It’s not just for kids and you’re never too old to start!
Nowadays, karate is often seen as an activity for children. Although karate is a great activity for children, it is also a great activity for adults of all ages and one that can be practiced at any age. Okinawan karate is more gentle on joints than some other forms of japanese karate. Most of the stances are natural stances. This is possibly one of the reasons why many of the Okinawan masters practice until well into their old age.
In fact, many practitioners, including the head of our school, continue to train daily into their eighties.
Karate can be started at any age!
They say that the best age to start karate training is 12, the next best time is now. Many of our group members started karate when they were well into adulthood. As a result, we all know that starting training can be a daunting prospect and we can help you get used to the dojo. We’ve all been there before.
You don’t need to be fit
The myth of the Karate black belt means that it is often portrayed as an activity for very fit people. Our classes are suitable for all irrespective of your level of fitness. Many people worry about how they will compare to others in the class and decide that they would not be either fit or skilled enough. In karatedo (the way of karate), the only person you should compare yourself to is who you were the day before, so join us, practice and see the small improvements you make on the way you were yesterday!
Great me time
After a long day at work or looking after the family, karate training classes are a great way of clearing the mind, escaping your daily life and focusing on yourself and your technique. The zen like practice associated with the art can be used to relieve stress and improve overall well being.
Join with your friends
Sometimes you need that little bit of additional support to start a new activity. Why not mention it to your friends and join our classes together. We can even organise a class for a group of friends if you want. Please contact us for information.
A social outlet
There is a famous saying in Okinawa “The moment we talk we become friends”. Although training can be demanding at times, we try our best to apply this spirit to our dojo by making it welcoming and enjoyable to all irrespective of gender or age. Our group is diverse, and although the atmosphere is focused, it is also respectful, friendly and welcoming. We have all been beginners once and are always happy to welcome and share our knowledge with newcomers.
Weekly exercise, improved balance and coordination
In a time when we should all be exercising more, our classes provide for 3 hours of exercise per week. Unlike going to the gym or similar exercise, we train as a group and this helps increase motivation and focus. Many exercises and movements contribute to improving your posture, balance and coordination. Through karate practice, you will improve your flexibility, balance, hand-eye coordination and your natural strength without the need to use weights.
Increased Self confidence
Karate is a martial art and encompasses an element of self-defense. Through the weekly training and their advancement in grades and ability, participants benefit from increased confidence. Learning karate can provide a boost to your own confidence and teach some basic self-defense skills. It teaches students to avoid confrontation when possible, defuse tension if needed and learn how to use the skills learned in practice as a last resort.
We run dedicated beginners classes from time to time or you can simply contact us and join one of our regular classes.
We can also organise beginners classes for groups so if you want to try karate as a group, please contact us.
