SAVE THE DATE!
We are thrilled to announce our first ever Summer Gasshuku, to be held over the weekend of July 25th-27th, 2025, which is open to all karate and kobudo practitioners, as well as any other martial artists who are interested in learning more about the fighting arts of Okinawa!
The word "gasshuku," which is written as "合宿" in Japanese, literally means "training camp," and that is exactly what this event will be! You will spend three days living and training alongside your fellow martial artists at the secluded and serene Pine Ridge Scout Camp in Southern Illinois. Leave the "real world" behind and immerse yourself in the martial arts!
* TRAINING *
We will be providing a series of training sessions, covering multiple martial arts subjects over the course of the weekend. Instructors and session subjects to be determined, so be sure to follow this event to stay up-to-date as details are released! The venue has three training spaces available; one indoor space, one covered outdoor space, and one open outdoor space. We plan to make use of all of these spaces for training, so be sure to bring sunscreen!
* INSTRUCTORS *
Below are some of the instructors you can expect to train with at the INKKS Summer Gasshuku 2025. We are still putting together the instructor list for this event, so be sure to check back as we add more instructors and training sessions!
Ron Hill - 8th Dan, Shubo-Sha Jiu-Jitsu, 8th Dan, Pankration, 7th Dan, Kenshinkan FSA Karate, 5th Dan, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 1st Dan, Submission Wrestling, 1st Dan, Luta Livre
Session Content: Standing Grappling and Ground Finishes
Gary Sass - 8th Dan, Shotokan, 6th Dan, Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu, 2nd Dan, Matayoshi Kobudo, 1st Dan, Kwan Mu Kan
Session Content: Shu Chu (Kubaton) Fundamentals
Jeb Chiles - 7th Dan, Midori Yama Budokai Karate, 7th Dan, Okinawan Kobudo, 6th Dan, Jujutsu, 5th Dan, Matsubayashi-Ryu, Pro MMA Fighter and Kickboxer
Session Content: Practical Yakusoku Kumite Drills
Drake Sass - 6th Dan, Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu, 6th Dan, Shinpu-Ren, 1st Dan, Aikido, Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy
Session Content: Bunkai of Signature Kata Movements
Michael Nguyen - 3rd Dan, Matsubayashi-Ryu, 2nd Dan, Kobayashi Shorin-Ryu, 2nd Dan, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Session Content: Advanced Grappling Concepts for Karate
Kyle Doan - 4th Dan, Shinkoten Karate, 3rd Dan, Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu
Session Content: Spinal Whip for Power Generation
Noah Legel - 4th Dan, Shinkoten Karate, 2nd Dan (Provisional 3rd Dan), Kobayashi Shorin-Ryu, Instructor, KishimotoDi
Session Content: Tachimura no Naihanchi Kata and Bunkai
Ken Phillips - 2nd Dan, Uechi-Ryu, Hand-Selected by George Mattson (Hanshi, 10th Dan)
Session Content: Uechi-Ryu Sanchin “The Old Way”
* PRICING *
Ticket prices are discounted for INKKS members, and are lower for those who register early, so be sure to sign up well in advance to reserve your bunk and get the most bang for your buck! As a non-profit organization, the funds from these ticket prices go directly to paying for the costs of this event.
INKKS Member Pricing:
$150 prior to March 1st, 2025
$175 prior to June 1st, 2025
$200 after June 1st, 2025
Non-Member Pricing:
$175 prior to March 1st, 2025
$200 prior to June 1st, 2025
$225 after June 1st, 2025
* TRAVEL *
You can travel by train to the AMTRAK station in Carbondale, IL, and be just a 25 minute drive away from Pine Ridge--easily within Uber/Lyft distance! If you choose to fly, the nearest airport is also in Carbondale, IL, but it is a small airport, so it may be faster for you to fly into St Louis and drive the 2 hours it takes to get to Pine Ridge from there.
* AMENITIES *
Musgraves Lodge
The Pine Ridge Scout Camp has electricity and bathrooms with running water. Two bunkhouses sleep a total of 26 people, but if you do not want to sleep in a bunkhouse, or if all of the beds are already full when you register, you can stay at one of the numerous campgrounds nearby. There are also several places to hike and kayak/canoe nearby, if you wanted to add some additional recreation to your trip.
* DINING *
There is a dining hall with a fully-equipped kitchen on-site, and we intend to make food available for the following meals:
- Dinner - July 25th
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - July 26
- Breakfast - July 27