GKR Karate reviews and complaints
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Pyramid scheme
GKR Karate is nothing but a pyramid scheme. It encourages people to give up their jobs to go knocking on doors to recruit new members. The Karate is sports based and very watered down but they sell it as teaching you self defence. I know several people who have lost theis marriages because of these people. They get you to do more and more promising you...
Read full review of GKR Karate and 8 commentsgreg brown region 6 manager
I was a volunteer karate instructor for region 6 of GKR australia. Greg Brown is the regional instructor. Greg lives in shunshine victoria.
I had to leave teaching (it was not a paid poistion) due to health and fmaily considerations. I explained this too him. Explained that i would still train but just no longer teach. I wish him well adn gkr well.
At no time was anything bad or any hard feelins.
Gred told me fine.
Gred proceded to email every other instructor in our region of which there are over 50 that not only had I left but that I was prone to spreading rumours and false allegations. Greg instructed every one else to inform him if I went to train or even spoke to them.
Greg did not send me a email, I found out about it. I have tried to contact him regarding this, to find out what I am supposed to have said or to who but get no response.
It has casued enormous emotional and other stress.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Con artists
GKR Karate is nothing but a pyramid scheme. It encourages people to give up their jobs to go knocking on doors to recruit new members. The Karate is sports based and very watered down but they sell it as teaching you self defence.
I know several people who have lost theis marriages because of these people. They get you to do more and more promising you the earth but the truth is the only people who earn are those few at the top. I lost my house because of these people.
They lurk outside job centres to recruit people to go door knocking. Please don't get fooled by these con artists.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
My 9 year old daughter is thoroughly enjoying it so if there are any concerning parents I urge you not to worry.
We had a salesman turn up to our door and I usually turn them away before they even open their mouth but was interested in what he had to say thinking about my daughter to get involved in an outside of school activity.
One of the best things I have ever done, yes he attempted to sign us all up but we stood our ground and agreed for our daughter to try a few lessons. She has been going for about 4 months now and today received her yellow belt. The pride she has, skills she has learnt and taking part in an activity away from an electrical device for an hour on a Thursday evening has been worth every penny. She loves it and that's all that matters, I observe the classes sometimes and agree they aren't my cup of tea but the people involved take it seriously but all enjoy it and see the benefits to them, that's all that matters. All the instructors seem to enjoy it too, you will always find bad apples just as any job role in this country but my experiences with this have been nothing but positive and I only pay the fees for someone else to take part. Today's lesson/grading cost £26 for 1 hour but at the end she had a smile from ear to ear with her yellow belt and certificate, I can't wait to see her proud self walk into her usual weekly lesson on Thursday wearing her yellow belt so worth every penny, my takeaway pizza last night cost the same, I know which one provided the most benefits. Hope this helps some worried parents out there, make your own choices not what other people's negativity tells you.
Okay what I wrote wasn't deleted great! I've told you my story so goodbye all.
ARE you having a laugh! Honest to GOD I spent two hours typing but complaintsboard.com logged me out! Okay I'll put it in a summary:
Instructor dedication varies from individual. Black belt instructors will take and give contact in kumite if consented.
Accidents do happen and have happened to me. This club really helped me but I'm not sure about long term of this business.
Good luck in training.
I was recruited when I was 12 years old.
I became an assistant instructor at 16.
At that time I became a SDC for the club going door-to-door trying to recruit.
I failed miserably but carried on being an instructor at 18.
Be careful of ego's in this club, that is something I will say without a doubt.
I had my nose/septum deviated by a punch from a black belt.
This grew into a depression which affected my confidence, thus ultimately closing the class that I alone was teaching at 19 years of age, and I was only 2nd kyu.
I went to hospital for septorhinoplasty and in winter I always feel the reminder on my face.
I watched people get their black belts from bloody bruised teary eyes.
But I got my black belt at 20 because all the effort and passion my instructors put into Karate, gave me the self image that I wanted to be like.
I am 26 years old now and if it wasn't for this 'Mcdojo' I would have killed myself because I lacked purpose and drive.
I have met Kancho Sullivan and Shihan Stacey Karetsian, and Bob McCracken.
I believe in them.
Kancho has my spirit, I will teach as long as I am still breathing.
This I swear on the holy spirit and the passion and the blood of Jesus Christ Almighty.
I tell you these things because I am cashing in my karma.
You must know the true story.
The grass root instructors keep the club going because we love Karate. Most are diehards but weaklings do slip through the cracks.
