If you haven’t trained in karate before, that’s not a problem. At the start of each year we have classes specifically for absolute beginners. As the year progresses, all students (experienced and new) will train together, however the instructor will give each set of students drills and exercises appropriate for their experience and grade.

If it’s your first time training with us, please introduce yourself to the instructor or one of our committee members before the class. There’s no need to wear a karate suit – loose fitting clothes (eg a t-shirt and track suit bottoms) will do fine.

Each class typically consists of four parts:

• Warm-up (just to make sure fully awake and rearing to go).
• Kihon (basics): here we practice all the kicks, punches, blocks and other techniques we will be using, individually and in combinations.
• Kumite (partner work/sparring): Here we apply the techniques and combinations we’ve been practicing with a partner.
• Kata (traditional forms): here we practice the traditional shotakan kata and their meaning. There are 26 in total from the very basic to the very advanced.

Depending on the class, we might also do some impact training that involves kicking and punching pads and kick shields.

We train on Saturdays in the Racquetball Court from 11am – 12.30pm. (starting on 1st October 2022)

For more details see our “What is karate” page.