from Guy Sahri ©

In 1962, Claude Goetz and Jean de Haes created in Brussels, Belgium School of Karate, ancestor of CNK. In reality, this is one of the first clubs in Europe where we practice Karate only. Claude Goetz and Jacques Delcourt Chairman and co-founder of the World Karate Federation - WKF train to Paris to Tsutomu Oshima, a disciple of O Sensei Gichin Funakoshi. The great masters of Karate World as Taiji Kase, Keinosuke Enoeda, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Hiroshi Shirai and Harada Mitsusuke come regularly give lectures at the School of Karate, often called the European School of Karate. With the help of his students, Tsutomu Oshima puts up the first competitions, foreshadowing Karate « modern » in its various forms including Full Contact and Kickboxing. Three years later, Claude Goetz must, reluctantly, to dissolve the School of Karate because of his professional radio RTL. Beginning in 1970, Claude Goetz decided to recreate a club of Karate in Brussels, the Standing Club, which received its final seal CNK, National Center for Karate, some six years later. Located in the National Sports Center in Ixelles, the CNK is becoming increasingly important and has up to 450 practitioners, not counting various sections in Brussels and in the country. The CNB should also consolidate all the clubs in Fédération Bruxelloise de Karaté – FBK, join clubs that Taekwondo by Yong Kim for several years. The success of CNK is personality of Claude Goetz and modern training methods which gradually give rise to « all styles » and find their culmination in Light Contact. The CNK organized in 1972 the first United States Open championship, all federations together, Cup of Hope in 1977 and the championship teams in 1979. Without forgetting first women's championship, mini-competitions for children and even a section reserved for the disabled...

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Guy Sahri: What prompted you to practice and then became Professor of Martial Arts ?

Claude Goetz:

My sporting past consisted of Pankration and Boxing, and what interested me when I saw Karate was the technical feet !... I was fortunate to meet a Japanese who was very good for leg techniques, something very rare at the time, famous Master Tsutomu Oshima who came from the U.S., and I am now a student...

« So I worked with them… »

Guy Sahri: In the early 1970s, you create a Karate club in Brussels, the Standing Club, which received its final seal CNK. What were your instructions at the time ?

Claude Goetz:

As part of my training with Master Tsutomu Oshima, I sent the master Taiji Kase, Hiroshi Shirai, Keinosuke Enoeda, Hirokazu Kanazawa and others, with me just in my house, so I worked with them, so I created a club for them...

Guy Sahri: As Professor of Jean-Claude Van Vaerenbergh, better known under the name of Jean-Claude Van Damme – JCVD, you’re the one who revealed to world of Martial Arts and Show-business. Have you had any regrets over his career ?

Claude Goetz:

As I explained earlier, I could not keep all these Japanese masters that I brought with me, they are all gone in different countries, Italy, South Africa, England etc. So I saw an opportunity that could do with JCVD, I have no regrets for what I did to him. With my experience a lot of great champions come to me to make films, even the most fanatical film, besides my friend Dominique Valera also tried to do this seems to be a final goal, so I can have no regrets, says that JCVD has won battles, won competitions, participated in some things and especially not forget it was between 15 and 17 years...

Guy Sahri: Would you rather he became a prominent celebrity in world of Martial Arts or personality rather than show business, which eventually returns to his sources, his country, his roots ?

Claude Goetz:

The aim of all the champions who come to me is to become a film actor, and therefore JCVD has done the right thing, and even now we will make an immense competition cons Somrak, a great battle, yet He has 50 years, it will be a global operator, we cannot do better !

« To make quality… »

Guy Sahri: In your teaching work inherent to the mind is a priority ?

Claude Goetz:

(Laughters) I am not Japanese, but I am a scientific training, and thus to prepare someone it must be scientifically prepared, and is well prepared in this way it will be a moral steel... If one plays by cons with « drug » or any kind, it is next to the plate, there will be no moral, so it is a physical preparation high in quality and intensity !

Guy Sahri: How do you adapt your teaching from your students ?

Claude Goetz:

I am obviously very far from the traditional system in which there is 50 punches, 100 kicks, fatigue and helping you become even worse at the beginning... I have another approach, I take the fault of the practitioners, I worked to make quality. To summarize my method...

Guy Sahri: What has changed between the teacher that you were when you started and that you are now ?

