Chito-Ryu Karate vs Go Kan Ryu

[Safroot]

Chito ryu all the way!!

Keep us updated!

Have you practiced it before?!

[Nidan Melbourne]

Thank you all so much for your comments. while I was browsing the internet I found many negative feedbacks about GKR. I wonder how these guys are popular in Australia and have large number of members?!

I met the "sales rep." of GKR and she was trying to push me by all means to join them on that night, she wasn't a very professional rep anyway

That's the probably the reason why so may people joined up to GKR because they felt pressured to sign up to that style. Apparently Robert Sullivan who is the head (and founder) of GKR grew up here in Australia (In Adelaide, South Australia).

Every time i've met one of their sales reps i ask them so many questions that they feel uncomfortable about trying to get me to sign up. I have asked them about the history of their style, what styles of karate is GKR are utilizing (Goju and Shotokan), what are their levels of physical contact (so you are able to take hard hits and not go down in serious pain), how long that person has been training for, how long their instructor has trained for and the same for that instructors instructor, and several other questions.

My school is growing rapidly (I DO NOT Train in GKR) because we are getting positive reviews from students and also we do tell our friends about it when they ask about karate and where they should sign up. But we all don't go out and go "oh our dojo is so good ignore others. but we go we have a really good school that you might like but there are other dojo's in the area that you might like"

My main concern(s) with GKR are that they aren't allowing contact between their students. What happens when they do get into a fight and they get hit? also that they do a "sensei's" program which you can do when your approx a green belt (you get invited apparently) and then when you start teaching you wear a black belt with a white stripe in the middle of it (in majority of schools that belt is usually for junior black belts or provisional black belts).

The sensei's program you do take time to see if your really worthy of being a teacher and are competent with all the technical knowledge that is required. The belt they wear (like i mentioned before) means their role of an instructor and not their actual rank. Which sounds strange to me because your actual ranks shows what your technical knowledge is at currently. If i was a student there and found out that instructor is only a green belt and their wearing a black belt around their waist i would be concerned and potentially running for the hills. I would feel more comfortable to know that my instructor has a strong basis of knowledge of all the kata, basics and other information that karate offers.

At most schools of karate you generally start teaching before you attain your black belt (depending on school usually around 2nd or 3rd kyu) to help improve your understanding and knowledge of what you have already learnt. Also you get to realize that there might be something wrong with what your doing when teaching them. But that would have a senior instructor there to ensure your teaching proper technique to those students.

and their qoute of "50,000 and surely we can't be wrong" or something like that. Well yeah there is an potential issue of how you got those members and has Robert Sullivan ensured the quality of his students and how will they manage themselves for self defense.

Although I do sound like I am condeming GKR because of a lot of their faults. there are a few things that they do well; build self esteem in their students, improve confidence, some fitness is improved, families can train together and have fun, you make friends, get to enjoy yourself. But they do offer classes that depending on your age and gender (not trying to sound sexist and i apologize to anyone that was offended).

So children will train with children, teens with teens, men with men, women with women, and seniors with seniors. The problem i see with men and women (adults) training in separate classes is that assaults and other attacks are usually by men (not always as there are women who will do the same thing to men or other women). But IMHO it would be better if both genders (for Adults) to train together, that way both genders know how to defend themselves against (not only the same gender) the opposite gender.

http://www.gkrkarate.com/index.php?x=HOME~|^`1A

Where i train we have our children (up to and including 13 year olds) training together. Our teens (14+) will train with the adults. and our instructors (usually 3rd kyu which is for us Blue Belt and up) will teach and provide some pressure during kumite (sparring)

That is why i say Chito-Ryu as the better style of karate to attend.

[Safroot]

I've met a couple of Chito-ryu guys.

Solid Karate as I understand it!

Not sure how widely practiced it is in Japan (or Okinawa for that matter), but it seems to be more popular in North America (the guys I met were from Canada I think).

K.

What do you mean by solid karate ?!

sorry I have no much info about the martial arts ... I am just starting

[wagnerk]

...I want to do it for fitness and self-defense and I am 30 years old. Thank you

I would say (without getting into the debate of certain karate styles), go for Chito-Ryu. GKR is advertised as non-contact and may not be as effective as a self-defence art.

