| Overview | Beginners | Training Times | Management Team | Student Profiles | Gallery | Downloads | Guestbook |

Beginners in Karate

Please take the time to read this page, it should answer most of your initial questions.

This page was created to give YOU, the potential new Karate student an insight into what you can expect to find in your average Karate lesson. Because lets face it, most people have no idea of what to expect, some have seen movies and expect the 'masters' to be defeating an army of students without breaking a sweat; while others expect to encounter endless hours of marching up and down the hall punching and kicking. Well, needless to say both these assumptions are somewhat dated and inaccurate.

It is true that in the early 1960's when Modern Karate was still in its infancy, a 'newbie' could expect to spend months if not years simply marching up and down the hall, moving up the grading ladder only to repeat the marching process all over again. This approach was mainly due to the language and cultural barrier that existed between the English and their Japanese counterparts at the time. Thankfully, today's Karate is a little bit different to days gone by.

Todays Karate focuses on a number of Government targets and it enables participants to concentrate on an holistic approach to life such as:

i. Healthy/active movement patterns
ii. Positive Attitude
iii. Increased Confidence
iv. Self Belief
v. Life Long Learning
vi. Character Development
vii Increased Attention Span
viii Increased Social behaviour
x. Social Acceptance
xi. Personal Skill Development

All of these targets are achieved through a combination of fun, discipline and hard work which creates a unique learning environment.

Discipline / Respect
Each session begins and ends with a bow, this etiquette at its most basic level is a sign of respect to the instructors (Sensei) and to fellow students, the bow is much more though, it is an oath to train hard and seriously (start of class) and also to show gratitude (end of class). The bow is a fundamental part of Japanese culture and therefore of the Martial Arts,

All students are expected to show respect to each other, their parents, instructors and themselves. Any student who cannot show respect, will not be welcome in the Dojo. The students are the club's ambassadors outside, so, any reports of mis-behaviour at school or at home, will be treated as if in the Dojo. We find that press ups are a suitable form of punishment within the class.

What to expect
A beginner can still expect to do some 'line-work', these basic drills allow a student to develop their co-ordination, flexibility and basic knowledge in Karate. Even advanced students must remain studious in this type of training because the 'basics' are the essential building blocks from which a student can develop. Students can also expect to use training aids such as air shields and kick bags in their first few lessons. This is where a student will learn to apply their line-work to making contact with something, rather than using people as dummies, we use shields and pads instead - at least at first.

After a few lessons, a student can expect to have a working knowledge of the basic commands, basic techniques (Kihon Waza), kicking techniques (Keri Waza) and possibly some combination techniques (Ren Raku Waza). It is usually at this point that a student really begins to learn the basics, from this point on their is a very steep learning curve. Students will learn all sorts of techniques, punches; kicks; elbow strikes; sweeps etc... they will also begin to study more advanced aspects such as partner work, Kata (pre-arranged form) and Kumite (controlled fighting) disciplines.

Who can train
The simple answer is anyone! The Martial Arts are so varied, that everyone can find something to suit their own personal needs, no matter the age!. Anyone over the age of 7 can train with us. As long as a person is reasonably fit (can walk up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath), they should have no problems with our classes.

What to wear
For your first few lessons, you should wear comfortable clothes such as Track suit bottoms and a T shirt. Most students usually purchase a Karate Suit (Gi) after a few lessons. There is no requirement to wear a Gi until a student takes their first grade. A Karate suit can be purchased from most local sports shops, the internet, or directly from the club (they start from as little as £7!); A Gi can also be included in the Aiwakai welcome package. For safety reasons, students CANNOT wear ANY jewellery and any metal hair clips will need to be removed before training.

Beginner Classes
Beginners from 7 yrs to 15 yrs have their own class, this is Friday 6-7pm. The class is specifically tailored to beginners and covers a lot of the basics, including the requirement for the first grade. Adult beginners (16 yrs +) train with the adult class.

After 6 Lessons
After six weeks or six lessons (which ever is sooner), A student is expected to have become a member of Hartlepool Wadokai (a small one-off fee is payable to the club).

After 10 Lessons
After 10 Lessons, a student is expected to have become a member of our Federation. This gives each student direct access to Karate England, the sports governing body, national and international courses and competitions and the chance to train with and be selected for the prestigious Wado Kai England Karate Team.

What is a Licence
This allows a student to become a member of Aiwakai Karate Do, our association. The licence is also a students grading record and third party insurance cover. There is an annual fee associated with this licence, which is payable to our Federation, Hartlepool Wadokai DOES NOT issue licences. Once a student has a licence, they can attend skill development courses, grade and enter competitions. A student is expected to have applied for their Aiwakai Licence (a form is available from the club secretary) within 10 lessons, and it is then THE STUDENTS responsibility to keep this licence Valid and up to date (renewable annually).

Grading / Examinations
A beginner who trains once a week, could expect to take their first grade after 12 weeks continuous training. We will only put a student forward for examination to the next grade IF the student has mastered the necessary skills to progress, we do not automatically grade all students. The club chief instructor will inform students if they have been selected to grade, then those who have been selected can choose whether to grade or not. There is a fee to grade.

Student Development
The club invests heavily in student development, this could be through subsidising entry fees into competitions or paying for travelling costs to England squad training sessions. For example, In 2006, the club invested over £6000 directly into student development, this covers a lot of things such as running ad-hoc specialist coaching sessions to subsidising our Elite Athletes into the European Wadokai Championships. Once a student has been training for a few weeks, and achieved their first grade, they are able to attend most of the events on our club calendar.

Please note: It is advisable to consult your GP before beginning any form of exercise or fitness program.