GKR - GO KAN RYU - Instructor qualifications.

**Yoj** · Posted On: 7/27/2009 2:38pm

1 in 100 or not, by staying you are helping to maintain the existence of this 'art'.

I left a dojo because of the changes there made it into a mcdojo purely for money, after I'd been there 10 years, I could no longer stomach it morally.

You should consider this.

Also, when you get your new blackbelts, people will only have respect for the wado one, because the MA community at large won't think much of a GKR rank.

**Sparkie101** · Posted On: 7/28/2009 6:32am

Hello again,

How many people come go to a GKR class and know the difference between the black white and the black belt?
How many of those people have already paid their membership fee?
Would they ask for their money back if they were being taught by a blue belt, do you think?

1). All of my students know I'm not a black belt and most know my grade. It's only the younger ones that never seem to ask, however, their parents do and so I tell them, some leave but most stay.

2). All of them must pay their membership fee upfront, however, I am aware thet they are only paying half upfront for a 3mths trial and then will need to pay the rest if wanting full membership. This is the SDCs responcibility.

3). No, no refunds but membership is transferable if full member.

Some contact does not equal 'no contact'. Do you not think that it's misleading to call a martial art 'no contact' only for it to be at the discretion of the instructor?
I have no problem with 'some contact' or 'progressive contact'... I jsut have a problem with it being advertised as non contact when it clearly isn't, as most people would understand it.

I think that the contact thing is taken all out of porportion and should just come down to simple common sence, I mean, if you signed up to a Karate class would you really expect no contact? I wouldn't, but I would expect it to be the absoulute minimum if no contact is stated. Other examples of this are sports like rugby or football, no contact is mentioned, however, is a reasonable asumption that things may happen when two sides are competing against each other.

How would you compare the two styles? If you had to compare grade against grade in Wado & GKR... which of the two clubs demonstrates the best techniques? What about control?

That's quite a difficult one, it's like asking me if I like green apples or red apples... both tast great but in different textures and both look good but in different colours. I'm not trying to evade your question but it is difficult to explain.

There was a very good atmosphere there, lots of very happy people with tons of medals. Looked like a lot of fun was had.
Where's your club?

Yes, it was, my students loved it so was good to see everyone enjoy themselves. The do-jo I look after is in Withernsea at the pavilion leisure centre from 10:30am to 12pm every sat morning, your more than welcome to pop by and have a peak.

Other than instructor belts ;-)

You don't get uchi/soto uke mixed up? Wado switches them compared to GKR, I seem to recall.
Good on you for training something other than GKR.

First of all... cheeky (lol) and yes.. I was confused at first but you get used to it, I have my next grading at the end of this month for my 7th Kyu so looking forward to that, I have a high pass rate so a lot is expected from me (no pressure eh!).

1] Do you specifically train self-defence, or is it mainly from kata bunkai?

2] What grade were you when you started teaching?

[/QUOTE]

1). It's a range of all those depending on what I have planned to teach for that morning. One week might just be looking at bunkai or another partner work and kumite. All in all my students seem to enjoy.

2). 7th

Liam

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 7/28/2009 10:45am

Hi Liam, would you have signed up for GKR if the salesman had told you that you would be taught by a fellow beginner?

**Sparkie101** · Posted On: 7/28/2009 10:53am

I would question it, and yes, if may have made me change my mind to not joining but they don't tell you that and I think they should. Disclosure is an honest way of going about your business but I can clearly see why they don't from the business prospective.

Besides, I'm here now and would be a shame to waste all that time and effort to just pick up and leave. I hope that my skills are recognised as my own acheivement and not that of GKR.. I don't speek for them, I am my own and that is why I beleive in my status.

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 7/28/2009 10:58am

Originally Posted by Sparkie101

Besides, I'm here now and would be a shame to waste all that time and effort to just pick up and leave.

DING, DING, DING! You got it first go, good for you.

People sign up, then find out the instructors aren't really qualified, but by that stage they've already put time and money into it, so they stick with it. It's a scam, no matter what way you paint it.

