Kazokudai Karate

ONE FAMILY

Welcome… On Behalf of the Club we would like to welcome you with this booklet and

hope to provide you with some information about us and what we are able to offer.

We are a club who aim to train in a friendly but disciplined environment to give children and adults alike the many benefits that come from learning this ancient

martial art called Karate.

Our Classes are big enough to add some atmosphere but small enough to allow some focus on specific needs where necessary.

The Club provides training opportunities for anyone from the age of 5 Years and over, it doesn’t matter what your physical ability is or wether you are a man, woman, child, mum or

dad. There is no age limit to when you should start, and whether you are a beginner, an experienced karate-ka or someone returning after a break - we are dedicated to helping you achieve that

personal best. Just remember that everybody in the club was once a beginner so there is no reason to feel embarrassed.

ABOUT US: Kazokudai Karate was established in May 2015, when we first opened the dojo doors as an after school club in Huncote, and n o w w e h av e r e g u l a r classes available 3 nights a w e e k fo r v a r i o u s a ge groups and abilities.

Kazokudai is proud to a f fi l i a t e t o t h e J a p a n Karate Association England (JKAE).

JKAE is a non - profit making organisation based i n E n g l a n d a n d i s associated with the world renowned Japan Karate Association (JKA), one of the most prestigious, oldest a n d l a rge s t S h o t o k a n Karate organisations in the world.

Their mission is to promote t h e w a y o f k a r a t e throughout the world, while ensuring that it remains true to the philosophical p r e c e p t s s i n c e t h e establishment of the JKA in 1949.

The association in England i s J K A E n g l a n d a n d t h r o u g h o u r c h i e f instructor, Sensei Ohta (7th Dan), we continue to be strongly affiliated to the JKA in Japan. This bond is reinforced by regular visits b y w o r l d l e a d i n g instructors from the Japan headquarters who instruct a t o u r i n t e r n a t i o n a l courses held in May and September each year.

For more information about JKA England:

www.jka-england.org

Kazokudai Karate

GREAT BENEFITS OF KARATE FOR CHILDREN: 1.) GETTING ACTIVE 2.) DISCIPLINE MATTERS 3.) CONFIDENCE 4.) SELF DEFENCE 5.) LIFE SKILLS 6.) FUN

The Benefits of Karate for Children: Did you fantasise about becoming a black belt karate superstar the you were a kid? Your dreams may have been influenced by the adventures of Danni LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi but karate offers plenty of real-life benefits for todays kids. Here are 5 top reasons why karate is a terrific Martial art for children.

1.)Getting Active: During a time when kids are less and less active due to computer games and screen time any opportunity for physical activity is a good one. Karate has proven to be leaps, jumps and kicks above many other options, thanks to a winning blend of strength training, cardio and stretching. If you have ever observed a karate class you would see so much more than punching and kicking.

2.)Discipline Matters: Martial arts is all about self-discipline, an increasingly valuable commodity for kids in today’s world of instant gratification. In life, you can’t always get what you want and self - restraint is an essential part of learning to deal with disappointment as well as overcoming obstacles and adversity. Karate

fosters a unique sense of discipline that comes from within and carries over into all aspects of life. Karate is built upon a principle of respect for adults and each other. Kids who take up karate aren’t just learning cool moves; they are also learning how to honour authority.

3.) Confidence: Learning new skills increases children’s confidence and self-esteem. They’ll also need to work together with other students in the class and even perform their skills in front of people during grading or special events. Many kids struggle with the pressure of competing with other kids. But in martial arts, the focus is on self-improvement. There’s no “letting down the team.”

4.) Self Defence: You might think that Martial Arts is about fighting but it’s quite the opposite in most cases. Many Martial Arts styles focus on self-defence and don’t allow fighting between students until they are older and have more advanced skills. The ultimate aim of Martial Arts is to teach children peaceful, non-violent conflict resolution skills and to help them work out ways to avoid physical altercations. Martial Arts has a lot to offer children. It gets them active and teaches them to be confident, peaceful and focused.

5.) Life skills outside the dojo:

The skills kids learn in karate don’t end in the dojo,(karate Class). In fact, karate students carry the lessons learned into nearly every other area of life. From the classroom to the playing fields, kid learn to listen and set goals. They also learn how to handle the d i s a p p o i n t m e n t o f n o t reaching a particular goal and how to recommit. These are not easy skills to learn, but martial arts training teaches each one of these and so much more .

Any student of karate will tell you that karate isn’t just about earning your black belt, Rather, this ancient art teaches today’s kids lifelong lessons that they’ll take with them long after they leave the dojo.

6.)Fun:

Karate is a great avenue to make friends outside of school. These friendships can develop during the team work based lessons.

Therefore some lifelong friendships are made in the dojo, as going through hard training sessions or a belt testing can h e l p s o c i a l b o n d s between friends.

Kazokudai Karate

The Benefits of Karate for Adults: There are many benefits of taking a karate class. Some of these may be obvious, but some are not so obvious.

