FAQ's
WheN AND WHEre are your classes held?
Our main dojo (place of practice) is at Penzance Leisure Centre, where we hold group classes on Thursday and Friday evenings.
We also have the ability to offer "private" classes for adults, and small-group classes classes for adults and/or children, at an alternative venue.
You can find out more about our class times by clicking on the button below:
We also have the ability to offer "private" classes for adults, and small-group classes classes for adults and/or children, at an alternative venue.
You can find out more about our class times by clicking on the button below:
How much do your classes cost?
Our pricing structure is simple! We have a monthly membership fee that students pay, and in return they can attend as many group classes a week as they like (subject to the age/grade restrictions on each class). Some students attend once a week, while others attend twice a week at no additional cost.
We also offer a generous “family discount” scheme, which means that families who have more than one person attending our classes receive a discounted membership rate for each subsequent family member who wants to joins us (providing they live at the same address).
Our (per calendar month) membership fee is as follows:
We also offer a generous “family discount” scheme, which means that families who have more than one person attending our classes receive a discounted membership rate for each subsequent family member who wants to joins us (providing they live at the same address).
Our (per calendar month) membership fee is as follows:
1st Family Member |
2nd Family Member |
3rd Family Member |
4th Family Member |
|
Price (per calendar month) |
£43 |
£32 |
£21 |
£10 |
Obviously, some calendar months have 4 weeks in them, others have 5 weeks. You pay the same monthly cost irrespective of this, so on months with 5 weeks in them, you effectively get extra lessons for free!
Please note that all monthly membership fees must be paid in advance at the beginning of each month, by direct debit. We do not accept payments by cash/cheque for monthly membership fees, due to the additional banking fees and administration fees we would incur. The monthly membership fees are also based upon continuous payment, irrespective of any periods of non-attendance. Of course, if ever you / your child ever wished to cease attending our classes, you can ask us to cancel your direct debit at any time.
As a very established Karate group (we have been teaching in Cornwall for 19 years now!), we already have 80+ existing students paying for their classes by direct debit; join them with confidence!
Please note that all monthly membership fees must be paid in advance at the beginning of each month, by direct debit. We do not accept payments by cash/cheque for monthly membership fees, due to the additional banking fees and administration fees we would incur. The monthly membership fees are also based upon continuous payment, irrespective of any periods of non-attendance. Of course, if ever you / your child ever wished to cease attending our classes, you can ask us to cancel your direct debit at any time.
As a very established Karate group (we have been teaching in Cornwall for 19 years now!), we already have 80+ existing students paying for their classes by direct debit; join them with confidence!
If I join your classes, can i stop coming at any time?
We offer a FREE trial of up to four weeks for all "new to us" students. We hope this allows new students to decide if they are going to enjoy our classes before they commit to joining.
Most members stay with us for many years... some have been with us since we first started running classes 19 years ago, and we can't seem to get rid of them no matter how hard we try!
On a serious note though, if at any stage you decide you don't wish to attend our classes any more, you can stop coming and ask us to cancel your monthly membership payments at any time.
Most members stay with us for many years... some have been with us since we first started running classes 19 years ago, and we can't seem to get rid of them no matter how hard we try!
On a serious note though, if at any stage you decide you don't wish to attend our classes any more, you can stop coming and ask us to cancel your monthly membership payments at any time.
Do I have to sign a contract WHEN I join?
Some martial arts schools use contracts to tie-in students to paying for long periods of time, or to justify charging lucrative "cancellation fees" if they want to end the contract early.
Here at Cornwall Karate, we are Karate-orientated, NOT money-orientated. Yes, we need to cover costs, but we'd rather have a smaller number of committed students than a mass of students who don't particularly want to be there!
For that reason, we do NOT use long-term contracts. We do ask that an agreement is signed so we are able to bill you by Direct Debit, but all we ask of anyone wanting to cancel their membership is 21 days notice in writing - this is because our classes are often full, so it gives us chance to offer any places which become available to people on our waiting lists.
As instructors, we want students who attend class regularly, work hard, and do their best to learn and improve. As a potential student, you (hopefully) want somebody teaching you who is passionate and knowledgeable about Karate, and who makes learning it a joy. We aim to ensure that both teacher and student are happy :)
We like the idea of Mr Miyagi's "sacred pact" from the film "Karate Kid":
Here at Cornwall Karate, we are Karate-orientated, NOT money-orientated. Yes, we need to cover costs, but we'd rather have a smaller number of committed students than a mass of students who don't particularly want to be there!
For that reason, we do NOT use long-term contracts. We do ask that an agreement is signed so we are able to bill you by Direct Debit, but all we ask of anyone wanting to cancel their membership is 21 days notice in writing - this is because our classes are often full, so it gives us chance to offer any places which become available to people on our waiting lists.
