Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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How do I join?
How much does it cost?
What is the affiliation fee for?
Are the instructor police checked and insured?
Will karate make my child or me aggressive?
What are the Dojo Rules?
Do we need a karate suit?
Do we need fighting kit?
How to tie your gi?
How to tie your belt?
What age can we start at?
Are the children graded for different belt colours?
Can I ever watch my child do karate?
Can my child start Karate in the middle of a term?

Answers:





How do I join?
It is simple, just call the instructor in your area and book a free trial class. If you or your child enjoys the class the instruction will give you and affiliation form and you or your child will then be able to continue at that class. 

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How much does it cost?
If you or your child trains twice a week then the cost is £130 per school term. Once a week training is £90 per school term. The cost is payable in advance at the beginning of each school term, however the payment can be split in two with the second half to be paid after the half term.

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What is the affiliation fee for?
Public and Personal liability insurance is held by all instructors. Also, the student must have a valid Karate Budo Pass or karate licence book. This is an annual cost of £30, which will also provides the student with insurance as well as register the student with the A.M.A (Amateur Martial Arts Governing Body) and F.S.K.A. International. The Budo Pass will also officially record all the student’s gradings.

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Are the instructor police checked and insured?
Yes all instructors have professional indemnity insurance and are policed checked every six months.


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Will karate make my child or me aggressive?
No. Shotokan Karate is a safe, non-aggressive activity for all to enjoy. It combines the fun and excitement of sport with time honoured tradition. Shotokan karate has been taught to hundreds of children in our dojos for many years. Parents and teachers continually comment on how Karate has not only improved children’s behaviour enormously but also their concentration.

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What are the Dojo Rules?
Karate is a strenuous martial art we at Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Club has a number of rules which students are asked to follow to ensure that everyone trains in a safe manner.

1. All students must arrive 15 minutes prior to each lesson.
2. All students must ensure that they and their karate suits are clean.
3. Finger and toe nails should be cut short to avoid inflicting damage on other members.
4. All students must hold a current license as this provides invaluable insurance cover for them and their fellow members against injury. The license also entitles the holder to attend courses and you will not be able to grade without a current licence.
5. All jewellery should be removed prior to training. Jewellery that cannot be removed should be covered with tape.
6. All students nominated to grade need to attend the grading sessions in July and December each year. No students will be graded outside these sessions.
7. All grades must bow before entering and before leaving the dojo.
8. All students must bow to instructors and show proper respect. All junior grades should show proper respect to their senior grades.
9. All students must observe the rules as shown in their license.
10. All students must keep their fees up to date and pay for lessons as taken or in advance as agreed.
11. The club will not tolerate any racist abusive behaviour or excessive aggression in training or outside the dojo.
12. The club has the right to refuse membership to any individual if the club secretary or instructor feels they are unfit to attend without giving prior warning.
13. The aim of the club is to teach traditional Shotokan Karate in a disciplined structured manner.
14. The club cannot be held responsible for any loss of any personal items which may occur whilst attending club sessions.
15. It is preferred that children are deposited with us safely and that parents collect their children from us as we are not able to accept responsibility for them outside the dojo.
16. All students must behave in a manner that is conducive to the class and not in a disruptive manner.
17. Any training or procedure problems should be discussed with the instructor.

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Do we need a karate suit?
The Karate Gi is the outfit worn for karate training. It consists of a jacket (uwagi) and trousers (zubon) made of white cotton or canvas and a belt (obi), the colour of which indicates the rank of the student. The Funakoshi Shotokan patch(crests) should be sewn onto the left hand chest side of the students gi.

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Do we need fighting kit?
A new student does not need to participate in kumite(sparring) but it would be a good idea to buy the kit after about 6 months. All kumite kit and karate suits can be purchased directly from your instructor.

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How to tie your gi?
<to be updated>

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How to tie your belt?

The following diagrams show the proper way to tie your Karate belt.

Your final belt knot should look like this.

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What age can we start at or am I too old to start?
If your child has been doing Pee-Wee Karate with us for 18 months, then they can start at 5 ½ years old. If your child is coming directly to Funakoshi Shotokan Karate then they should be 6 years old.

No-one is to old to start karate, many of our dads and mums started in their late forties or fifties.

Karate is excellent for both the young and old.

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Are the children graded for different belt colours?
Yes, the instructor follows a strict grading syllabus in preparation for each belt grading. There are two gradings each year: one in December and one at the end of the summer term. The grading fee is an additional £25 per grading & is non refundable if a student fails to pass a grading. The fee includes a new belt. 

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Can I ever watch my child do karate?
Parents are welcome to watch an occasional class during the school term. However, we prefer that this be kept to a minimum. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend all their children’s gradings, as we believe this parental support is very important in the child’s development.

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Can my child start Karate in the middle of a term?
Yes, Karate is designed so that children can come in at any stage during a term. The child will not feel left behind as the classes are deigned to give all the children attention. When a child starts in the middle of a term your termly fee will be reduced accordingly.

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