We get an annual cheque of £300 because that is the most they can give without the taxman taking a cut. Their words exactly 'travel expenses'.
So to all GKR diehards like me and all martial artists, I say this:
I entrust the future of this club to the businessmen who give their time, energy (and sometimes marriages) to this club.
I hold the present and I will make a difference to these few people I can teach.
The past i fondly remind myself of, and smile at two instructors who have died that I knew. They stay with me giving me strength.
I have outgrown everyone of my instructors. I am a black belt 2nd Dan. You hate me, you dislike me, you don't care, you wonder who I am.
I am who I am. Keep doing what you do and God help us all if he should see fit to do so. Goodbye.
Hello I have been in GKR Karate for the past 14 years. I am an instructor for this club. I will tell you my facts and my experiences but I must remain impartial. It's quite a list...
I have been involved in martial arts since I was 11 years old, from kung-fu to aikido, and the complaints and comments regarding GKR are unfounded.
I was a SDC for some years and really enjoyed the face to face interactions to get people fitter, more confident and obviously learning self defence.
I am due to return as a representative in 2016, working part time as I also manage boot camps, and to read all the negative rubbish that people are spouting is ridiculous.
I KNOW there have been some hick ups and some representatives that have given poor or inaccurate information, but the basic principles exist, get people fit and learn self defence for people who would like to start, but feel anxious, nervous or have the idea of instructors shouting, beating and being totally menacing - but representatives take that image away, and just because other clubs cant be bothered going to the students instead of the student going to them, why should GKR be branded a con / door scammers and so on - its crazy.
GKR has influenced so many people in a positive way, and got people up and active that other wise may not have.
People on here should step back for a bit, and think that NOT very martial art is right for everyone, but if GKR karate helps a kid feel more confident, or a person can defend himself/herself from a serious attack - then how is that a BAD thing.
me and my sister and brother trained with GKR for 15 years or so, we all was 1st kyu, and its really a mixed bag...I train at 2 public classes, both with 1st dan instructors, and they're are both really good, know their traditional karate, we learn alot and have fun.
But, I also train at the instructor classes a couple of times a month and this is where GKR falls apart for us. We all had 2 yellow belts and green belt instructors, taking their own classes who can't hold there stances, and they have to follow me when we do lower grade katas like Saifa and Bassai-dai . Its so embarrassing, and for most of the 2nd and 1st kyus that i train with, we feel angry and frustrated that we have worked for years to get to where we are, and when we train with the 5th kyu instructors, we have to stand at the end of the lines, below lower grades. GKR gives no respect to the higher grade students that it has had for years, because we won't sit an exam an be instructor and be committed.
At the bottom of the ladder, in the public classes, GkR is alot of fun. Its a traditional style and teaches simple effective techniques, as long as you also know the more violent side that the kids don't get taught...the eye gouges and knee kicks (i should know, i've been jumped a couple of times, would have stood no chance without GKR). But, its run as a business, with frankly extorsionate training fees, door to door salesmen, who only care about getting their commision, and the 100 or so they get from each person by the tyime they get their 1st grade...ffs, gkr even has its own brand of training gear, terrible quality Gi's and groin guards that crack after a couple of good kicks.
Also, we higher grade have to give the lower grades instructors the same respect as we would to a 4th dan instructor. and its so dam stupid, How can we show respect to a lower grade if there don't show respect to the higher grades REALLY.
Also. there also like to imitate and misleading you, from real martial art techniques/self defences and kumite, which is ban and outlaw in all gkr dojos.
Hell their barely, let you do any kick bags and force mitts, because its a non contact style for F$%$ Stacks.
My advice is if you haven't experienced GKR before, stay away, go train at a small kickboxing/boxing or a goju ryu club or something similar with contact training...don't give 'kancho' sullivan any of your money.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUmXns4ORaY
we are now instructors and teaching contact karate.
our school called karate academy.
I currently instruct with GKR in Sydney Australia, where the Shihan and Kancho are too.
Sadly yes, there's a lot of BS that goes on with a lot of RMs who don't quite know what they're doing, and some definitely under qualified instructors.
In the past couple years, there's been a huge shift in the upper ranks, however, and now it's completely reforming itself to become a more authentic martial art. I can't say much or release many details though, as I need to keep my identity safe and explaining would definitely compromise that (as it's only been released to a few instructors).
