1. Can anyone turn up and train, even if they aren't a member?
A. Yes. If you are a total beginner or a black belt from another club, you are welcome to
come down and train with us. There is no obligation to join the club and if you are a
beginner, you can give it a go for a few nights and see if you like it.
2. I've never done any martial arts before. Do you take complete beginners? Are there any age restrictions?A. We take absolute beginners and people who have done martial arts before. Due to
the nature of Karate, and the self discipline and physical contact involved, we do have a minimum age of 6 years old. We also have a member in his 70's!
3. Do you need to be very fit in order to do Karate?A. To do Karate well, you need to be fit. However, if you are a beginner and not very fit,
you will become fitter by training with us. The training itself is fairly demanding but most
people will have no problems. However, if you are unsure you should seek advice from
your GP.
4. I don't have a Karate suit, do i need to buy one before I can train? If so,
where can i get one?A. No. You don't need a Karate suit (a Gi) in order to train if you are a beginner. If you do
decide to buy one then you will be able to purchase one from a good sports shop or through the club at a discount price.
5. Does the club only train once a week?A. No, we train on a Sunday and Wednesday at Barlby. However quite a few club members also train at our sister clubs of Haxby and York. Between the three clubs training is available Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. We also run regular courses in York and Black and Brown belts also attend GB training sessions.
6. Can I compete in competitions?A. Yes. The the association regularly hold competitions both national and international. In addition,
We often have local competitions between the three clubs in the area (York, Haxby &
Selby).
7. Is there full contact in training, am i likely to get hurt?A. There is no / very little contact with Children, as the grade and age increases the contact increases to what is classed light contact.
In training, we use control when sparring which means, effectively, we pull our
punches and kicks and don't fully extend. However, using control does not mean not
hitting. Any strikes to the stomach area are expected to make contact with a measured
degree of control and the person being hit will tense in order to avoid being hurt. This is done to control breathing and to strengthen the body. Protective accessories such as gum shields and chest guards can be worn although for training, it is probably not necessary.
In competition, such items are mandatory along with sparring mitts. I would
add that karate is a martial art, we are teaching you how to fight!
Injury is always a possibility and if you study karate, you should expect to get hit occasionally.
8. How long does it take to get to black belt?
A. You are allowed to grade every three months and there are ten grades to get through
to become a black belt. Therefore, it is possible to get to black belt within two and a half
years. However, it is much more likely to take around three and a half years, with regular
training, a lot of sweat and hard work.
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