Essex Wado Ryu Karate - Highwoods, Essex
Subscribe to our news feed for your local area Subscribe to our events feed for your local area Subscribe to our genealogy feed for your local area Subscribe to our quick posts feed for your local area
  • Essex Wado Ryu Karate - Highwoods, Essex
  • (Family)
Bookmark and Share
Contact Information
Further Description
  • What is Wado Ryu Karate?Wado Ryu Karate is distinguished from other Japanese karate styles by its unique yielding nature, a form of soft energy blended with sheer, hard force in it's techniques. Besides primary punching and kicking techniques, Wado Ryu students learn how to use body shifting to neutralize or deflect an attack, thereby causing the attacker to lose balance and to become more vulnerable to a counterattack.Wado Ryu Karate was founded by Hironori Ohtsuka Sensei in 1934. Ohtsuka Sensei developed Wado Ryu after studying the Samurai martial art of Jiu-jitsu, and Shotokan (another style of Karate). This combination, according to Ohstuka Sensei, is a softer, more natural means of self-protection.The term Wado Ryu means "Way of Peace and Harmony". This indicates Ohtsuka Sensei's original intention to use training in Wado Ryu as a means of solving problems in a non-violent way. The word Karate means "Empty hand".Values of Karate.You may be asking, how does all this "values" stuff work? And why does karate manage to do a better job teaching them?Again, more than any other sport, Karate gives you the chance to explore your innate powers. You will marvel as you increase in strength, flexibility, endurance, balance, and harmony. Yet this is only the start.In fact, your physical skills act as a foundation for something much more important: the development of your value skills, mental and spiritual. Not cut off from your physical skills, but intimately connected, even bonded, to them.These include:-Self Confidence Self Esteem Self Control Respect (for self and others) Fitness These are just a few of the values that can be achieved within Karate.There is a saying in the karate world - "the more you train, the more you gain". The benefits to be gained from martial arts training also continue throughout your life, which may explain why there are many active karate participants in their 50s, 60s and above who are still growing and learning! SyllabusMany people ask about the "belt colours", and what they mean. Part of martial arts training is to have an ongoing set of achievable goals. Starting out on a martial arts career the goal of achieving a black belt may seem very distant and almost unobtainable. However, learning a select few techniques and a kata (pattern of movements) is attainable in a relatively short time and within the grasp of anyone. Each step on the ladder to black belt is marked by a specific coloured belt, awarded for showing expertise in a specific range of techniques.Beginners (not yet taken a grading examination) start with a white belt, symbolising purity and innocence.Grading examinations are held approximately every three months and those who are ready are required to perform a set number of prescribed techniques - kicks, punches, strikes, defences and kata (patterns of movement). A panel of experienced black belts will check that the techniques are performed correctly to the required standard and then promote the student to a higher grade (if they are good enough!) There are a total of 13 traditional Wado Ryu kata in the syllabus, mastery of which will take you from beginner to black belt and beyond. In order they are:- Pinan Shodan, Pinan Nidan, Pinan Sandan, Pinan Yondan, Pinan Godan, Ku Shanku, Naifanchi, Chinto, Seishan, Wanshu, Bassai, Jion, and Rohai.The belt order for students aged 12 and over is as follows:-8th Kyu - Yellow Belt7th Kyu - Orange Belt6th Kyu - Green Belt5th Kyu - Blue Belt4th Kyu - Purple Belt3rd Kyu - Brown Belt2nd Kyu - Brown Belt1st  Kyu - Brown Belt The next belt is Shodan - Black Belt 1st Level - for many, the ultimate goal of karate.However, true karateka (karate practitioners) look upon Shodan as the beginning and not the end of a journey. Only now will you truly start to understand and learn the art of Karate.Constant, ongoing training is a necessary requirement for the Black Belt status to have meaning, and
Advertisement

About Us |  Give Us Some Feedback
© Copyright 1999 - 2012 Oxbury Assets Ltd. All rights reserved.
Registered Number: 7149211. Registered Office: Oxbury Assets Ltd, Fairclough Hall Farm, Weston, Herts. SG4 7DP
Email: info@ukvillages.co.uk   Telephone: 0800 088 7282