EARLY LIFE
George Kovacs or better known in the Martial Arts world as Tao Lung SiGung /Dragon Grand Master/ was born in Budapest, Hungary.

COACHES, MENTORS, MASTERS, AND EARLY INFLUENCE
“Somebody who overcomes others is strong. Somebody who overcomes himself is mighty”

AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL CAREER AND ACHIEVEMENTS
“Knowing others is intelligence – Knowing others is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength – Mastering yourself is true power” Lao Tzu

George Kovacs began his career in Martial Arts at the very young age of 5 years old in the field of Judo, under Sensei Laszlo Udvardi and Sensei Ferenc Galla. It wasn’t long before he proved himself to be a very talented young man entering many competitions and winning many trophies.

When he was 9 years old, George started training Olympic style boxing for 6 years under the Legendary Coach and Boxer Laszlo Papp. Within a few years of dedicated training, he became a Junior Olympic Boxing Gold Medalist in 1969 in Moscow, Russia. That same year, he received his black belt in Judo from the legendary Judo Grandmaster Kazuzo Kudo, and the ball began to roll quickly.

1970: Master George Kovacs started training Kyo Hain Karate under Sensei Sakaguchi. 10 months later his Karate master entered him to competing at the European Karate Championship. He won the European Championship title in 63kg at Vienna, Austria. It was during that tournament he met his future Kung fu Master SiGung Leung Chow Chia, who awarded him his 1^st place trophy.

1971: Sifu George started studying Wai Chia Chuan Kung fu under Master SiGung Leung Chow Chia. He also began training in the more competitive art of San Shou, Sanda – Chinese Kickboxing. 

1973: Master George Kovacs received his first Dan in Judo form the legendary Judo Grand Master KaZuZo Kudo. After many years of training and practicing in four different styles of martial arts, it was time for George to add more marital arts techniques to his skill set by increasing his training in more complex and different martial arts styles. To push himself to the limit, he began training in Tae Kwon Do, Ju-Jitsu, Aikido, Sambo, Chin Na, Muay Thai, Bamboo Bow fighting, Kali Stick and Kendo. 

1975: Sifu George received his black belt 1st Dan in Kyo Hain Karate and his Black sash 1st TOAN in Wai Chia Chuan Kung fu and San Shou Chinese Kickboxing. George Kovacs officially became a Sifu (Master)

During that period, Master George Kovacs has drawn international exposure and consideration for his expertise, including the attention of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. They met in the gym where George was weight training and they began to swap expertise with each other. Arnold shared his muscle building techniques and George shared his agility and martial arts skills. They soon became friends and training partners. After a few years of comradeship, Arnold Schwarzenegger asked Sifu George to take the role and responsibility to teach his actors on-screen fighting techniques for the movie “Red Heat”, which was released in 1987.

1976: Sifu George opened his first dojo in Budapest. He started teaching his unique Martial Arts style, called “Pik Lik Kung” (English translation: Lightning Fist).

1977: With his strong desire and interest for specialty training and combat coupled with his martial arts skills, Sifu George enrolled in the Hungarian army’s Air Group Commando, and served for 2 years as a hand-to-hand combat specialist. Within those 2 years, he became 3 times the number 1 soldier in the country. The same year, he received his 2nd DAN in Kyo Hain Karate, his 2nd TOAN in Wai Chia Chuan Kung fu, and San Shou Chinese Kickboxing.

1978: Sifu George received his 2nd Dan in Judo.

1979: Sifu George got invited to study Wushu in a 10-month intensive program at Shaolin Temple Song Shan, Henan, China. He completed his program and received his 3rd TOAN in Kung fu. That same year, he also won the World Wushu Championship in 73kg, in Hong Kong.

1980: Sifu George won the World Championship title in Chinese Kickboxing in Singapore, Malaysia. He received his 3rd Dan in Judo at Kodokan University in Tokyo, Japan during his 18 months of attendance there. That same year he also went to Thailand for 3 months to study the art of Muay Thai Kickboxing under Ajahn Suchart.

1981: Sifu George won the Full Contact World Karate Championship in Stockholm, Sweden. He also received his 3rd Dan in Kyo Hain Karate; for this level, he chose to do the 200-man kumite. This is an extreme test of physical and mental endurance, whereby Sifu George fought a non-stop one-minute sparring consisting of non-stop 200 rounds (fighting 200 men) for four hours straight.

Only 8 people in the World have done a 200-man kumite within that time frame. Sifu George is one of them! That same year he proved himself to the masters of Kuoshu Asian Federation and received his accreditation for Pik Lik Kung style with the 4th Master’s degree.

1982: Sifu George won the European Championship in Vienna, Austria. Sifu George opened 8 other studios /dojos in different locations in Hungary.

1983: Sifu George designed, developed and delivered Custom Martial Arts programs for all ages, and all levels. The main purpose was to encourage more individuals to participate in tournaments and competitions in a different style of Martial Arts.

1984: Sifu George received 5th Dan & Toan in Kung fu and Chinese Kickboxing.

1985: Sifu George won the European Championship in Munich, Germany.

Note: 1982 to 1987, Sifu George’s students won many Hungarian, European and International tournaments around the world. It was imperative time for Sifu George to pass
along his knowledge and expertise to the next generation in his own country
Hungary, as he was preparing to depart the country and start a new chapter in
Canada.

LIFE IN CANADA
1987: Sifu George moved to Canada and began a new chapter in his life. He opened world Ping Kwon Do Federation International. 

1988: He opened his first dojo in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, under the name Lightning Fist Martial Arts Academy (LFM Academy). Sifu competed in many tournaments in Canada and won many first places trophies that year.

1989: Sifu George moved to Calgary, Alberta to expand Lightning Fist Martial Arts Academy to offer unique and different kind of programs and activities for all ages and levels.