What i can say is that it varies dojo to dojo ENORMOUSLY. There are many instructors who are sub-par, for sure. But there are a few who train in other styles too, and who actually have lifetime experiences with karate who CHOSE GKR because of the accepting environment it has. There really are some fantastic trainers around, you just have to shop around until you find them.
There used to be a huge problem with students grading just for putting the money/time in. I can tell you now that in 2015 in Sydney, at least, that's not the case anymore. They're doing a lot more work with transforming it into a usable style - lots of work with bunkai, combinations, and kumite. As for the complaints for non-contact - this is true because they want to keep newcomers safe. But once you go to a more advanced class, you better believe you're going to get hit near full on.
Let me finish up by saying that as for the door-to-door stuff and business practices, that there is a HUGE divide between the ways that GKR conducts business (which I do not condone btw), and the actual training that takes place in local dojos. Most instructors are completely removed from the business side of things and we just want to enjoy training, and passing on knowledge to others. So please don't judge GKR's training quality by its business practices.
It might not be the best or most effective style, but they're putting their effort in now to make it one. And if people enjoy and get something out of it, even if that something is just some exercise, then training is training.
I train with GKR along with my three younger children. I returned to the club after 8 years - no rejoining fee for me had signed up my second eldest when she was one year old as part of a deal and transferred my eldest daughters life membership to one of my other children. So I paid £30 for my son's membership. It costs me £16 for the four of us to train and if my wife and eldest daughter decide to start training again it will still only cost £16.
In comparing the training from my previous experience with the club it has got more intense. The sensei is keen to show us the application of karate in self defence.
I know that there are other styles out there and have tried Shotokan but the weeknight gradings of the latter club put me off taking my kids there.
GKR has never tried to sell me a pyramid so I don't get what that's all about. Surely the countries Egypt, and the South America etc. would object? There would be an international incident about it!
Seriously though it is pretty obvious that those yelling pyramid scam have no idea what one is - please go and google it! Pyramid schemes are illegal in most countries and the authorities jump on them fairly quick. Yes quicker than the eight years between my training. Yes GKR actively markets itself through SDC's. These are sales positions. I was asked if I'd like to do this but I have no background in that sort of industry and worked full time so turned it down. If I had gone and taken the position it would have been my decision and my fault if I had made a success or failure of it. The truth of it is that I wouldn't have started Karate if someone hadn't knocked my door. Now I love it.
Have I been conned? No!
Have I been scammed out of money? No!
Does GKR train me and my family karate? Yes, the method is different to Shotokan but the basic moves are pretty much the same.
GKR isn't UFC neither is any other Karate club. There is more to it than that.
If GKR isn't for you fantastic you discovered something. But don't poison the well for others that it may be perfect for.
I worked for GKR forr a while and made loads of money doing it I was the top UK recruiter every week and was always on top gun sheet.
For me it was great however it is ridiculous they say to you that you will get rich progress and achieve your dreams however unless you have great sales ability you have no chance however they will still keep you until you loose everything you have and not care about the consequences. Realistically you can make alot of money however most people won't.
The reason I left you guys may ask as I was making soo much money was
The hours 6 days a week average of a 10 hour day was too much I have two kids and a fiancée which I intend to spend my time with.
Also my regional manager and sensei was rude and arrogant and to be honest wound me up all the time they way he advised people to break up their relationships as they where affecting his business
The karate they teach is good however isnt really very good I have since stopped training and moved onto bigger and better things.
But the final straw was when he said we was going to do conditioning and started by punches to the stomach and kicks to the legs all good I agree there however when he punched me in the face twice that was it I either left or ran him over with my car.
Now I own three different businesses and am very successful which I hate to say I owe to Gkr as the personal development and motivation they gave me was the main reason for my success
Overall I would say
Don't join unless you are great at selling
If it is severely impacting your personal life life, relationship or financial position leave before its too late I saw way to many people screw themselves because of this
It is a pyramid scheme however you can make money from it but in my opinion even for the progression it isn't worth it at all
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I am sorry that this allegedly happened to you, but I have to tell you that Sensei Greg was instrumental in my training and at NO time did he EVER "spread rumours" or do anything else negative to me. After he moved back to Australia I was extremely sad, and went on to train with Sensei Todd Robinson, who is also an awesome instructor.
Sensei Greg is not the kind of person to do what you described. As a matter of fact, he was constantly seeking self-improvement as well as encouraging his students.
Although I no longer train (made it to red belt under Sensei Todd), I must stand up for Sensei Greg. Sincerely, Kat Furman