What do I need to bring?

For your first few classes, just yourself and some loose fitting clothes (sweats and a tee-shirt work well).  After the first month we ask that you purchase a uniform (gi) either from Japan Ways or one of the numerous retailers.  Any instructor can assist you in choosing the right size gi.

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Do I have to bow?

First of all, it is important to understand that bowing in the dojo does not have any religious meaning.  It comes from the Japanese practice of showing respect for one another.  One of the precepts, or sayings, of Master Ginchin Funakoshi, the founder of modern Shotokan, is, "Karate begins and ends with courtesy."

 

We bow when entering and exiting the dojo and the training area to show respect for all those who train there.  We bow to instructors and Black Belts to show respect for those who share their knowledge with us.  We bow to practicing partners to show respect for our common goal of becoming better karateka (students of karate) as well as a sign of courtesy.  Also, it is part of our tradition.

 

However, if you believe that bowing would conflict with your religious beliefs, you may abstain from the practice.  During the bowing in and bowing out of class, we ask that you simply take a small step backward to disengage yourself while the rest of the class bows and then quietly rejoin the line when they have finished.

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What if I'm a beginner but I can't make it to the beginner's class?

Then come to the intermediate class!  There are usually plenty of black belts attending the intermediate class some one will work with you to cover the appropriate material.  We'd much rather have you show up to train in the intermediate class as a beginner than skip training because you have a schedule conflict.

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What about Kids' classes?

We offer 2 scheduled kids classes (see the schedule).  These classes are for kids in the 5 through 7 year range that may have shorter attention spans.  The material covered in these class is still traditional karate, just presented at a pace more appropriate for younger students.  However, all classes are open to all age groups, and we do have assistant instructors in each class to break out the kids for more age-appropriate material when required.  We really want to encourage families to train together and we've found the best way to do that is to keep everyone in the same class.  If you are worried about keeping the intensity high with kids in the class, don't be.  Most of the time our younger students keep up just fine and we will break them into their own class for partner drills and kumite practice.

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How old should my child be before starting karate?

That depends on your child.  At Japan Ways, we don't do "kiddy karate".  We are teaching real, traditional karate, and although it is fun, it's also serious and requires some amount of maturity and dedication.  Many 5 and 6 year olds have done very well, while others at that age find it a little overwhelming.  The best way to find out is to come by and have your child take a class or two (the first two are always free) and see how they like it.  While your at it, get out there and train with him - it's good for you!

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