Meet The Founder

Prof. John Kovacs, Soke, was born in Newark, New Jersey, USA, in October 1960. Soke Kovacs' parents fled the Russian invasion of Hungary in 1956, making him the first in his family to be born in the USA. His father, Janos, was his first martial arts teacher and sparked a lifelong passion. Before coming to America, Janos Kovacs, senior, practiced Judo, Boxing, and Saber fencing. After relocating to the U.S., Kovacs senior trained throughout the 1960s with some of New Jersey’s martial arts legends, including Grandmaster Peter Urban of USA Goju, Grandmaster Don Nagel of Isshin-Ryu, Son Duk Son of Tae Kwon Do, and was friends with and a student of Master Harold Schaeffer, who was business partners with the legendary James (Jimmy) Cheatham of Chito-Ryu Karate.

Young Kovacs Jr. began training under his father around age four, focusing on the fundamentals of his father’s system. It was a blend of everything he had learned and continued to refine throughout his life. He was taught to adapt the arts to match his own physical traits. Long before terms like “eclectic,” “hybrid,” or “mixed martial arts” became common, Janos Kovacs Sr. advised his son to be a seeker and innovator, not a robot or a slave to any method, system, way, or doctrine. This thirst for knowledge has remained unbroken to this day. Soke Kovacs always sees himself as a student first and occasionally as a teacher. He has been inducted into numerous Martial Art Hall of Fames, recognized both nationally and internationally, as the founder of his system, “Yishendo Escrima Ju-Jutsu.” Analyzing, dissecting, and experimenting are the guiding principles for Yishendo, as he walks the path as Warrior, Scholar, and Mystic.

The influences on the ongoing evolution of Yishendo include the refinement and distillation of many outstanding systems and teachers, such as Prof. Florendo Visitacion, Shinan Antonio Pereira, and the renowned WWII close-combat instructor Mr. Charles Nelson. Many other factors have contributed to Yishendo's development, including Prof. Wally Jay, Koncho Shigeru Oyama, Prof. Mat Marinas, Prof. Luis Ferrer, Prof. Moses Powell, and fencing Maestros Csaba Eltes and Ramon Martinez. The teachings of GM Ed Parker’s Kenpo system continue to inspire Yishendo’s growth. He traveled to Milan, Italy, and taught what he called “Renaissance Jujutsu,” focusing on old-style Italian dagger fighting. In Western Martial Arts, Kovacs Soke was among the few researching Western-based martial arts as they gained popularity.

The Yishendo method is not limited to Asian martial arts but also incorporates practical elements from Western martial arts. Being close friends with Master Carl Cestari and Master Charles Nelson helped him understand the deeper aspects of WWII close-quarter combat. Kovacs Soke also consulted with Prof. Rex Applegate on various questions regarding close-quarter combat techniques. Prof. Florendo Visitacion is credited with helping Kovacs Soke not just learn, but also how to formulate and think about the martial arts, essentially teaching himself. Various Yoga teachers, such as Jivamukti Founder David Life, as well as many from both the Iyengar and Sivananda traditions, helped crystallize the philosophical and physical aspects of Yoga.  

Soke Kovacs has also earned teaching licenses and instructor certifications in T’ai Chi Ch’uan and Yoga. His T’ai Chi training involved traveling to China to experience the art as it is practiced in its country of origin. While serving in the U.S. Navy, he encountered many martial arts and religious practices in the Far East. Additionally, Soke Kovacs holds a degree in Physical Therapy, along with B.A. and M.A. degrees in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He is a trained Gestalt therapist and has studied various body/mind/spirit paradigms. These studies have included exploring different paths of the shaman, Sufism, and Christian mysticism. He has met and experienced teachings and empowerment in various Buddhist traditions, including those of the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh. Furthermore, Soke Kovacs is a published author who has appeared in multiple videos and conducts workshops across the country and internationally in his system.

On June 2nd, 2012, the title of Soke was given to Mr. Kovacs by the prestigious “World Head of Family Sokeship Council” in Orlando, Florida. This is in recognition of his system of Yishendo Escrima Ju-Jutsu as a legitimate martial arts system with him as the founder or “Soke” of the system. Currently, he holds a Master of Divinity degree from Regent University and is completing his Doctor of Divinity degree at Liberty University. He is the founder of the Sickle and Vine Ministries webpage. Now living in Stedman, North Carolina, with his spouse of over ten years and his two spoiled dogs, he is “Sometimes the teacher but always the student.”