Junior Martial Arts
The Park Club is pleased to be able to offer superb controlled environments for our martial arts classes. These combined with our talented and professional coaches (Link to below) ensure that The Park Club is the perfect place for your child to become involved in either Karate or Aikido.
Martial Arts for Young Members - what do we offer?
Martial Arts activities are offered throughout the year to cater specifically for boys and girls. Fully qualified instructors will ensure all participants are afforded the best opportunity to develop their talent during their courses. Martial Arts activities are broadly divided in to Term Time activities and Holiday Camps. The two main martial arts that The Park Club offer to our members are Karate and Aikido.
Term Time Karate and Aikido Activities
These six week courses are designed to run within Spring, Summer and Autumn school terms divided by half term holidays. The following activities are available during these times.
Term Time Karate Courses for Children
Aged 4 to 16
Shukokai Karate is a traditional martial art that provides an exciting and challenging way to get fit, improve suppleness, co-ordination, agility, strength and all round aerobic fitness. Founded by Sensei Chijoru Tani who was taught by Sensei Kenwa Mabuni it has its foundations in the shitoryu system, one of the original karate schools in Okinawa.Kyo Rei Shukokai Karate now has 800 members with direct links to senior instructors in Japan, Europe and the UK. Courses for the elder children, aged 6 to 10 years of age, offer a chance to further develop the skills learned in the earlier course to a more accomplished level. Children still use the belt system and by now can see real advances in their ability.
Shukokai Karate is a traditional martial art that provides an exciting and challenging way to get fit, improve suppleness, co-ordination, agility, strength and all round aerobic fitness. Founded by Sensei Chijoru Tani who was taught by Sensei Kenwa Mabuni it has its foundations in the shitoryu system, one of the original karate schools in Okinawa.
Kyo Rei Shukokai Karate now has 800 members with direct links to senior instructors in Japan, Europe and the UK.
Classes are taught to a broad spectrum of people, all you need to start is a pair of loose jogging bottoms and a t-shirt. Children's classes are split into age groups with an emphasis on Good Manners, Respect for Elders and Discipline, with a structured syllabus and testing system.Courses for children, aged 11 to 16 years of age, see the continued emphasis on development of all areas of the Karate, ensuring that the core skills of Karate become habitual for all children involved in the sport. Throughout all stages of Karate discipline is a key factor, this ensures that by this stage in Karate children are confident enough to lead their own demonstrations, under the supervision of our professional coach.
Term Time Aikido Courses for Children
Aged 4 to 16
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Courses for the younger children, aged 4 to 6 years of age, like all classes, focus on an early development of the core skills needed for an enjoyable involvement in Aikido. Like Karate, this ensures that children can develop their coordination and balance. Aikido also use a belt system to monitor the progression of children involved in the sport.
Courses for the elder children, aged 7 to 10 years of age, offer a chance to further develop the skills learned in the earlier course to a more accomplished level. Children will become more involved with the sport and its tools, the Aikido Ken and Jo, wooden sticks, become a more familiar part of training.
Courses for children, aged 11 to 16 years of age, see the continued emphasis on development of all areas of the Karate, ensuring that the core skills of Aikido become habitual for all children involved in the sport. Children continue to use the tolls associated with Aikido, but to a much more advanced level.
Grading for Karate and Aikido are taken several times through the year, for more information please contact Pat Fisher on 020 8743 4321, or via e-mail patf@theparkclub.co.uk.
Holiday Camp Multi-Sport Activities for Children Aged 4 to 16
During school holidays, week long Multi-Sport Camps are available for all young members to enjoy. The Club's Multi-Sport Camps are very popular and are the perfect solution for those who do not wish to spend the whole day focused on one sport. Multi-Sports camps have either Karate or Aikido as one of the four daily options on every multi-sport camp we run.
All of the coaches are fully qualified and they offer a wonderfully fun and professional style to ensure that all children taking part in the all- day camps go home totally fulfilled with their days activity.
Multi-Sport Camps are available for boys and girls of all ages and can be booked on a daily basis or for the whole week. Holiday Camps afford parents the added flexibility of being able to leave their children at the Club for the whole day. An early drop-off and late collection service is also available.
The course summary on the reverse provides greater details of a typical Multi-Sport Holiday Camp.
When Are Martial Arts Courses and Multi-Sport Camps Available?
Details of when the Term Time Martial Arts Courses and Holiday Multi-Sport Camps are run and the associated costs may be found in the Sports and Activity Timetable. These are available from the main reception, by the noticeboards located in the main corridor on the lower ground floor or on http://www.mytpc.co.uk.
Martial Arts Coaches
The Park Club are very pleased that they are able to offer coaches in these Martial Arts that have years of national and international experience.
Alex Horsfall (Karate) (3rd Dan Black Belt)
Sensei Alex Horsefall takes the Kyo Rei Shokokai Karate class. Alex was National Black Belt Heavyweight Champion and has competed for England on an international level, he was also National Junior Champion twice.
Justin Christou (Aikido) (4th Level Black Belt)
Our classes are taught by one of the most sought after instructors of the sport in Europe. Justin Christou studied under the world famous Morihei Ueshiba, a man who is regarded as the founder of the sport. Justin has nearly twenty years of Martial arts study behind him and as a result of his studies in Japan he is qualified to the level of 4th Black Belt.
Portfolios of all of the Club's Martial Arts Coaches may be found on the Martial Arts notice board located in the main corridor on the lower ground floor.
Frequently Asked Questions about Martial Arts Courses and Camps
What equipment do children need to bring
All equipment is provided by the Club.
What should they wear?
Children can take part in Martial Arts wearing just shorts and t-shirts; no footwear is required for the class, as children take part bare footed. If your child wishes they can wear tracksuits but these may become restrictive as children improve their skills and ideally a suit is recommended, but not vital.
Course Progression
White 1/2/3 = 8th KYU
Yellow 1/2/3 = 7TH KYU
Green 1/2/3 = 6th KYU
Blue 1/2/3 = 5th KYU
Orange 1/2/3 = 4th KYU
Brown 3RD/2ND/1ST KYU
