BUSHIDO
bushi·do
bushi: warrior
do: the way of
noun: the warrior way - embodying the 'indomitable spirit' cultivated by practising the martial arts.
The spirit of bushido is endeavour, humility and living life to the full in every breath.

WADO-RYU
wa·do·ryu
wa: peace/harmony
do: the way of
ryu: school/style of

KARATE
kara·te
kara: empty
te: hand

There are many reasons why people first come through the dojo door to train – your initial motivation may be learning self-defence, you may want to get fit, meet new people, increase your self-confidence, or you may be drawn to the sense of peace and connection to self which learning and performing katas can bring (katas or 'forms' are sometimes referred to as ‘meditation in motion’).

Whatever attracts you initially, you will soon experience benefits on so many levels - mental, physical and spiritual, since karate promotes mindfulness, self-confidence, physical wellbeing and gives its practitioners (known as 'karatekas'), a sense of inner calm, feeling centred and energized for life.

Traditional karate incorporates long-range kicks and hand-strikes, as well as close-quarter techniques, including knee- and elbow-strikes. However, karate is about so much more than just self-defence: it develops coordination and fitness, as well as confidence, resilience and other aspects of good mental-health, such as helping to reduce anxiety and manage stress.

The three foundations of karate are the three Ks: kata, kihon and kumite.

Kata, sometimes known as 'forms' are sequences of moves to learn, like a moving encyclopedia of techniques. Kata has been described as 'meditation in motion': learning and performing katas is a very mindful as well as physically demanding experience, often accompanied by a feeling inner stillness and calm, much like the calm at the centre of a storm.

Kihon means 'basics' or 'fundamentals' - the key techniques, such as blocks, strikes, kicks and stances to practise and learn for each belt level. The discipline and focus required to master these techniques can spill over in to every other area of endeavour in students' lives.

Kumite is sparring - controlled fighting, usually done 'light and fast', to avoid injury and allow both parties to make mistakes, developing their techniques and extending their range of attack, counterattack and defence combinations.

We take time to teach the important differences between sparring, fighting and self-defence.

The karate journey through the belt ranks takes you through the 'kyus' up to the 'dan' levels of black belt and beyond. It is not just a physically and mentally challenging one, demanding discipline, dedication and courage, it is also a spiritual journey. Spiritual in the sense of gaining a greater connection to oneself: strengthening the link between our minds and our bodies - which we ignore much of the time during our busy days - using our breath as the bridge between them. Also in terms of cultivating a deep respect for the world around us and those we share it with.

So, although we are learning a practical martial art, as a student advances through the grades, he or she learns not only how to execute techniques with highly effective speed and power, but, even more importantly, as their skill level increases, they also learn to deal with violence and aggression and resolve conflict with minimal force and damage to others.

Simply put, the ‘karate-do’ is about practising the art in a peaceful manner, to strive towards self-perfection. ‘Karate-jutsu’ is all about self-protection, with a focus on effective, potentially brutal, techniques to defeat an attacker. Both of these aspects of karate demand focus and attention to detail, with wide-ranging benefits to the student.

Parents very often report increased focus, confidence and resilience in their children, and they often report that their teachers have noticed this, along with improved levels of concentration in class.

Adult students often report feeling that they want to do everything better, with increased energy levels and new-found levels of confidence and self-belief.