[sensei8]

...I want to do it for fitness and self-defense and I am 30 years old. Thank you

I would say (without getting into the debate of certain karate styles), go for Chito-Ryu. GKR is advertised as non-contact and may not be as effective as a self-defence art.

Solid post!!

Contact happens, and needs to happen to rid one of any fears involving said contact that's required in sparring. Sparring must be done if ones to know how to defend oneself, imho.

[Shikitai]

Hi Safroot,

How did you go?

I would strongly recommend Chito-Ryu. I am biased because I train and teach Chito-Ryu but I have also done other styles in the past.

What ever you decide 2 things to look at:

1. Depth of the Style - How much knowledge is there in the style and is it accessible. There is nothing worse than training for a while and then realising there is not much left to learn. If someone says once you reach black belt there is nothing left to learn so you start teaching then they are unfortunate that the path they have chosen is a very shallow one.

2. Quality of Instruction - You can have the best style in the world but if they are not good instructors then you will never learn enough to understand the style. In Chito-Ryu the process and time allowed before you can teach is a pretty long one. Chito-Ryu hasn't expanded very quickly because of this but the quality of authentic Chito-Ryu Schools is pretty high as a result.

Good luck. PM me if you want more info on Chito-Ryu in your area.

[kensei]

Hi Safroot and all,

For the past while I have been reading alot about GKR on their site and on forums. from what I gather they are a pyramid system of clubs that put juniors in charge of classes so funds can be funneled up the chain to the creator. they are a mish mash of Goju and Shotokan and both depth of teh arts is lacking from what I have seen.

Now, I have seen some "Sensei" out of that program as low as yellow or orange belt teaching small groups. How can you teach what you dont fully know? I would RUN out of that class as fast as I can.

As far as separation by sex, age ext...its horrible. I would say that all the reasons to train with someone bigger or faster or more likely to assault you would be the attraction not a reason to not spar with someone not built like you or not the same gender. IN my club you check your gender at the door and train with everyone based on your skill level not what gender you are.

Chito is strong in Canada and Ihave much respect for it, its a bit strange in the history department but the practice is fine! I would jump at chito with both feet!

[AusRonin]

A quick look through the responses to date....and looks like GKR don't get a good rap. As most have said before - they are family orientated; they do enlist door to door; they do advocate non-contact; they do heavily promote growth via new dojo locations with inexperienced sensei and it does appear to be heavily structured as a pyramid business structure.

Having said that some of these attributes suit some people. I know of a family that train in GKR and they like the family atmosphere, they have broad social networks with other members that have developed as a result of the club. They wouldn't want to train in a "contact" style MA and wouldn't consider leaving the club after some 5 years duration. I know of some clubs that openly advertise "we are non-contact". This obviously appeals to some parents as this guy has a good student base.

Personally I wouldn't go near them. The clinker for me was when Robert Sullivan self graded - He awarded 3rd to 6th dan grades to himself. His 7th and 8th dan was awarded by his senior instructors. Surly he could have put an independent panel together at some point

Maybe have a look at him in action for yourself and form your own opinion:

I know age wearies us all, but I would rate this as Shodan level personally...

I suspect he must have some lower ranking members that do have some ability to uphold the technical standard required, or alternatively, there is no real depth of technical standard within the organisation because it can't be coming from this guy IMO...

[wagnerk]

Hi Safroot,

How did you go?

....

I believe Safroot has started Kyokushin karate

[Safroot]

Hi Safroot,

How did you go?

I would strongly recommend Chito-Ryu. I am biased because I train and teach Chito-Ryu but I have also done other styles in the past.

What ever you decide 2 things to look at:

1. Depth of the Style - How much knowledge is there in the style and is it accessible. There is nothing worse than training for a while and then realising there is not much left to learn. If someone says once you reach black belt there is nothing left to learn so you start teaching then they are unfortunate that the path they have chosen is a very shallow one.

2. Quality of Instruction - You can have the best style in the world but if they are not good instructors then you will never learn enough to understand the style. In Chito-Ryu the process and time allowed before you can teach is a pretty long one. Chito-Ryu hasn't expanded very quickly because of this but the quality of authentic Chito-Ryu Schools is pretty high as a result.

Good luck. PM me if you want more info on Chito-Ryu in your area.

Thanks for advice .. I have just started Kyokushin Karate 2 weeks ago and I really love it

Very good style, very good instructor and nice & helpful mates training in the dojo