Alison Partington and Esme's view
If anyone is looking for an activity for their children or themself then Esme highly recommends her karate club! Over the years she has tried dancing, gymnastics, athletics and various other things but karate (and swimming) is what she has stuck with. It improves confidence, fitness and it has been really positive for her to progress up the different belt levels.
From my point of view the club has been fab. There are people of all ages and levels in the classes so it could be a great thing to do together as a family - however if like me you have enough on your plate and just want to leave the kids to it then that's fine too. Everyone is very friendly and I feel Esme is well supported. Also, unlike lots of other activities, the classes are 'pay as you go'. Obviously it's better to attend weekly but it's no big deal if you miss a week.
The club are looking for new starters so why not give it a go in the new year. 🥋👍
I came to karate later in life when I was 40 and joined a local club with my daughter who was seven. We hoped to improve our fitness and learn some self defence techniques. Practising karate turned out to do both of those things and a great deal more.
I caught the bug and have continued ever since punctuated only by a brief gap and change of styles. I have been a member of Shusoku Shukokai for three years now having been welcomed into the fold and made to feel like one of the club from the start and have gone from purple to black belt with this club.
Practising karate gives me regular exercise and while karate isn’t quiet meditation by any means it does require focus, determination and resilience. Training sessions are a great way to de-stress after a day at work and the club combines a work ethic with a sense of humour.
Getting ready for the black belt grading has been intensive and challenging. I’m still aching a few days after the three-hour exam. Passing feels like the result of all the kata, basics, padwork and sparring I have done over the years plus the support of instructors and fellow karatekas.
There have been ups and downs and not every session has been a triumph by any means. One of the attractions of karate for me is learning something totally outside my academic and work experience which requires a different approach. I hadn’t expected a notebook to be a part of my karate kit but there’s a lot to remember and some bits to figure out for yourself along the way.
Getting a black belt is not the end of the story, I have more grades to achieve and have enjoyed getting involved in helping to train and coach the other members of the club starting out and taking forward their involvement in karate.
Try it. That’s all I did.
Dan Mines