Grandmaster Steve Fossum

     IKF President and Master Sensei Steve Fossum use to run one of the largest martial arts schools in the Nation. It was 3 levels and over 17,000 square feet in size with over 400 students. However, the growth of the IKF forced him to make a decision as to his time and efforts.
     The IKF experienced its main growth between 1997 and 1999. Because of this growth, Mr. Fossum has an intense travel schedule and is on the road a lot, traveling to IKF Events around the world. From this growth, Mr. Fossum was forced to make a decision as to where his time, energy and efforts would best be utilized. Lucky for all of us in the IKF, he choose the IKF.
     However, his choice was not because he didn't like teaching martial arts. Instead it was the loss of desire to compete competitively with what many of us know as "The Black Belt Factory Schools." When he first opened his school in Newcastle it was his 12 martial arts school. His competition was with 4 good schools in a 10 mile radius. By the time he closed his commercial karate school 8 years later in 1998, 11 schools had opened up within that 10 mile radius of his offering free uniforms, quick belt promotions and many more marketing incentives for new students to sign-up.
     To compete he had to face the facts. Offer quicker belt promotions, make the requirements much easier and make black belt a lot easier. It was a choice he didn't want to make so he closed his doors. Being a student of the martial arts since 1976 and like many TRUE martial artist, he just shakes his head when he sees an 8, 10 or 12 year old Black Belts. He simply hated to see a child be given FALSE CONFIDENCE at 8 years old with a black belt around his waist. We've all seen them. A quick look in ANY Dictionary gives the definition of Black Belt as "An EXPERT in the Martial Arts."
     Sorry, but there is no way a CHILD can become an EXPERT in a fighting System such as System 5 Karate or ANY Martial Art for that matter. He/she can become good a self defense skills, forms, katas etc, but for ANY INSTRUCTOR to PROMOTE AND CERTIFY a child as an EXPERT in martial arts is a SHAME to the Martial Arts! Such a rank at such a young age is simply ridiculous! Many schools today who are passing students to the rank of Black Belt are doing it for one purpose only… Financial Gain$$$!
     Mr. Fossum wouldn't have ANY part of that! We've all seen children as well as grown men and women with the same false sense of confidence when they're given that black belt or ANY belt from very little effort, just to keep them motivated so they'll keep paying those dues and make their instructor happy and rich.
     So, in December of 1998, Mr. Fossum decided to close his commercially operated karate school. With this decision and after several changes around the facility, he reopened in June of 1999 as a Private Club. In doing so, he kept only a few of his more serious students and become very selective as to who he allows to attend the private sessions he still teaches.
     Mr. Fossum started his martial arts training in 1976. His first style was Tae Kwon Do where he quickly became a Black Belt in only 23 months. He also studied Shotokan where he earned his Shodan. ( Black Belt) Today he holds a total of 12 degrees of Black Belt in 3 different styles of martial arts: a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a 1st degree in Shotokan and a Master Sensei Rank (9th) in System 5 Combat Karate, the style he teaches today at his school. He's won 6 International titles and 11 National titles along with numerous state and local titles in 3 different divisions; karate point fighting, hand to hand combat and of course, full contact kickboxing. He's been operating a martial arts school since 1982.
     His decision to focus on the IKF was one of the greatest decisions of his life. As World President of the IKF since 1992, he and his worldwide associates have built the IKF into the Largest Kickboxing Sanctioning Body in the World overseeing kickboxing fighters, trainers, promoters, officials and events on every continent around the world.