1990: Sifu George received his 6th Dan & Toan in Kung fu and Chinese Kickboxing and he became a Lung Sifuce (Advanced Master). He opened another location of Lightning Fist Martial Arts Academy in Calgary.

1997: Sifu George received 7th Dan & Toan in Kung fu and Chinese Kickboxing.

Note: From 1998 – 2002, Sifu George competed in full contact Karate, Kung fu, and Kickboxing tournaments and won many trophies. He also promoted many local and international tournaments.

2001: Sifu George took three of his competitive martial arts students from his dojo in Calgary, Canada to participate at WKA World Championship in Vienna, Austria. That event drew about 200 Canadian participants, with an overall worldwide attendance of more than 2,000 competitors. Two of his students received silver medals and one received a bronze medal.

2003: After a very bad surgery, Sifu George retired from the Martial Arts competitions but continued to teach his students. The same year, he opened the Canadian franchise “King of the Cage/KOTC”.

2004: His first female instructor in Canada received her black belt. Head coach for Canadian Chinese Kickboxing team Hanoi, Vietnam.

2005: SiGung George received his 8th Dan & Toan in Kung fu and Kickboxing at the world Kung fu conference Vienna, Austria. The same year, he became a SiGung (Supreme Grand Master) and got nominated as Head Coach for the Canadian Chinese Kickboxing team heading to Rome, Italy.

2006: SiGung George partnered and opened a Gold’s Gym in Calgary, Alberta and incorporated the component of a dedicated Martial Arts dojo. The dojo became a training home-base for many Canadian Intercontinental World Champions. The same year, he also got nominated as Head Coach for the Canadian Kickboxing team in Benidorm, Spain.

2008: SiGung George formed a partnership in the Hard-Core Championship Fighting /H.C.C.F.

Note: In 2014, SiGung received his 9th Dan & Toan in Kung fu and Chinese Kickboxing. He became TAO LUNG SiGung (Great Supreme Dragon Grand Master) George Kovacs. To this date, he is the youngest Tao Lung SiGung in life. (in the world).

2017: Two of Tao Lung SiGung George’s former students became Sifus.

2019: Tao Lung SiGung George is working tenaciously to position Canada as a competitive martial arts nation through numerous programs and services. He is
also looking forward to opening additional Lightning Fist Martial Arts Academy with his former students, now black belt instructors. He hopes to pass his knowledge, expertise and excellence to the future generations.

MARTIAL ARTS CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
“Perseverance and year-round training in the dog days of summer and the coldest day of winter is the way to learn real Kung fu” a saying from the Shaolin temple

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Master of Physical Education, Kodokan Martial University, Tokyo, Japan
• Master of Physical Education, Testnevelesi Egyetem, Budapest, Hungary
• Bachelor of Engineering – Telecommunications and Electronic, Ericson Telecommunication University Stockholm, Sweden

LANGUAGES

• English
• Hungarian
• German
• Chinese
• Japanese
• Swedish

SPECIAL TRAINING

• Air Group Commando Hand-to-Hand Combat /MN5566/ Hungary
• International FBI VIP Body Guard Training, Italy

CROSS SPORTS

• Olympic Boxing
• Olympic Wrestling
• Water Polo

BUSINESS CAREER AND INTERESTS
“Pik Lik Kung enhances and strengthens self-awareness, self-discipline, integrity, responsibility, loyalty, and cooperation among its practitioners” World Ping Kwon Do Federation.

1976: Sifu George opened his first dojo in Budapest. He started teaching his unique Martial Arts style, called “Pik Lik Kung” in Chinese (English translation: Lightning Fist).

1983: Sifu George designed, developed and delivered Custom Martial Arts programs for all ages, and all levels. The main purpose was to encourage more individuals to participate in tournaments and competitions in a different style of Martial Arts.

1988: Sifu George opened his very first Dojo in Canada – in Red Deer, Alberta.

1989: Sifu George opened his second L.F.M. Academy in Calgary, Alberta Canada. 

1991: Sifu George opened Lightning Fist Martial Arts Academy (L.F.M. Academy) in Toronto.

1992: Sifu George opened Lightning Fist Martial Arts Academy (L.F.M. Academy) in Vancouver.

1996: Sifu George promoted and organized a Canadian-Hungarian rematch Muay-Thai Kickboxing gala in Calgary, Alberta Canada.

2011: SiGung started teaching martial arts in the private school sector under the Canadian physical education programs, a first in Canada education. After 8 years, the program has gained popularity and is expanding. This program continues to gain popularity and is loved by parents and students alike.

PERSONAL LIFE & LEGACY
“The teaching of one virtuous person can influence many: that which has been learned well by one generation can be passed on to hundreds” Kano Jigoro, founder of Judo.

• Number of Children: 4 children (3 boys and 1 girl)
• Number of Grandchildren: 4 grandchildren (2 boys and 2 girls)
• Marital Status: married
• Interest: traveling, collecting and reading martial arts literature.
• Hobby: cars and motorcycle racing .

Tao Lung SiGung George Kovacs devotes his times and expertise to mentor, coach and develop the next generation of Canadian and international martial artists, while focusing on their academic excellence, personal best improvement, and good citizenship quality development.

TAO LUNG SIGUNG’S SLOGANS

• Never forget Martial Arts begin and end with respect.
• First understand yourself, and then understand others.
• See victory yourself before see victory others.
• Do not think you have to win, rather think, you do not have to lose.
• You have two hands, one for yourself the second for help to others.
• Never give up on anything!
• From white belt to black belt you shape the tool. At black belt you start to learn how to use it.
• Somebody who overcomes others is strong. Somebody who overcomes himself or herself is mighty.