Many non-martial artists believe karate to be a fitness activity where you can learn some cool moves. However, the benefits of martial arts for adults are much more extensive than fitness - orientated gains. Karate can improve your mental strength, allow you to adapt to different situations and improve your social life. So I offer these few reasons as to why adults should take up karate and why I have devoted myself to the art:

1.) Fitness: Karate is a total body workout, as martial arts is a high aerobic workout that uses every muscle group in the body. Your stamina, muscle tone, flexibility, balance, hand - eye coordination, reflexes and your natural strength will all improve. It is great for adults and children alike as it builds strength without the use of weights which decreases the risk of injury.

2.) Confidence: Think confidence is just for kids? Think again. The most powerful and life changing benefit of martial arts comes as a by-product of the demanding physical training, and making

progress through the belt system. As you see and feel your body change, you feel better about yourself and how you look, also knowing that you have the ability to defend yourself gives you a sense of calm and power. When you feel good about yourself you walk taller and feel more confident.

3.) Self Defence: Karate is one of the most dynamic of all martial arts. A trained karateka, (karate student) is able to coordinate mind and body perfectly, thereby allowing the unleashing of tremendous physical power at will. All martial arts are certainly fun to do as an exercise and keep your mind off the physical exertion while learning a very important lifesaving skill.

4.) Fun: In adulthood, it can be very tough for some to find peers with mutual interests and outlooks. Martial arts is a great place to meet new people. Lifelong friends are made all the time at Dojos, as going through difficult trails such as belt testing can really help create social bonds between friends. In karate, all ability levels are always training together at the same time, so everyone is gett ing the benefit o f the workout and simultaneously increasing their skill level, and while everyone is different, we all have a technique that we are good at, but no one is good at everything. Karate is just Fun.

So, if you are ready to see what karate lessons can do for you, fill out the starter form and come and join our adult only classes.

BENEFITS OF KARATE FOR ADULTS: 1.) FITNESS 2.) CONFIDENCE 3.) SELF DEFENCE 4.) FUN

Dojo Etiquette: Dojo etiquette are a set of rules that we follow in the dojo to help prevent injury and promote learning.

These are Kazokudai's Dojo Rules:

* The Dojo (classroom) is a special place, please behave in a respectful manner and refrain from drinking, eating or wearing footwear during the lesson and using offensive language.

* Karate - ka (Students) should always bow when entering and before leaving the dojo, as this shows respect to others and to thank instructors for their guidance.

* Be Punctual as being late for class is disruptive. If you are late you need to do 20 Push ups then wait in Seiza. (kneel/ seating position), until the instructor or class leader allows you to join, you should then bow and join the class quickly and to the position indicated by the instructor. * During class the students should always pay full attention to the instructor. When an

instruction is given students should acknowledge with the word Oss and bow when appropriate.

* Hygiene is important, please keep all forms of nails short and clean. Hair must be tied up and clear from the face and your Gi (karate suit) should be kept clean. Train with a towel if you sweat a lot and use deodorant. * NO jewellery should be worn during training; this is for safety reasons. * If you are unable to attend class, you should always notify the instructor, also if you need to

leave class early please arrange this before class starts. * Parents are free to stay and watch the class but we request that mobile phones to be turned silent and Not to distract

students during their lesson, and especially NOT to walk into the class during the session for any reason.

Kazokudai Karate

QUESTIONS: What to Wear?

All Instructors and students wear the tradi2onal all white uniform which is known as a Gi and the relevant coloured belt.

For new beginners that do not have a Gi, we suggest to wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely, so normal sports gear is suggested, but please refrain from wearing items which have obsceni2es or any other inappropriate words or slogans.

NO shoes or footwear.

Tradi2onally, karate is prac2ced with bare feet. Aside from customary reasons, we train barefoot because it’s safer on the joints and ligaments. It also reduces the chances of injuring your partner during sparring.

What Happens in Class? A typical class involves: * A formal Bow-in * Warm up exercises and dynamic

karate specific stretching * Kihon (Basic Techniques) - learning

and practicing basic techniques such as punching, kicking, blocking, stances and footwork

* Kata - often referred to as a pattern of movement which simulates defence against multiple attackers

* Kumite - Sparring with a partner, this is taught with attitude and control

* Bunkai - the practical application * For our younger students, there is

always lots of karate-based games to make sure everyone enjoys the classes

* Cool down and static stretching - however we sometimes run out of time for this step

* A Formal Bow-out and reciting of the Dojo Kun.

Gallery:

Kazokudai Karate

Instructor Profile: Sensei Bianca began her karate journey in 1989 at the age of 7, she gained her 1st Dan Black Belt at 16 years old. She has since progressed through the ranks gaining her 4th Dan (JKA) in 2019.

From an early age Sensei Bianca was interested in teaching and passing on her knowledge and experience. She started assisting classes from a brown belt level (3rd Kyu) and was teaching children's classes when she graded to her 1st Dan and then developed into teaching adults and senior grades. Along with her passion for teaching, Sensei Bianca has also had a significant competition career. Starting with success at local competitions and then at regional and national championships. She has also successfully represented both South Africa and England in International Competitions.

Most of Sensei's training took place in South Africa where she was born, she then emigrated to the UK in 2003.

Sensei is Fully Insured with an advanced DBS and is First aid trained.

Kazokudai Karate

CONTACT US: Sensei Bianca Webb Rob John Hall, Narborough School Lane LE19 2GS Email: kazokudaik@gmail.com www.kazokudaikarate.com