GKR Karate

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Go Kan Ryu or GKR, is a style of Karate mixing Shotokan and Goju Ryu together into one style. The name of the club roughly translates to "The Hard and Complete System of the Way of the Empty Hand". The motto behind the club is "Karate for Everyone", as this can be seen by the fact that many of GKR's members range from young ages to old and are still expected to become true martial artists.

1 Origins
2 Tournaments
3 Instruction
4 Grading System
5 Kata
6 Kancho Robert Sullivan
7 Controversies
8 Other Info
9 Links

[edit] Origins

The club was founded in Adelaide (Australia), in 1984 by Robert Sullivan; known to the members as 'Kancho' (Founder)[1]. He was later joined in 1991 by Stacy Karetsian, who previously attained Black Belt status in Shotokan. He was later given the title of 'Shihan' (Master) by Sullivan in 2000[2].

Since its inception, GKR has grown significantly and currently has well over 40,000 students, 1500 instructors and 400 full time personnel. Classes take place on a weekly basis in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the USA. GKR has established strong foundations to sustain continued growth without compromising on its main focus - teaching quality karate.[3]

[edit] Tournaments

GKR members regularly win the highest honours in the National All Styles competitions in Australia [4]. GKR does not compete in the Australian Karate Federation championships.

GKR has had a lot of success in the National All Styles Tournament Circuit, winning seven out of twelve of the circuit's "Champion of Champions" titles over the six years that the title has been running (Glenn Hutchison 2001, Vedran Lovric, Angela Uytingco 2002, Craig Lennox, Angela Uytingco 2003, Ben Cunningham 2004, Ben Cunningham 2005). There is also some controversy to this tournament, however.

GKR's second in command, Stacey Karetsian is on the World NAS board, and the UK NAS [5] director is GKR regional manager James Boardman. A large percentage of its referees are also GKR members.

GKR also holds regular in-club tournaments throughout the year. These tournaments are run usually twice a year, one being a Regional tournament, the other a National. They also have a World Cup, which happens every 2 years.

[edit] Instruction

GKR has Instructors called Sensei's and Sempai's. Prospective instructors who have at least achieved yellow belt (8th Kyu) in the GKR system, are invited to the more intensive 'STP' "Sensei/Sempai Training Program". GKR trains all prospective instructors for an indefinite period (usually around 10 weeks) in an intensive training program before an exam is set, which they must pass to be accepted onto the 'STP' "Sensei/Sempai Training Program". From this point on, the new trainee may be used as a sempai and later as a temporary stand-in for other regular instructors, they will carry the rank of Sempai until the senior instructor "Regional Manager" deems them competent to stand in or teach there own class. From the point of passing the exam the new Sempai will wear a Black and White belt to denote them as Sempai/Sensei until the either grade to "Shodan Ho" (provisional Black Belt) or leave the instructor program. Sensei and Sempai are expected to attend senior training with their "Regional Manager" at least once a week and recommended to train as much as possible.

[edit] Grading System

GKR Karate employs a coloured belt grading system [6]. Each rank is called a 'Kyu' until the black belt grade. The recommended minimum times are listed below (NB: the below times are per belt, not cumulative, although in some rare cases these may be ignored if the regional Sensei feels that some one is advanced enough):

10th Kyu - White Belt

9th Kyu - White Belt (Yellow Tip) - 3 weeks, 6 classes

8th Kyu - Yellow Belt - 3 weeks, 6 classes

7th Kyu Ho - Yellow Belt (Orange Tip) - 6 weeks, 12 classes

7th Kyu - Orange Belt - 6 weeks, 12 classes

6th Kyu - Green Belt (Start of Intermediate Grades) - 4 months, 36 classes

5th Kyu - Blue Belt - 5 months, 40 classes

4th Kyu - Red Belt (Start of Advanced Grades) - 5 months, 40 classes

3rd Kyu - Brown Belt - 6 months, 50 classes

2nd Kyu - Brown Belt (Black Tip) - 6 months, 50 classes

1st Kyu - Brown Belt (Double Black Tip) - 6 months, 50 classes

Shodan Ho - Provisional Black Belt - 6 months, 50 classes

Shodan/1st Dan-1st Black Belt - one year, 100 classes

Nidan/2nd Dan- 2nd Black Belt - two years, 200 classes

The tips are given as encouragement grades. For instance, the Yellow Tip is given after 6 classes.

As of June 2006, Kancho Sullivan is ranked 7th Dan [7] under the Go Kan Ryu syllabus, and Shihan is a 5th dan [8]. Joe Estrada is the highest UK karateka at 4th dan [9]. While some students may move more quickly through the ranks then others, GKR argues that karate is, above all else, a personal journey, with an individual's progress from their starting point being more important than specific markers of technical skill. GKR also point out that, unlike many organisations, a student who fails a grading is not asked to pay for subsequent attempts at the grading.

