ZenQuest Martial Arts Center

Training room #1 at ZenQuest Martial Arts Center

Exercise and weight room at ZenQuest Martial Arts Center

Training room #2 at ZenQuest Martial Arts Center

The school was originally based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and was opened on Lyman Street in 1972 by Sensei Frank Gorman, who according to Berkshires' Best Buys Business & Beyond introduced Uechi-ryu karate to Berkshire County.[1][2] It is the oldest martial arts school in Berkshire County.[3] In 1993 the school was moved to the Pittsfield Plaza on West Housatonic Street, developing a significant children's program. Senseis Mark and Connie Flynn took ownership of the school in August 2002. They previously lived and worked in Albany, New York, and ran a smaller satellite dojo in Guilderland. The Flynns purchased the school from Bob and Lisken Dus, who stated at the time that they were entering into retirement and would focus on providing support to the Flynns.[2] In the fall of 2002, the Flynns widened the school's curriculum to include Brazilian "Gracie" jiu-jitsu. Mixed martial arts classes were added later.[2] The Flynns traveled to Okinawa, Japan, in 2003, 2007 and 2012 for training with world leaders in Uechi-Ryu/Shohei-Ryu. During the 2007 trip Mrs. Flynn was promoted to 5th Dan, and both attended the 2007 All Okinawa Championships, a worldwide championship event. Sensei Connie took third place in kata, while Sensei Mark managed to reach fourth in kumite.[2] In 2010, due to deterioration of the Pittsfield Plaza where it was located, and the need for additional space, the school relocated to Lenox Commons in Lenox, where it changed its name from Okinawan Karate School to ZenQuest Martial Arts Center.[4] Along with this relocation and name change the school updated classes to a full roster which includes Muay Thai kickboxing, boxing, wrestling and mixed martial arts.[5] The school is now the largest martial arts community in Berkshire County.[3] In 2016, Mark Flynn received a belt-belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, becoming the third person in Berkshire County to achieve that high a rank in the art and the second in the United States to be awarded a black belt by Demian Maia.[6]

The school has received regular coverage by The Berkshire Eagle and Pittsfield Cable Television, including the school's annual hosting of a youth tournament[7][8] and black belt promotions,[9] and in 2002 was noted for helping a teen overcome disabilities.[10]

In 2005, the dojo made the headline story in The Berkshire Eagle for hosting a special camp called “Tokkun 2005” at Cross Athletic Center at Miss Hall's School.[11] The camp featured visiting karate masters from Okinawa, specifically Senseis Shigeru Takamiyagi (9 dan), Toshio Higa (8 dan), Hirokuni Yamashiro (7 dan), and Sakae Uechi (5 dan), and in addition to local students in Berkshire County had additional students from more distant areas such as Florida, New Jersey, Michigan, New York, Vermont, and Cape Cod.[11] Another event that received attention from The Berkshire Eagle was a visit from mixed martial arts and jiu-jitsu legend Royce Gracie, who held a clinic at the dojo in 2009.[12] The year before, 2008, another jiu-jitsu clinic had been held with Robert “Crush” Kahn.[13] Several seminars are held every year with notable members from the Okinawan Karate-do Association and Sityodtong Muay Thai.[3] After ZenQuest left the Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu network and joined Demian Maia's organization, Demian Maia held a seminar at the school on November 2, 2012, garnering attention from The Berkshire Eagle.[14]

ZenQuest Martial Arts Center is a member of the Okinawan Karatedo Association,[3][15] which is located in Okinawa and is the worldwide governing body for Shohei-ryu karate, and Team Sityodtong,[3][16] a Muay Thai training camp based in Somerville, Massachusetts. The dojo was also an affiliate of the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Network,[3] but the termination of its association with the Network was announced on February 2, 2012.[17] On February 18, the dojo announced that its jiu-jitsu program would be under Demian Maia.[18] The school is accredited by the North American Grappling Association.[19] ZenQuest maintains an affiliation with Mike Torres' Torres Advanced Combat Systems classes taught at the Quest Karate and Pace Karate schools in New Jersey.

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