As instructors, we want students who attend class regularly, work hard, and do their best to learn and improve. As a potential student, you (hopefully) want somebody teaching you who is passionate and knowledgeable about Karate, and who makes learning it a joy. We aim to ensure that both teacher and student are happy :)
We like the idea of Mr Miyagi's "sacred pact" from the film "Karate Kid":
IS IS TRUE THAT karate practitioners must have a "licence"?
Many years ago, Karate practitioners had to be "registered" because they were thought to be in posession of a "deadly weapon" (their Karate skills)!
Of course, society has moved-on, and most people understand that Karate is for self-defence. Furthermore, Karate tends to encourage practitioners to be calm and considered, not rash and aggressive. More as a matter of habit, a Karate practitioner's membership record book is still referred to as a "licence", even to this day, though in reality it is merely a record of your training and grading (belt examination) history, plus proof of your coverage by our member-to-member insurance policy.
Here at Cornwall Karate, we make no separate charge for licences; the monthly membership fee is inclusive of all licence costs.
Of course, society has moved-on, and most people understand that Karate is for self-defence. Furthermore, Karate tends to encourage practitioners to be calm and considered, not rash and aggressive. More as a matter of habit, a Karate practitioner's membership record book is still referred to as a "licence", even to this day, though in reality it is merely a record of your training and grading (belt examination) history, plus proof of your coverage by our member-to-member insurance policy.
Here at Cornwall Karate, we make no separate charge for licences; the monthly membership fee is inclusive of all licence costs.
I've heard there are different styles of Karate. What style do you teach?
The short answer is "Shukokai".
The longer answer (if you are interested)? Well...
Within "Japanese" Karate, there are considered to be four "main" styles; Wado-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Goju-Ryu and Shotokan. You can think of these as being like different makes of car.
If you closely look at the four styles, they actually have more in common with each other than differences, just as all cars (to continue the analogy) tend to have four wheels, brakes, an engine, etc. For some reason though, Karate practitioners generally like to say that they practice one specific style or another, just like people tend to mention that they drive a Ford, or a Vauxhall, or whatever.
If we had to be pinned-down to a name, we'd say that we practice Shukokai (修交会) Karate, which falls under the style of Shito-Ryu.
“Shukokai” (which means "way for all") is based upon the teachings of Shigeru Kimura Sensei. It is a highly-technical style of Karate, which involves studying the mechanics of how the body works, in order to maximise speed and power generation. For this reason, it is very effective for all students, whether male or female, young or old, tall or short, heavy or light. We use Shukokai techniques to teach you the ability to hit VERY HARD when you need to. To somebody who hasn't practised Karate before, what might come as a surprise, however, is that we also teach how to hit with the utmost of control, stopping strikes moments before impact for the sake of safety in practice. Discipline and self-control are essential in Karate... "With great power comes great responsibility".
So, why do we only reluctantly give a name to the style of Karate that we practice and teach?
The main reason is that as soon as you name something, you can unintentionally restrict it. Martial Arts legend, Bruce Lee, resisted naming his martial art for years for this very same reason. As soon as you name something, people treat any change as sacrilege, irrespective of whether the additions or modifications are an improvement. To go back to the car analogy, if the designers in the Ford factory never looked at other makes of car, how could they ever improve what they are producing based upon the strengths and weaknesses they see elsewhere?
We try to ensure that our Karate is always improving. If we find something "new" to be useful, we try to include it in our practice. Similarly, if we don't find something useful, we disregard it instead of practising it through a sense of dogma.
Our Karate therefore incorporates standing and ground techniques, receiving/blocking techniques, striking techniques (including the manipulation of "pressure points"), throws, grappling techniques, chokes and strangles, locks, restraints, and break-falls. In addition to "techniques", we also emphasise "principles" such as moving into a position of advantage, clearing and controlling limbs, utilising off-balancing, etc... a given techniques might not always work, but underlying principles can always be relied upon.
Hopefully this gives you a flavour of why we prefer to just say that we just practice "Karate", rather than a specific style!
(Sorry, we did tell you it was going to be a long answer!).
The longer answer (if you are interested)? Well...
Within "Japanese" Karate, there are considered to be four "main" styles; Wado-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Goju-Ryu and Shotokan. You can think of these as being like different makes of car.
If you closely look at the four styles, they actually have more in common with each other than differences, just as all cars (to continue the analogy) tend to have four wheels, brakes, an engine, etc. For some reason though, Karate practitioners generally like to say that they practice one specific style or another, just like people tend to mention that they drive a Ford, or a Vauxhall, or whatever.
If we had to be pinned-down to a name, we'd say that we practice Shukokai (修交会) Karate, which falls under the style of Shito-Ryu.
“Shukokai” (which means "way for all") is based upon the teachings of Shigeru Kimura Sensei. It is a highly-technical style of Karate, which involves studying the mechanics of how the body works, in order to maximise speed and power generation. For this reason, it is very effective for all students, whether male or female, young or old, tall or short, heavy or light. We use Shukokai techniques to teach you the ability to hit VERY HARD when you need to. To somebody who hasn't practised Karate before, what might come as a surprise, however, is that we also teach how to hit with the utmost of control, stopping strikes moments before impact for the sake of safety in practice. Discipline and self-control are essential in Karate... "With great power comes great responsibility".