[edit] Kata

From the age of 13 or 6th Kyu (Green Belt) Kata (routines) must be performed to show a significant progress in technique and strength. At each Grading a student will perform the Kata for their belt and all the ones for the levels below. It has been known for a black belt not to be given because of a fault with the Taikyoku Shodan (First Kata) of the student.

For Yellow belt- Taigyoku Shodan

Orange belt- Taigyoku Nidan

Green belt and Blue belt- Saifa

Red and Brown belt (4th and 3rd kyu) - Bassai Dai

2nd kyu - Seiunchin

1st kyu - Empi

Shodan Ho - Sanseryu, Sepai

Shodan - Sepai, Hangetsu

Nidan - Kururunfa, Kanku Dai

Sandan - Shishoshin, Kanku Sho

Yondan - Seisan, Sochin

Each style of Karate has its own Kata, the ones used in GKR are combinations of those from the styles Kancho Sulivan studied. Also an important part of kata is bunkai or applications, many GKR Sensi will explain the Kata using the bunkai to help the students learn them.

[edit] Kancho Robert Sullivan

Kancho Robert Sullivan is the Founder and Chief Instructor of Go-Kan-Ryu Karate (GKR)

Born in 1947, Robert spent most of his early life growing up in Gosford, New South Wales. At the age of 17, his fascination for martial arts led him to begin training Karate.

He returned home to Australia from America (where he had been teaching karate and had even had a short run on TV) in December 1971 to marry and begin his family. This is with just 7 years experience. Over the next 13 years Robert gained experience working and starting a number of businesses, but he eventually found himself turning his focus back to his passion for teaching karate. In 1984 he started Go Kan Ryu karate. His original aim was to build a small karate club, but in the 20 years since then, the club membership has blossomed.

It is known that Kancho's training involved getting a green belt in Goju Kai [10] as well as training for four months in another style. Kancho also once went on a course with the great Hirokazu Kanazawa of the amazing Shotokan fame.

[edit] Controversies

Kenshukai Karate - The former managing director of the organisation, Adrian Sclanders, unsuccessfully attempted to wrest the organisation from Sullivan's control. He was subsequently dismissed from the organisation, starting up his own schools called Kenshukai. Another break off of this is
NAS (National All Styles) - The UK NAS tournaments are currently judged mainly by the same people used in GKR tournaments. This is probably due to the fact that it's mainly run by GKR.
Recruitment - Probably half of GKR's total member base is from its Door-to-Door Recruitment system. However, the members do not seem to mind. It is often children who are signed into this system by parents, although a lot of adults have come along too. The recruitment method of door to door selling is un-popular with sections of the martial arts community. Many other styles have slated GKR for its "commercial" or amway approach to Martial Arts, and GKR not caring about their members. However, GKR shrugs this off due to the fact there is a strong "Family" feel amongst its Students and Senseis. This feeling is very poignant. It gives GKR a feeling of a social club rather than a place of martial arts.
Sensei Training - It is expected that Senseis and Sempais will attend Senior training on a regular weekly basis.
Sensei Recruitment - Often Senseis will spot students who have potential and attempt to encourage them to become a Sensei.
Insurance - GKR's insurance provides coverage to all people under the care and control of GKR. This means both students and instructors, whether an injury occurs in class, special seminar or other event. The insurance is negligence/fault based and what this means in practice is that all incidents are covered except for pure accidents where there is no negligence or contributory negligence. GKR remind all GKR participants of their responsibility to take all reasonable steps to avoid or minimise risk by adherence to GKR’s protocols and the use of safety equipment. Instructors are covered for liability and can rely on GKR’s insurance to protect them from a claim. Additionally, there is member to member cover. This means that if an injury is caused by a student to another student, this is covered so long as it occurs in the course of the members’ participation in any GKR supervised class or activity. GKR does not provide “no fault” sick and accident coverage for students as the premiums are very substantial. Furthermore many people have sick leave, medical insurance and private sick and accident cover and it would be unfair to ask these people to contribute through higher class fees (or yearly membership fees) towards those who chose to not have this form of cover. GKR expect that people who are engaged in an active sport are aware that from time to time accidents happen and therefore they choose to make whatever arrangements they deem appropriate to their circumstances.

[edit] Other Info

Children as young as 5 can begin training with GKR. They are often recommended to go to the earlier classes, as they are often only 1 hour long. Up to 13 years old they are trained following a different Syllabus to allow for the fact that their bodys are not as mature as the adults and that they are not as mentally mature.

Countries where GKR reside are often split into Zones, then Regions. Although this leads to many regions.
Most of the Senior Instructors, eg. Gavin Samin, Nabil Fanous etc have previously trained in other styles, such as Shotokan, Kung Fu etc.