Karate Frequently Asked Questions

Karate is a martial art and a combat sport so minor bumps, bruises and sore muscles are not uncommon, but accidents are extremely rare. We do our best to train as safely as possible. We have never had to report any serious injury to our insurers yet and we aim to keep it that way.

We accept children over 7 years of age as we have found that at that age they begin to possess the coordination and discipline required to successfully practice karate. They will also train for longer if they start after their 7th birthday.

No - you don't need a suit until your first grading. You can train in a tracksuit or shorts and tee-shirt until then.

Assuming you train consistently, it generally takes four to five years.

Yes, no problem.

Anyone! Many people have reached black belt level with the club, male/female, young/not so young.

No, as long as you have medical clearance, you can practice karate. Don't worry if you are not very fit, this will change quickly.

Not at all. Several of our club members are in their fifties. Some Japanese masters are still practicing martial arts in their eighties.

Certainly! By providing benefits such as confidence, discipline, respect, self-control, leadership, stress relief, and self-defense, karate helps both the children who are being bullied, and the children who are bullying others.

This is your choice. There are a lot of things that can be learnt from karate competitions, but we don't require anybody to compete if they prefer not to.

We'll ask you to get clearance from your doctor. You do need to let us know if you have specific medical conditions which may impact on your ability to train safely.