Frequently Asked Questions
Who takes up Karate or martial arts?
Lots of different types of people train in Karate, Kickboxing and undertake self defence lessons . People who want to get fit, learn self defence methods, meet new people and have fun. The minimum age of the club is six years old but here at Ronin Budo we have no upper limit.
I'm really unfit - does this matter
No. Training is geared towards what you personally can do so you don't need to be fit to start. You will certainly get fitter through regular training, but we don't often do specific strength or fitness building exercises.
Does it hurt?
Bumps and bruises are inevitable in any martial art but more serious injuries are extremely rare. If you're not at a high fitness level then you are may ache a day or two after your first few sessions, but this will stop as you continue to train.
Is it very military?
Not really. We don't tend to shout at people as encouragement works much better. We do use some traditional protocols (like calling the instructor 'sensei' and bowing a lot) but these tend to be retained for safety purposes.
How often do I have to come?
How often you train is completely optional. Beginners often come once a week, higher grades usually do two sessions, and the die-hards come to the specialised classes too (weapons training and bunkai class). All you need to remember is that Karate, like any other skill, requires practice and the more you come the quicker you'll progress. We have good relationships with other clubs and some students can attend other clubs as a guest to supplement their training.
What sort of stuff will I learn?
You'll start with the simplest techniques e.g. basic kicks, punches and blocks, along with a few combination moves. As your training progresses you will learn more advanced techniques as well as defences against someone attacking, grabbing, or punching you (we try to cover the most common attacks seen on the street). As you progress you'll learn defences against weapons (seniors only) and multiple attackers. You'll also learn how to protect yourself when you fall and most of all your confidence and self discipline will increase.
Do you have coloured belts?
Yes, we have a range of grades progressing from white to black. The ones below are the Shukokai karate ones but the other styles have similar systems. Gradings are held regularly and if you are ready and fancy trying it then give it a go...
The belts grade as follows (dates are the expected average time):
8th Kyu (Yellow Belt) – Four months training.
7th Kyu (Orange Belt) – Eight months training.
6th Kyu (Green Belt) – Twelve months training.
5th Kyu (Blue Belt) - Sixteen months training.
4th Kyu (Purple Belt) – Twenty months training.
3rd Kyu (Brown Belt with 3 tabs) – Twenty Four months training.
2nd Kyu (Brown Belt with 2 tabs) – Thirty months training.
1st Kyu (Brown Belt with 1 tab) – Thirty Six months training.
Sho-Dan (Black Belt – 1st Dan) – Forty Eight months training.