Traditional Shotokan Karate School - Our Dojo

Shotokan Karate was developed in Okinawa, a group of islands to the south of Japan. Gichin Funakoshi introduced karate to the Japanese mainland in 1922. He's the man whose picture hangs on the front wall in the training area. It is important that we maintain the cultural aspects of karate both in the way we train and in the way we behave when at the dojo.

Karate is definitely not a crash course in self defence. Several of the people you will be training with have more than ten, maybe even twenty-years experience doing karate and yet they continue to learn and refine their technique.

For the first couple of years, you will be learning mostly what we call Kihon or basic. These are the basic moves which form the foundation of everything that follows in karate, so it is most important that they are mastered early on. Having good basics generally leads to doing great karate.

In addition to the basic punching, kicking and blocking techniques used in Kumite or sparring, your training will include something called Kata which involves performing a prescribed series of karate moves designed to fend off imaginary opponents. There are over twenty six different Kata to learn but you will be practicing only the first five or so in about two years of training.

A good deal of your karate training will involve working with partners in class. The object of working with a partner is to learn and practice the applications of the basic karate techniques. Since both partners stand to learn something from each and every exercise, it is important to work with your partner rather than against him/her. Never patronize your partner. Challenge both yourself and your partner but at the same time, be sure to exercise control.