**Yoj** · Posted On: 7/28/2009 11:13am

The point is, the time is already wasted. By staying all you will end up with is more wasted time and a worthless belt.

I'm not saying that because I have an axe to grind, but because of experience, later on you will see....

**sochin101** · Posted On: 7/28/2009 2:38pm

Originally Posted by xXMADDIEXx

sochin101-I wouldnt go as fa as to say GKR is ani-female but the fact is the last time I checked there werent any above "Sensei" level.

ok, I just wondered because of the comment. Also wondered if there was an axe to be ground ;-)

As for the contact...I think its ego. The "sensei" involved liked to demonstrate what he was capable of which is funny against an exhausted opponent after an hour and half of grading. Also he was annoyed when I smacked (like for like) him back warning me I made contact...

I've heard this sort of thing a lot. Showboating instructor/senior grade making a point. That said, it happens in ALL styles.

Self defence- virtually nil. The only time SD was covered it was taught by an instructor sort of off the record from training he had recieved elsewhere and in hindsight was a idiots guide to jujitsu. Kata bunkai is virtually non-existant and I really wonder how much the RS actually knows or passes on.

I'm interested in this self-defence angle because it's one of the things that GKR uses in the sales pitch.

The problem with the instructors hiding their real grade is that you get people like myself that remember when these "sensei" were white belts. It kind of ruines the mistique when you remember a student that wouldnt say boo and now demands respect because they went on a STP course... I love Karate and couldnt understand in all the years I hope to train that I would decide after 12 weeks from begining that I would spend the rest of my Karate career as a "sensei". GKR is exploiting these people. And while i'm on the subject of these "sensei" (I knew more would come to me) I remember certain "sensei" going from yellow belt to B/W in 6 weeks. And again without naming names I am aware of one GKR "sensei" in R22 with a criminal record.

An instructor in R31 was recently stripped of his instructor status because his CRB check came back with an old arrest/conviction.
He taught for a while though... something that GKR are supposed to be dead set against,

**sochin101** · Posted On: 7/28/2009 2:55pm

Originally Posted by Sparkie101

1). All of my students know I'm not a black belt and most know my grade. It's only the younger ones that never seem to ask, however, their parents do and so I tell them, some leave but most stay.

liam, would you take it a step further and teach in your coloured belt?

2). All of them must pay their membership fee upfront, however, I am aware thet they are only paying half upfront for a 3mths trial and then will need to pay the rest if wanting full membership. This is the SDCs responcibility.

Now, is the first payment the SDC's cut or the second? :-) I think it's the second.

3). No, no refunds but membership is transferable if full member.

That might be one reason that people don't leave. It's a decent amount of money to throw away.

I think that the contact thing is taken all out of porportion and should just come down to simple common sence, I mean, if you signed up to a Karate class would you really expect no contact? I wouldn't, but I would expect it to be the absoulute minimum if no contact is stated. Other examples of this are sports like rugby or football, no contact is mentioned, however, is a reasonable asumption that things may happen when two sides are competing against each other.

Contact is implicit in football, rugby. They're physical pursuits, as is something like karate. You'd expect contact in a contact sport. Unless you're told it's non-contact.
Think about things like non-alcoholic beer and wine.
Think about meat-free sausages.
Their names signify their difference from the norm, from the expected.
GKR puts meat in veggie-burgers, my friend.

That's quite a difficult one, it's like asking me if I like green apples or red apples... both tast great but in different textures and both look good but in different colours. I'm not trying to evade your question but it is difficult to explain.

fair comment. I've done a few styles of karate and they all had their positive points.

The do-jo I look after is in Withernsea at the pavilion leisure centre from 10:30am to 12pm every sat morning, your more than welcome to pop by and have a peak.

Thanks Liam, if I'm ever in the area, I'll pop and say hi.

1). It's a range of all those depending on what I have planned to teach for that morning. One week might just be looking at bunkai or another partner work and kumite. All in all my students seem to enjoy.

In your STP and follow up instructor training... what specific training did you do into self defence? Did you deal with fight psychology? Fight/flight reflex? Weapons defence? Have you tried defence against different style of attacker?

