SHOTOKAN KARATE
About Shotokan at Solace
"The ultimate aime of the art of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the characters of its participants." -Gichin Funakoshi
Shotokan is characterized by deep, long stances that provide stability and enable powerful movements. It is often regarded as a 'hard' or 'external' martial art because it is taught that way to beginners and coloured belts to develop strong basic techniques and stances. Initially, strength and power are demonstrated instead of the advanced slower, more flowing motions.
Shotokan classes instill self-discipline, respect, and confidence while improving strength, flexibility, and coordination. The art of karate is more than just physical. Five core values will be stressed inside the dojo and will transcend into everyday life;
All beginners, especially the young, should be taught the importance of character building through discipline and rigorous training. For the beginner, the character building process begins with perfecting techniques through repetition. The spirit to fight will be achieved as one gains more confidence through development of stronger techniques. It is a long path to develop these spiritual values but once the concept is understood and experienced it will provide a lifetime benefit of inner strength and peace.
1.Seek perfection of character
2. Be faithful
3. Endeavour
4. Respect others
5. Refrain from violent behaviour
Class Description:
Shotokan Karate
Ages 6-adult, 60 minutes. Shotokan offers unlimited benefits, building strength, flexibility, confidence and more. In this class, students will begin by learning the basic techniques which will be the foundation of the higher level techniques to come. The majority of the class consists of instruction and will also include one or two of the following segments: light sparring, focus pads and standing bag training, and stamina workouts.
Rates:
12 week sessions $144
$15 drop-in
What you need to know before class:
Sign up: Our class sizes are very small. It is recommended that you sign up for class a few weeks in advance, by calling or emailing the office to ensure your or your child's place. Please note that while it is, of course, beneficial, you or your child is not required to attend class every week. If unable to attend class please call or email as soon as possible.
Clothes: Special clothes and accessories are unnecessary for Shotokan. We do recommend that the clothes your child wears to class be comfortable and relatively form-fitting, as loose pants and shirts can get in the way and potentially cause accidents (tripping). We also recommend that pants are not too long. The studio is kept warm so ensure that your child will not get overheated. Types of clothes that generally work well are t-shirts and tank tops (that aren't too baggy), shorts, and sweatpants that aren't too long or baggy.
Water: There is filtered water available at the studio. We recommend bringing your own bottle or cup for drinking to conserve paper cups, but there are paper cups available if you forget.
Eating before class: We recommend that students eat 2 or more hours before class, to prevent cramping and tummy aches. After class, they may eat as soon as they're hungry.
