Shotokan is the style of Japanese karate developed by Master Gichin Funakoshi (born 1868 in Shuri, Okinawa) the man most responsible for karate as we know it today. As a boy of eleven he began a study of the precursors of karate, mastering both of the major existing styles in Okinawa. These schools were known as Shorei and Shorin.

The Shorei approach is characterized by heavy, powerful movements. The Shorin method utilizes lighter, quicker techniques. From these schools Master Funakoshi created his karate style.

 In 1922 Master Funakoshi was invited by the Japanese Ministry of Education to give a series of lectures and demonstrations in Japan. As a result of many requests he stayed in Japan to teach karate and with the transfer of this teaching to Japan came the eventual substitution of the word kara for the “Okinawa” in “Okinawa-te,” thus forming the word kara-te, literally meaning empty hand.

The founding of Shotokan in 1936 was a major landmark in Japanese karate history. Shoto was the pen name of Master Funakoshi, who was also well known as an author. Hence, the word Shotokan simply translates to ‘the school of Shoto’.

Shotokan became known as the style of karate taught to his students in major universities in Japan and latterly, taught to people all over the world.

Lets consider one of the benefits of karate, Shotokan Karate will keep you young.

What age are you?

The human species has two ages, chronological and biological.

Chronological Age

This is just a number, representing the years clocked up since our entry into the world and cannot be changed.

Biological Age

This age can be different to our chronological age. Some people may look older than they actually are and conversely some look younger.
How and why will depend on many factors but medically proven facts are that sedentary lifestyle, little mental stimulation and poor diet can be detrimental to our biological age. In other words your body may well be older in health terms, than your current chronological age, if the former statements apply to you.

How to ‘slow down or turn back the clock’

Medical research has proven that regular exercise along with keeping the brain highly stimulated and challenged at all chronological ages of life can slow down the biological aging of our bodies.
In the case of someone who initiates a significant change in his or her sedentary lifestyle through increased exercise, increased mental stimulation and diet, medical research has proven that the body’s biological aging process can even be reversed….turning back the clock.

Shotokan Karate offers mental stimulation and challenges in addition to physical challenges, all the ingredients required to slow down or reverse our biological aging process and is a form of fitness training that can be practiced throughout one’s entire life.

You are never to old to start learning Shotokan Karate so why not try a FREE taster session, it might just change your life for the better, forever.

Why not visit our Beginners page for further information?

Benefits of karate

♥ “if they could be bottled you would have……..the best medicine in the world“
    © Worcester Shotokan Karate Club 2014

 

Karate is a Japanese martial art and Shotokan is one of the most popular styles to have spread worldwide from Japan. There are a proliferation of Shotokan karate associations and clubs and somebody having no knowledge of martial arts faces a difficult decision over which club to choose.

Worcester Shotokan Karate Club (WSKC) ~

• WSKC’s Sensei (Instructor) Steve was trained and examined by the Japanese karate Master Kato Shihan 10th Dan, IJKA World Chief Instructor for 25 years until Kato Shihan’s passing in 2020. Steve continues to further his own progress by training with higher graded IJKA Sensei within the UK and worldwide at every opportunity.
• WSKC is dedicated to student progress, giving detailed and sympathetic instruction, carried out in a systematic manner with due regard to physical ability, placing maximum emphasis on ensuring correct natural movement of the body so as not to cause any damage to joints etc.
  This is particularly important for the younger karateka (student of karate) whose bones are still in the soft growing / formation stages of development.
• WSKC is run strictly on a ‘non-profit’ basis.
• WSKC members have the opportunity to attend seminars with Keith Crighton IJKA UK Chief Instructor in the UK, seminars held by Utsumi Takato Sensei, IJKA Interational Chief Instructor and seminars worldwide held by other IJKA member countries.
• WSKC is dedicated to teaching traditional Shotokan karate.

The International Japan Karate-Do Association (IJKA) is the association founded by Sadashige Kato Shihan 10th Dan World Chief Instructor who was resident in England and teaching Shotokan karate throughout the world since 1966 until his sad passing in 2020.
The IJKA is now headed by Utsumi Takato Sensei in Japan. He was personally chosen by Kato Shihan to be assistant chief instructor for IJKA and in 2020 accepted the position of IJKA International Chief Instructor, following Kato Shihan’s passing..
To find out about the IJKA please visit the official IJKA website.

We accept students aged from 12 to 50+ and welcome both beginners and those with previous karate experience. We have found that in general students below this age do not have the mental discipline to cope with the demands of Shotokan karate. However, we are sometimes flexible to a slight degree on this club rule but this will depend strictly on the individual concerned. Please visit our Dojo for an informal discussion if your child has shown a personal interest in karate.

You are never to old to start learning Shotokan karate and it will make you younger..

WSKC will never turn anyone away who wishes to join the club at any time. 
The first lesson is FREE for beginners and a friendly welcome awaits at WSKC.

You do not have to be fit to start learning Shotokan Karate. Shotokan Karate is a complete fitness system and beginners will quickly notice improvements in their fitness due to WSKC’s structured ‘step-by-step’ teaching which at every level is structured to the individual student’s ability.

Shotokan can become a lifelong pursuit for people of all ages.

Loose fitting clothing such as tracksuit bottoms and a T shirt / sweatshirt or similar will be perfectly adequate for the first few weeks.
A Keikogi (Karate training suit) should be acquired after a student has completed several weeks of regular training. We can assist our students in obtaining Keikogi at very reasonable prices.
Keikogi for Shotokan karate are white in colour so that in the Dojo (place of training) everyone is equal.
The only distinction between students will be the colour of belt they wear around their waist signifying a particular level of progress / achievement.

To make good quality progress in Shotokan, our students are encouraged to train twice each week.
However, students who can only train once each week will still be welcomed at WSKC but it should be noted that this will affect your rate of progress.

The first lesson at WSKC is always FREE for beginners and we don’t charge joining or membership fees.
The cost of training is explained in our useful downloadable pdf document Training Fees.

WSKC does not charge joining or membership fees. All we ask is for you to complete our membership form which will ask for a few personal details. WSKC respect that personal details are confidential and these will only be used for the sole purpose of;

• Ensuring that members do not have any medical conditions that would prohibit their participation in a physically demanding martial art and, that no medical doctor has ever advised against their participation in regular strenuous exercise.
• Contacting members in the event of unexpected changes to our scheduled training days / times.

Karateka who want to restart or continue their Shotokan training by joining WSKC are welcomed at the club.
Many of our past and present students have fallen into this category and, karateka will be eligible to wear the appropriate colour belt for their existing grade.

Typically, it will take 3 to 4 years of dedicated regular training, twice a week, for a beginner to progress to the first black belt level of Shodan (1st Dan) within the IJKA and a black belt is seen by many potential beginners as the icon of success in any martial art.

However, the Japanese translation of Shodan is First Step, Sho (First) Dan (Step), therefore when a beginner finally achieves the first black belt level of Shodan they have made the first step of a long journey that has no destination, as the student will quickly realise there is so much more to learn.

Therein lies the beauty of our Martial Art….. Shotokan.

Shotokan karate is a disciplined martial art requiring dedication and hard work, personified by translation of the Japanese ‘Mukin Shori’ which means ‘The way to success has no shortcuts.’

Should you require further information about the club we actively encourage potential members to visit our dojo. You will find an open and friendly welcome awaits, plus friendly conversation is quicker and better than any message.
Alternatively you can reach out to us via our Contact Us page.