Q. What do I need to bring with me to my first lesson and what shall I wear?
A. All you need to bring is a drink of water in a plastic non spill bottle and lesson fee, you will need to wear something comfortable, like jogging bottoms and a tee shirt, we train in bare feet. A parent or guarding will need to fill out a short form about health details and contact information.
_________________________________________________
Q. Does learning karate make you more aggessive?
A. No, quite the opposite, karate students are less likely to get into a fight, they learn very quickly that karate is only for self defence. Students become more self confident and with this confidence, comes an understanding that fighting is a mugs game. But if they are bullied or attacked, will have learn't various ways of dealing with the situation.
_________________________________________________
Q. How long will it take to become a black belt?
A. If a student attends lessons once a week and practices regularly at home, it could take about 5 to 6 years.
_________________________________________________
Q. How often can I grade? and could I fail a grading?
A. We hold 3 gradings a year, we only grade students that are ready, so providing a student puts in 100% on the day, they should pass. If a student doesn't pass, we may have a few tears, but more often than not, that student comes through it stronger and when they do eventually pass, feel more deserving and proud than before.
We never charge for a regrade.
_________________________________________________
Q. I noticed that junior students have small coloured stars on the lapel of their karate suits, what are these for?
A. An important part of a students training is the learning and practice of Kata, Kata are set karate routines that have been passed down through many generations of karate masters. At Britka we found that awarding students with Kata stars helps encourage them to practice at home and therefore improve to a higher standard. We award a different colour star for each Kata.
It also gives students a goal between gradings and shows a Britka instructor the level that the student is presently at.
_________________________________________________
Q. Is karate at Britka a contact sport?
A. An important part of any karate training is contact with another student. When a new student starts karate there is very light controlled contact, as a student progesses through the grades and become more skilled, only then is contact increased.
We do not allow any heavy contact between junior students.
Remember we are preparing students for a sometimes tough and not very nice outside world. As a student grows in stature, he will learn to brush aside knocks and move forward.
_________________________________________________
Q. How can I help my child with their training?
A. The best way to help your child is to encourage them to train regularly and to practice at home. A student can practice stretching and kata at home, if you don't have a punch pad to practice on, why not hold up a cushion for them to practice their kicks and punches. Some of our more dedicated students train twice a week at the club.