Interested in taking up Karate or joining our club ? Here’s some helpful guidance to help you get started.
Finding a Karate Club:
If you asked the most advanced Karate-Ka what Karate has given them, they would probably be able to talk you to sleep. Karate is practised by different people for different reasons. Whether you are starting Karate as a means to get fit, develop confidence through the self-defence or if you want to study the art in depth, Karate will change your life. Not always in an obvious manner, but it will certainly have a major effect on the way you think, act and live, Karate is not solely for the young, nor is it solely for the mature. People join Karate at any stage of life, and when you’ve got the ‘bug’ you’ll fall in love with the Art.
However, one important part about starting Karate is finding the right school. There are now, as there always have been,Karate schools that don’t have Karate as a main priority. Many people put on a white gi (Karate suit), neatly tie a Black Belt around their waist, and unless a new student knows any better, they may find themselves training under someone who has no real experience, and doesn’t have the qualifications to teach them Karate safely and correctly. Some Karate schools are simply set in place for the Sensei (Class Instructor) to earn some money, or for him/her to go on a power trip
Some questions to ask…
- Is the assocation/club affiliated to a major organisation ? Look out for the words JKA, KUGB, ITKF, WKF, SIKF, KWF, NAKMAS, WKGB, or any other major group ( If you aren’t sure you can e-mail the club and we will try and do our best to provide you with some information)
- Is the Instructor a qualified Dan Grade? If he is not, then this raises the question of what he has to offer, exceptions obviously occur, so this is a very general rule.
- Does the Instructor have Public Liability Insurance/Indemnity Insurance? This is important in case of accidents.
- Does the Instructor hold a First Aid Certificate? This is especially important particularly with a contact activity like Karate.
- Is the Instructor CRB (Criminal Records Bureau/Disclosure Scotland) checked? This is vital, especially if you are taking your children to the Karate club.
Tips
1. Visit the club and watch the class maybe once or twice, get a feel for how the classes are run, and whether you would feel comfortable training there, or leaving your children in the care of the Instructor.
2. What does the club offer? Many people do Karate for many different reason, so you need to ensure the school caters to your needs. For example, if you are interested in becoming a Karate competitor, then are there the facilities with the Karate school that would enable you to reach your potential in that field?
3. How is the discipline in the schools? Sometimes, even with the best Karate Instructor in the world, if he has students running rings around him/her, are you really going to get your money’s worth?
4. Ask as many questions as you want. At the end of the day, you will be putting money in their pocket, so be sure you are getting exactly what you want before you pay your membership fee.
5. Don’t necessarily pay your membership/licence fee on the first night of viewing the club. Would you buy the first sofa or car you saw? No you’d shop around the get the best. Do a bit of research into the club and instructor.
6. Find out about fees, lesson fees, membership fees, licence fees, grading fees, course fees etc,
7. Follow on from point 6, don’t necessarily just go for the cheapest Karate school, the Karate tuition is the most important part, not just the fee. Paying a little extra may mean you get quality.
Where is the club (Dojo) located ?
South Lanarkshire Lifestyles Fairhill
Neilsland Road
Hamilton
ML3 8HJ
Class Schedule
The class trains on a Monday and Wednesday between 6:30pm and 7:30pm every week. The class is a mix of all grades and sometimes the whole class will train together, often it will break into smaller groups to allow the instructors to give students of different abilities and grades focused instruction to help them advance their skills. The schedule us always up to date here.
Costs and Fees
With the FIRST FOUR LESSON FREE why not come along and give it a try?
Fitness Level