FAQ
Karate is a martial art, designed for unarmed combat, originally from Okinawa, which is now part of Japan. Karate is a system of self defence, using the hands, feet, and every other part of the body, to protect yourself from an attacker.
Karate can provide a lot of benefits. Karate can promote fitness, Karate can improve concentration and the ability to learn new information. Karate can teach self defence, self discipline, respect and self control. Above all, Karate is fun!
Whether you’re 6 or 60, male or female, tall or short – anyone can learn Karate. If you have any specific concerns you’d like to discuss with us, please Contact Us!
We teach Shotokan Karate, a style founded by Sensei Gichin Funakoshi, in Okinawa, before he made the art popular in Japan and then ultimately the rest of the world.
Karate is not non-contact. But with that said, we value the importance of being able to train safely, in a friendly environment. We get to know our training partners, and we moderate our approach depending on who we’re working with, and what we’re doing – you’ll never leave one of our lessons feeling like you’ve been beaten up. Whether you’re 6 or 60 the level of intensity and contact is tailored to the individual. Karate begins and ends with respect, and this is definitely the case with our attitude towards our training partners. If you have any concerns, please Contact Us!
For us, Karate is primarily a system of self defence. While a lot of clubs will tell you they teach Karate for competition, Karate for sport and Karate for self defence, these are very different skillsets. Our focus is providing training in practical, realistic Karate for self defence, although we cover a range of topics and applications. To find out more, Contact Us!
This is a really common question, and there is truly no set answer. It varies from person to person based on many things, including the amount of time a week you can dedicate to Karate, as well as how quickly you pick up new concepts. Karate is a really personal journey, and no two people will have an identical experience on the path to black belt and beyond. That being said, we believe that everyone is capable of achieving a black belt, if they put in the time and effort!
While some clubs will give out belts on a set schedule, for example every 3 months, we believe absolutely that belts must only be given out based on ability level and dedication, not how much you pay, or how often you attend.
If you are currently a Kyu grade (coloured belt) student, you would be required to start at white belt. We'll happily begin immediately assessing you to see where your experience and skill would sit on our grading structure, and will award you belts as and when you're ready, based on your knowledge. This way we can make sure that you have picked up any drills and techniques which may be unique to our syllabus, and it offers you a more rewarding training experience. Please get in touch if you want to discuss this!
If you are currently a Dan grade (black belt) student, please contact us to discuss how we can integrate your experience into our club, and help you cover our syllabus from bottom to top.
You can join by calling, emailing, sending us a message on Facebook or Whatsapp, or filling in the contact form on this website. Someone will get back to you as soon as possible to discuss options for training sessions, and explain how membership works! We look forward to seeing you soon!