So, why do we only reluctantly give a name to the style of Karate that we practice and teach?
The main reason is that as soon as you name something, you can unintentionally restrict it. Martial Arts legend, Bruce Lee, resisted naming his martial art for years for this very same reason. As soon as you name something, people treat any change as sacrilege, irrespective of whether the additions or modifications are an improvement. To go back to the car analogy, if the designers in the Ford factory never looked at other makes of car, how could they ever improve what they are producing based upon the strengths and weaknesses they see elsewhere?
We try to ensure that our Karate is always improving. If we find something "new" to be useful, we try to include it in our practice. Similarly, if we don't find something useful, we disregard it instead of practising it through a sense of dogma.
Our Karate therefore incorporates standing and ground techniques, receiving/blocking techniques, striking techniques (including the manipulation of "pressure points"), throws, grappling techniques, chokes and strangles, locks, restraints, and break-falls. In addition to "techniques", we also emphasise "principles" such as moving into a position of advantage, clearing and controlling limbs, utilising off-balancing, etc... a given techniques might not always work, but underlying principles can always be relied upon.
Hopefully this gives you a flavour of why we prefer to just say that we just practice "Karate", rather than a specific style!
(Sorry, we did tell you it was going to be a long answer!).
I'm not very fit... can i still participate in your karate classes?
Of course! We can progress at your pace, and your fitness will improve over time. Remember the quote, "No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch!"
Will I / my child get injured doing karate?
Statistically, Karate is a much safer activity than many sports.
Obviously we can't guarantee you won't get the occasional injury during training, but we've never had a serious injury in class thanks to the safety precautions we put into place.
In addition, all students are covered on a member-to-member insurance policy as a part of their Karate "licence". This does not cover every conceivable injury, but does provide some reassurance against certain more serious injuries, should they ever occur.
Obviously we can't guarantee you won't get the occasional injury during training, but we've never had a serious injury in class thanks to the safety precautions we put into place.
In addition, all students are covered on a member-to-member insurance policy as a part of their Karate "licence". This does not cover every conceivable injury, but does provide some reassurance against certain more serious injuries, should they ever occur.
Who will be teaching me / my child in your Karate classes?
I / MY CHILD HAS SPECIAL NEEDS OR A DISABILITY? CAN I / WE STILL PARTICIPATE?
We currently have (and have also had, in the past) a number of students with additional needs and/or disabilities.
We aim to be inclusive by allowing those with additional needs and disabilities to attend our group classes, and would merely ask that any such additional needs and/or disabilities are fully disclosed to us from the outset so that any reasonable adaptions to our classes can be made.
Alternatively, where joining in with group classes would not be practical, private classes are another possibility.
Please feel free to get in touch so that we can discuss the best way forwards.
We aim to be inclusive by allowing those with additional needs and disabilities to attend our group classes, and would merely ask that any such additional needs and/or disabilities are fully disclosed to us from the outset so that any reasonable adaptions to our classes can be made.
Alternatively, where joining in with group classes would not be practical, private classes are another possibility.
Please feel free to get in touch so that we can discuss the best way forwards.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET A BLACK BELT?
There is no standardised agreement as to what constitutes "black belt" level between different martial art groups; nor, therefore, is there a standardised amount of time to achieve it.
The lack of a set standard has led to some groups awarding black belts to children as young as 5 years old, or guaranteeing people a black belt if they train for a certain amount of time or - worse - if they pay a certain amount of money! If you're desperate for a black belt, you can even order one on Amazon, and probably have it delivered to you, ready to wear by tomorrow!
Here at Cornwall Karate, we aim to have a high - but not unachievable - standard for black belt. Of those students who have been awarded a black belt, it has typically taken them between 4-8 years to reach the required standard. The variation in the time taken between students mainly depended upon how regularly they practised, and their individual levels of effort and aptitude.
Of course, the real secret of Karate is the journey, not the destination. We should strive to remember that black belt is just one rung on the ladder of continual effort and improvement.
The lack of a set standard has led to some groups awarding black belts to children as young as 5 years old, or guaranteeing people a black belt if they train for a certain amount of time or - worse - if they pay a certain amount of money! If you're desperate for a black belt, you can even order one on Amazon, and probably have it delivered to you, ready to wear by tomorrow!
Here at Cornwall Karate, we aim to have a high - but not unachievable - standard for black belt. Of those students who have been awarded a black belt, it has typically taken them between 4-8 years to reach the required standard. The variation in the time taken between students mainly depended upon how regularly they practised, and their individual levels of effort and aptitude.
Of course, the real secret of Karate is the journey, not the destination. We should strive to remember that black belt is just one rung on the ladder of continual effort and improvement.
