Steve Fossum

     Steve Fossum's International Karate was once one of the largest karate schools on the West Coast. Three levels and over 17,000 square feet in size and over 400 students. (Although still large now at approximately 11,000 square feet in size, the class programs are very different). Along with his passion for the System 5 Karate program, Mr. Fossum's other business is Kickboxing. If you wonder why he's not concerned with signing up hundreds of students today, maybe you didn't know that he's also the World President of the International Kickboxing FederationAs World President of the , IKF since 1992, Mr. Fossum has built the IKF into the Largest Kickboxing Sanctioning Body in the World Today overseeing kickboxing fighters, trainers, promoters, officials and events on every continent around the world. The IKF experienced its main growth between 1997 and 1999. Because of this growth, Mr. Fossum is on the road a lot, traveling to IKF Events around the world. From this growth, Mr. Fossum was forced to make a decision to downsize his Karate School and put more focus into the Worldwide operations of the IKF. So, in December of 1998, Mr. Fossum decided to close the Commercial System 5 Karate school.
     With this decision and after several changes around here, we reopened in June of 1999 as a Private Club. In doing so, Mr. Fossum has become very selective as to who he enrolls into the System 5 Karate Program. When he's not traveling for the IKF, he teaches classes to a select few private students. He refuses to, "Water the System Down" as other schools have done to keep students and to promote students to a BLACK BELT faster. He now only accepts students who wish to learn the true system. REAL SELF DEFENSE! The number of students is not what's important to him anymore. However the QUALITY of the few students he chooses to teach IS! Another reason that made Mr. Fossum decision to close his commercial school easier was the growing number of what he and other older Martial Artists of the area call "Black Belt Factory Schools." He has studied 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 passing students to the rank of Black Belt are doing it for one purpose only… Financial Gain$$$!
     Mr. Fossum will NOT 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. As we have already said, At our club, the number of students is not important anymore like it would be in a commercial school. The quality of them IS!