Training within reach of the following areas:
Barnet; New Barnet; East Barnet; Friern Barnet; High Barnet. Finchley; East Finchley, Finchley Central; North Finchley; Whetstone. Enfield; Enfield Town; Enfield Chase; Enfield Southbury Leisure Centre; Ponders End; Forty Hall. Hadley Wood; Cockfosters; Oakwood; Winchmore Hill; Grange Park; Bush Hill Park; Southgate; New Southgate; Arnos Grove; Palmers Green; Wood Green; Bounds Green; Muswell Hill; Edmonton; Tottenham.
Karate and self defence is a valuable tool for children to give them the confidence they need when confidence is lacking. It helps them overcome difficulties at school which are generated by this problem. Children are taught etiquette and how to respect one another. Warming up exercises are enjoyed as they are used to get the muscles ready for action in a gentle way. Defensive blocks are taught to enable the children to defend any attack. Punches and kicks are taught in a controlled way. Shotokan katas are taught to enable a quick response when needed and fluidity in movement. Shotokan katas can be practiced by young and old by putting as much or as little into the action. There are twenty-six Shotokan Katas and each one has something different to offer in its own way, covering blocks, punches and kicks. Punches are called tsuki, kicks are called keri or geri.
Classes for beginners contain karate moves as well as self defence. The aim is to make people more confident by learning how to defend themselves and their family and friends and in the name of law and order. Beginners can also have fun when learning the various techniques. They learn the three k's - i.e. kihon (basics), kumite (controlled fighting) and kata (forms) which are planned moves against imaginary opponents, like shadow boxing in boxing. In self defence they will partner together and learn one to one self defences, such as defence against knife attacks, holds, etc. Beginners will benefit from careful instruction, given by our top grade black belt instructors, taught in separate classes.
Intermediate classes are taught mostly separate from the beginners classes and the duration of training increases from one hour for beginners to one and a half hours. The level of instruction is increased as the level of interest grows. Intermediate students are not expected to do the complicated movements of the more advanced student, although they will learn appropriate intermediate moves to fit their abilities.
Advanced students continue learning skills of karate and self defence to a higher level. Both children and adults benefit greatly from more advanced techniques, such as varying stances, kokutsu dachi (back stance), kiba-dachi (horse straddle stance), zenkutsu-dachi (basic front stance learned at beginners stage), sochin-dachi, sanchin-dachi, nikoashi-dachi, hachiji-dachi, heisoku-dachi. More advanced tsuki (punching) is undertaken as well as more advanced uchi (striking), keri (kicking) and uke (blocking).
Students, as well as learning Japanese terminology, will learn to count in Japanese. The system generally used is :
1. ichi, 2 ni, 3 san, 4 shi, 5 go, 6 roku, 7 shichi, 8 hachi, 9 ku, 10 jyu, 11 jyu ichi, 12 jyu ni and so on.
Katas learned :
Taikyoku shodan (first cause), then the five heian katas (peaceful mind), then tekki kata, bassai dai, kankudai, jion, jitte, hangetsu, jiin, nijushiho, meikyo, sochin. There are many more kata, including the lesser forms (sho) of bassai and kanku.
Eventually, with patience and dedication, all students can achieve the coveted black belt. This is the beginning of true learning of karate and the black belt can continue to move on to higher Dan grades.
Need more info. see New website www.sjkkarate.co.uk
