Kenshukai Karate
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Kenshukai Karate is a "re-spawn" of Go-Kan-Ryu Karate-Do; it incorporates features of both the Goju-ryu and Shotokan styles of karate, and was founded by Shihan Adrian Sclanders in 1992. Originally founded in Australia, the style recently set up an organisation in the UK. Kenshukai Karate is a 'non-contact style' (although at the highest levels of it, students do engage in contact sparring), exactly like GKR. It started out as a splinter group from the larger, more influential GKR Karate. Like GKR it has got red, black and white on its club badge, and has the same kata syllabus.
Kenshukai was formed when Sclanders unsuccessfully tried to wrest control from Robert Sullivan (of GKR); but he was later dismissed from GKR. Since this time major changes have taken place in Kenshukai, including many instructors being dismissed for failing police checks.
[edit] Controversy
Kenshukai has been the point of much controversy, below are a few points which are commonly discussed.
Many Kenshukai members get to a certain level with the club, but feel that they can no longer continue without having any experience with any other clubs and the students feel the club is too introverted compared to other clubs, particularly those in the EKGB, however, due to the joint governing body, this is likely to end in the future.
Although KSK advertise as non contact clubs, at tournaments, there has been many incidents of injuries, particularly worrying from a student's point of view would be the amount of head injuries, including those to childeren. It is often that although this is a 'non'-contact' club, these strikes are rewarded with points. This also happens in lessons, gradings and special events and is even encouraged above blue belt level in most dojos.
In addition to this, kenshukai (as well as related clubs, including GKR) are sometimes referred to as Martial Arts Cults, though to a lesser degree than many other arts.
