Go-Kan-Ryu

[username237]

I'd just like to know if anyone does GKR and what its like. Ive heard some bad things about the association and would like to know why ...

 

A) the chief ref is only a 2nd dan

 

B)A lot of the instuctors arent really black belts

 

C)People can go from being a beginner to a black belt in something stupid like 6 weeks

 

D)And why would an association want their main concern to be their profit rather that their students???

 

Ive been approached by a GKR instructor when they came around my area door-to-door.The joining fee was something like £90 and the sessions were like £5 a time. Me and my mum went to watch and it was rubbish. Anyone got any ideas whats goin on with that??

 

:???:

[Angus]

Uhuh, i know what's going on!

 

They're idiots and they will find that they will have to shut down because they will have no students worth having.

 

Angus

 

 

[Gloi]

We've recently had a brown belt join our club from a Go Kan Ryu club and he is so bad it's embarrassing. However now he's been with the brown belts at our club he's realised how bad he is and is working hard to improve.

 

However on the positive side I know a family who have a seven year old who was having problems socialising with other kids and who joined a go kan ryu club a few months ago. They aren't bothered about the cost or him actually learning good technique. The kid enjoys the classes and likes coming home with the many certificates of achievement and little trophies they hand out and has made friends there. So in that way they seem to be good with the children and giving them a fun time in a way that a more traditional club might not be. So provided you don't actually want to learn karate it was doing its job, a bit like going to scouts or something.

 

[ This Message was edited by: Gloi on 2001-12-12 03:33 ]

[helenalison]

i do go kan ryu in australia ...yes it is sort of run like a buisness but u cant judge the club on the performance of 1 person or rank ..as in any martial arts..they are all black belts in my club ...but we have a orange and a green belt that help out the white and yellow belts during class . I did jujitsu for 2 years and the sensays are of the same callibure ...

[Susurro]

The style of Go-Kan-Ryu is actually a very strong style, just because you've seen one brown belt student who was not of high standard is not enough to make an assumption about the rest of the students, yes I have seen people in the club grade who I have believed weren't deserving of the grade but this happens occasionally at any karate or martial arts club. No you can't get a black belt in six weeks.....more like six years!

 

As far as the business side of the club goes, it is not run to make money but it is run in a way that allows people to teach and train in karate full time instead of the usual way (people who have trained in karate and run a voluntary club once or twice a week) the instructors are not always black belts but are actually trained specifically to become instructors and train every week with their senior instructor to make sure their standard is high and their skills are always increasing. It also allows the style to spread and hold regular tournaments.

 

Sometimes you will hear bad reports about the club from other instuctors, the reason for this is that Go-Kan-Ryu actively recruit members by knocking of peoples doors and telling them about the benefits of karate....you see some instuctors think that this takes away students that would have normally attended their club....but then i don't see them actively looking for students, do you, no then stop whinging and get off you asses! As a final note I would like to mention one small thing, later this year it is going to be made that anyone wanting to teach karate(any style) in the UK will have to be NVQ qualified to do so or they will not be able to get a licence to teach (including current instructors) the senior intructor allocated to assess the instuctors for this qualification is actually one of Go-Kan-Ryu's senior instructors(allocated by NAKMAS and the Government) could this be a reflection on the club????????????

 

IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CLUB JUST POST THEM AND I WILL ANSWER AS BEST AS I CAN.

[Susurro]

if you want more info on go kan ryu look at the articles on Robert Sullivan on this page https://www.sportzblitz.net/blitz-martial-arts/top-stories/index-topstories.asp and rethink your actions........you're supposedly trained in a traditional martial art so stop slagging other clubs....definately not good etiquette

[username237]

Well it looks to me that you find it hard that me and other people that have messages on this post speak our mind on the experiences we've had with Go-Kan-Ryu clubs. I sick by my original post, I have seen a few of the clubs in my city and the standard is awful. Im sorry you dont like hearing that but its a fact (in other words im not slagging off but telling people what I saw, now tell me whats wrong with that!) Dont tell us what we can and cannot say on our posts!!

 

Just out of interest why are you so touchy on the subject, is it the fact that you are with a similar club and you can see our points? Or is it the fact that you are one of these people that are trying to rip everyone off with a ridiculous joining fee, and you're failing?How long have you trained? Whats you're grade, and I mean your REAL grade?

[Susurro]

You're right, I didn't think you're comments about the club on this thread were bad, that was just you asking questions and stating what you had seen...it was this quote from another post that I was refering to "Does anyone actually go to a go kan ryu club?? Because I have seen their classes, and their yellow belt instructors who they slap a black belt o and make everyone treat like god! I also know how much they expect you to pay for this rubbish too, they come round to my house at least 1ce a month to try and convert me!! They are an absolute money making scam what care nothing about their students and it needs stopping!!" I just thought that was a little out of order, I'm not touchy about the subject, you asked a question with a request for information and I replied. As far as failing to get students is concerned the club has over 40,000 students at present so it doesn't seem to be a problem, and many of our senior instructors have come from other styles, alot of them at 2nd dan shotokan or above. As far as poor instructors go, with that number of students there are bound to be a few instructors who aren't as good as the rest but have you looked at the other clubs in your area(apart from GKR) I have, and alot of the time both the instuctor and the content of the class are dire. I met an instructor the other month who was 25years of age and was claiming to be a 14th Dan, the highest ranked Japanese master is only a 10th dan!(but I don't go round slagging the club) As for my grade I'm quite new to the club and am only a yellow belt but have trained in many other styles over the years and have found the standard of intrsuction to be high, I also have no qualms about the 22 pounds I paid to join, I have paid similar amounts for licences in the past. GKR has been established in Australia for a much longer period and has won a great deal of the open championship tournaments over there......I have faith in the style, belief in the club, and will be sticking with it for many years to come. None of this post is meant to cause offence, just to answer questions so unless you have seen the club as whole then please stop critising it. Friends? (the black belt you refered to in the above quote is a black and white belt-so the students know who the instructor is, not a relection of grade)

[username237]

ok well good luck...

[BonnyBoy]

I have worked for GKR and trained in GKR. I have seen 'Kancho Robert Sullivan' sparring and attended a class he instructed.

 

Personally, I was not impressed. I was absolutely disgusted.

 

All just MO, of course.