Go Kan Ryu, the rape of Karate

**DubhGhaill** · Posted On: 7/07/2005 8:09pm

Go Kan Ryu was founded in 1984, in South Australia, by Robert Sullivan. He was, at the time, a 2nd Dan in Goju. He is now a 7th Dan Kancho and making an awful lot of money.
Go Kan Ryu is big and growing fast. It's primary presence is Aus and UK, but the incursion into the US has begun. It is famous for it's high pressure door to door sales tactics, it's pyramid shaped management structure and it's use of low grades as branch instructors. Intructors who are ranked below 1st Dan wear a black and white belt to conceal their true rank.
Information on grading requirements can be found here:
http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscrape...t/1693/id4.htm
but don't let those steep requirements stop you, they also have a direct entry instructor training program. No prior experience required:
http://www.gkrkarate.org/pages/career/careerl.html
GKR focuses on non-contact point fighting and 'self-defense'. One online sensei has argued against full contact training asking 'Which would you prefer, to get beaten up a thousand times in training, or once in the street?'
Oh, yes, one more reason they're famous, Gokan means rape in Japanese.
Visit the official GKR website here:
http://www.gkrkarate.com/default.asp
or visit the forums here:
http://www.gokanryu.info/
registering is required, but I haven't told them you're coming.

**antman** · Posted On: 7/07/2005 10:41pm

Rape as in to rape or getting raped?

**The_Ghost** · Posted On: 7/08/2005 12:30am

LOL, you get rep points for the title. But do you mean its been raped or is raping?

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 7/08/2005 1:00am

Isn't that Bob Sullivan guy an actor? I could swear I've seen him on TV or something.

**ScotchTape** · Posted On: 7/08/2005 1:34am

Perhaps you mean, Ed Sullivan?

http://www.timvp.com/sullivan.html

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 7/08/2005 1:41am

No. Close, but . . . no.

**Zeddy** · Posted On: 7/08/2005 6:18am

I spent several years at GKR, and most of the points above are correct. Apart from the translation anyway, that I have no idea on.

I'm not completely sure, but I think Sullivan is in bad shape at the moment after having cancer of some sort. Shihan Stacey Karetsian or somesuch got promoted I think.

**DubhGhaill** · Posted On: 7/08/2005 7:39am

I think that's the noun, not the verb, but we need to ask someone with better Japanese.

**Zeddy** · Posted On: 7/08/2005 8:03am

Okay I checked the kanji used on the site and the results are as follows:

Go as in strength or sturdiness.

Kan as in perfect or complete

Ryu as in style.

No rape.

Edit: I see where you've picked it up now. Goukan is the verb rape, not go kan.

Seriously, no sane person would name their school like that anyway, even mcdojos or bullshidos.