Jay nominated Campos for inclusion in the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame as "Promoter of the Year."

l to r: Master George Dillman, Sensei Campos and Professor Wally Jay at Sensei Campos' induction into the World Martial Arts Hall of fame.

Campos also writes and authored the article on martial arts appearing in the 1993 edition of Grolier's Academic American Encyclopedia. In addition the ZDK has been featured in numerous martial arts publications for various martial arts and charitable activities over the years. He has been quoted in Reader's Digest (1978) and in Forbes FYI Magazine (1993) concerning the martial arts.

Under his leadership, the ZDK has donated over $175,000 (as of 2002) to Chuck Norris' Kick Drugs Out of America Foundation. The ZDK was one of the first martial arts groups in the country to actively raise money for charitable causes and over the years has donated thousands of dollars to many groups including the Red Cross, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, The Statue of Liberty Foundation, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, etc.

l to r:  Bill Hickl, Chuck Norris, & Sensei Campos at the '99 UFAF Convention in Las Vegas

In addition to running his studio and the ZDK organization, Campos continues to sponsor tournaments, seminars, and demonstrations. He administers Defensive Systems International, a police defensive tactics training organization, and recently retired after a 31 year career in public education.

He often is invited to do seminars on street defense and has developed a very popular program called "Three Second Self-Defense" which he has presented in numerous states as well as in Canada, Peru, and Greece.  He has traveled to Greece and taught the program with Bill Wallace and with Jean Frenette.  In July of 2000 he presented the seminar to over 200 brown & black belts at the UFAF Convention in Las Vegas, NV.  UFAF is headed by Chuck Norris.  He was also an invited special guest at the 2001 and 2002 UFAF Conventions.  In November of 2004 he traveled to New Zealand where he presented a series of classes and seminars over a two week period.  While in NZ he appeared on national television along with his host Sensei Johnny Kennedy.

ZDK Black Belts at the banquet.  Sensei Campos proudly holds his new diploma.  ARRB Members Bob Gifford from TX and Joel Kirch from GA hold the certificate they created for the occasion.

Sensei Campos was promoted to 9th Dan (Kyudan) by the Advanced Rank Review Board of the ZDK in March of 1999 at the 25th Annual ZDK Awards Banquet Weekend.  This promotion was presented in recognition of 40 years of active leadership, training and teaching the martial arts.  He was honored by having his rank certificate signed by Professor Wally Jay, Grandmaster Gary Alexander, and Master Tadashi Yamashita - all world renowned instructors and members of Black Belt Magazine's Hall of Fame.  He also received congratulatory letters from martial arts luminaries Fumio Demura and Chuck Norris.  In spite of his rank, Campos continues his lifelong study of the arts by attending seminars as a student.

Campos has always recognized that he does not possess a complete knowledge of the arts he studies and is grateful to every instructor who has ever provided him with training, knowledge, and friendship.

Zen-Do Kai Martial Arts International

If you are a martial artist you are welcome at any of our events.  Programs like Super Summer Seminars (martial arts camp - est. 1983); Defensive Systems International (Law-Enforcement Defensive Tactics organization - est. 1979);  Executive Defense Systems (Self-Defense training for non law-enforcement/martial artists - est. 2001);  3-Second Self Defense Seminars (highly effective street defense training for martial artists/instructors); and traditional martial arts seminars and events are open to all and we have large numbers of non-ZDK members that participate.  We hope to see you at a future event.  In the meantime, we hope you will train hard and remain committed to the ethical practice of the martial arts.

We believe that all martial arts have merit.  We believe in the ethical practice of the martial arts. We believe that the martial arts are a vehicle for achieving our goals. We believe that we can master ourselves through hard training and commitment. We believe that, first and foremost, martial arts training is for self-defense and personal protection.