**Sparkie101** · Posted On: 7/29/2009 6:22am

Hello again.

Maybe I chose the wrong examples and I wish I refered to your examples as above i.e. non alchoholic beer & wine just because of the fact that they cant take all of the alchohol out and your still left with say 0.05% alchohol. Even though gke is advertised as "Non-Contact" is is common sence to assume there will be,it is, after all, a MA (although some disagree and have their opinion). I can understand your point, it should be made more clear, however, I still think that anyone entering into a do-jo and not expecting any contact might not all be there.

liam, would you take it a step further and teach in your coloured belt?
Now, is the first payment the SDC's cut or the second? :-) I think it's the second.

If it where permitted then I don't see any reason why not, although the obvious would prob happen in that anything below brown would have no students left. There is one benefit to GKR and that is if your on the STP. 1). because it's free to attend any class, including senior class where I get trained by 2nd dan, quite lucky in that respect as he's really good at what he does. Sometimes feels he lacks people skill but I put that down to his job and the way he has to be to make a living. I have a high respect for what he has acheived in his status, however, not that of pushy sales teq.
2). you don't work for GKR and are free to enjoy trainig without the door knocking. Although, as previously stated I did really think about this, just because of the high earning potential and that my main job comes nowhere close (my girlfriend hates the idea and stoped me).

With regards to the SDC I have no idea what they get, honest answer.

In your STP and follow up instructor training... what specific training did you do into self defence? Did you deal with fight psychology? Fight/flight reflex? Weapons defence? Have you tried defence against different style of attacker?

Not quite sure, pretty much says it all I suppose. The training we do comes from Kata bunkai, short combination partner work and kumite, I've done as we all do and just adapt. Never done any wepons defence but I do have a keen interest in Akido and is on my list.

Thanks Liam, if I'm ever in the area, I'll pop and say hi.

Please do, will be nice to make new friends and contacts in the world of MA.

Liam

**sochin101** · Posted On: 7/29/2009 8:50am

Originally Posted by Sparkie101

Maybe I chose the wrong examples and I wish I refered to your examples as above i.e. non alchoholic beer & wine just because of the fact that they cant take all of the alchohol out and your still left with say 0.05% alchohol.

I have no problem with GKR claiming 0.05% contact, or low-contact :-)

Even though gke is advertised as "Non-Contact" is is common sence to assume there will be,it is, after all, a MA (although some disagree and have their opinion). I can understand your point, it should be made more clear, however, I still think that anyone entering into a do-jo and not expecting any contact might not all be there.

It would be common-sense to assume it in the absence of other information.

Examples:I wouldn't expect to get hit in a cardio-kickboxing or boxercise class, despite them being derived from contact sports.
I would expect to get hit at karate. I wouldn't expect it if I'm told it's non-contact.

If it where permitted then I don't see any reason why not, although the obvious would prob happen in that anything below brown would have no students left.

I think you're correct.

There is one benefit to GKR and that is if your on the STP. 1). because it's free to attend any class, including senior class where I get trained by 2nd dan, quite lucky in that respect as he's really good at what he does. Sometimes feels he lacks people skill but I put that down to his job and the way he has to be to make a living. I have a high respect for what he has acheived in his status, however, not that of pushy sales teq.
2). you don't work for GKR and are free to enjoy trainig without the door knocking. Although, as previously stated I did really think about this, just because of the high earning potential and that my main job comes nowhere close (my girlfriend hates the idea and stoped me).

The second dan... is that someone with the initials JD? Signs his texts SJD?

With regards to the SDC I have no idea what they get, honest answer.

It changed recently. I think they get half the membership fee.

Not quite sure, pretty much says it all I suppose. The training we do comes from Kata bunkai, short combination partner work and kumite, I've done as we all do and just adapt. Never done any wepons defence but I do have a keen interest in Akido and is on my list.

See, GKR advertises Self Defence as one of the selling points and the SDCs push it HARD... but you guys aren't given the training to deliver that key component.