Claude Goetz:

(Laughters) Time has passed but the enthusiasm remains, no difference…

Guy Sahri: What do you define the most in your classes ?

Claude Goetz:

Efficiency is the realism, the reality of life, everything else is fake !

« Being tolerant… »

Guy Sahri: What do you define a practicing Karate or Martial Arts ?

Claude Goetz:

Someone who practices the Martial Arts should have a good mentality and a good philosophy, which is not always the case, and also be tolerated! ... Many practitioners and professors are very far from the goal and that is why we must work hard and tirelessly...

Guy Sahri: Are you going to take time out ?

Claude Goetz:

At the time I was training very intensively to weight, I lifted 74 tonnes per day and 32 the next day, 6 days a week. Today, I train a little less strong indeed, 2:30 and 4:00 each day of training « special » week...

« I'm still looking lock… »

Guy Sahri: Have you had any regrets over some of your students and how did you feel about these difficult times ?

Claude Goetz:

The teaching profession, although I was not teaching full time, although I also did something else for a living, is full of bitterness and disillusionment, we must do it, but then, when JCVD as someone who comes after 30 years still see his teacher, and spends 6 months a year at my home, so we won everything !

Guy Sahri: Whether you have been the keys to success ?

Claude Goetz:

I am not sure of the keys to success, others have, those who are successful are great champions, have won a lot of money, do lots of things I still seeks the lock !... (Laughters)

« The life of every day… »

Guy Sahri: What is your view on Karate « Traditional » and Karate « Sports » today ?

Claude Goetz:

The trouble and danger, and that some people wanted to believe that it is ruthlessly efficient, species of « mythomaniacs », serving the thing, judo for example, has just escaped from the state of 'mind about the modern karate, that's life modern life every day, tomorrow it will be completely overwhelmed and so on, we shall not progress in the world...

« I taught a Karate too modern… »

Guy Sahri: Not very far from home, in Ixelles, Belgium, there are several teachers of Japan Karate Association – JKA including Mr. Keiichi Kasajima 6th Dan and Kazuhiro Sawada 7th Dan, what your relationship with them ?

Claude Goetz:

In fact, secretly, I maintained very good relations with the late master Satoshi Myasaki which came to my home; I was witness to his marriage, and unfortunately this at his funeral... The other Japanese also came to me in secret because they could not have relations with me, I taught a Karate too modern, and therefore our relations should be discreet but friendly, some even fought at a time in my team...

Guy Sahri: What do you give importance to the value of « Dan » ?

Claude Goetz:

When you're young, we dream of being a black belt is completely normal, when I received it I was ecstatic.

« Do not forget… »

Guy Sahri: You're friends with Dominique Valera past 40 years do you hold back all of Seminars ?

Claude Goetz:

The days when we did all Seminars is over, it was an extraordinary time, we had a lot of practitioners in our organizations. To me this is no longer the case today, I work the more individual it something else, it is with pleasure that we would still something special to study !

Guy Sahri: Do you have enough time to spend with your family ?

Claude Goetz:

I have many students, they come to visit me for New Year celebrations etc. I organize at least one dinner a year, but also for the former, but I can always take care of my family because there are priorities in life, do not forget...

Guy Sahri: How you see you today and in the coming years ?

Claude Goetz:

We cannot decide for the time, yet I train regularly, I'm in great shape, my tests are medical bills if you want to know, then tomorrow is another day !

« I do not walk to the feelings… »

Guy Sahri: What is your outlook on life ?

Claude Goetz:

My design is simple; I do not walk to the feelings, contrary to what one might think. And especially not the money !

« The determination… »

Guy Sahri: Finally I invite you to answer these 10 questions to the famous questionnaire the Actors' Studio and program on French television by Bernard Pivot... You answer if you wish:

What is your favorite word ?

Easy.

What is your least favorite word ?

Impossible...

What is your favorite drug ?

Determination.

What sound or noise do you love ?

A tinkling laughter.

What sound or noise do you hate ?

The cries of anger.

What is your favorite curse word ?

You're just pussies !

Who would you like to see on a new banknote ?

The prettiest possible !... (Laughters)

What profession other than your own would you not like to attempt ?

Politician.

If you were reincarnated as some other plant or animal, what would it be ?

A tiger, a lion.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates ?

I'm not too stupid...