Articles

A brown belt is one of the interesting and important stages in your progress through a martial art. It is usually the final belt before you test for a black belt. But what does this really mean?

A red belt is often the first belt you earn after you start training karate. You might still feel like a beginner while wearing a red belt though, so what does it really mean?

A black belt is a powerful symbol in many people’s minds. But what does it actually mean to earn a black belt in karate?

We are back in the hall this evening for some more karate practice after the Christmas and New Year break. But what are we practising FOR? Why do we do this?

What style of karate do we practise? People often ask about which style a karate practitioner follows. Is it Shotokan or Kyokushin? Goju-ryu or Shito-ryu? In this club, we do not follow a single large organisation with a strict praxis or stylistic method.

What does our club’s name mean? In Japanese martial arts, the concept of “shu-ha-ri” refers to the process of learning, consolidation, and mastery.

Are high kicks at all useful? In many cases while fighting, the answer is “probably not”. They can be slow and difficult, certainly compared with low kicks against the thigh.

What is the most useful technique for self-defence? If I might go out on a limb, I would say that generally being aware of what is around you (so that you can avoid trouble) is the most useful tool in your toolbox.

Blocking, punching, kicking? These are what we often imagine when we think about karate. But there is more to it than that: karate also develops your balance, coordination, control of your body, courage, and the mental clarity to make good choices when under pressure.