Vigorous and enthusiastic participation in class is a basic characteristic of our Karate workouts. Classes begin with a bow of self-humility. Structured warm-up exercises follow. The vigorous training is not only for calesthenic purposes, but also to strengthen the students commitment to the way of Karate.

All Karate training at this dojo is highly structured to ensure the proper and safe development of every student. One of the basic reasons for this is that the exercises are designed that, if done in random order, the student would harm his musculature over a period of time. Beginning students are drilled in basic Karate movements until their confidence and ability to do them properly is unquestionable.

What is Kata?

…a prescribed sequence of steps, strikes, and blocks combined in such a manner as to allow us to practice them with a view to achieving all of balance, speed, power, precision, and grace of execution.

…a series of forms put together to demonstrate technique and strategy while defending oneself against one or more imaginary opponents.

…an encyclopedia of fighting techniques.

Kata is the foundation of the art of Karate, in the same sense that a good background in mathematics is essential training for the mathematician. To a layman, Kata would appear to be no more than a series of beautiful and graceful movements involving blocking, punching, and kicking. In essence, Kata is the medium through which the student communicates his attitude, his weaknesses and his strong points thereby enabling his instructor to guide his development carefully and meaningfully.

Kata is very demanding. It demands the ultimate in balance, power, speed, concentration, breathing, confidence, and humility. These are some of the important inputs of the character building, which should be a part of every human beings early training. In Shorinryu Karate system, emphasis is placed on Kata. However, it should not be understood that the concept and necessity of self-defense is ignored or de-emphasized. It is the experience of generations of Okinawan Karate Masters that true self-defense is possible only after serious training in the above mentioned demands of Kata. 

Mental Aspect

The discipline of the mind and strengthening of the will are two very important aspects of Karate. The novice Karate student first learns this discipline at a physical level, where he finds it impossible to assimilate the material fast enough and his strength and endurance fail under the pace set by his instructor. In these few weeks of confusion, he may experience sore muscles and sometimes near exhaustion. This is the first test. To quit is to lose a part of the self and it becomes easier to quit next time. To continue is to prepare to meet greater difficulties and overcome them by the strengthening of will and the disciplining of the conscious part of the mind which offers convenient "ways out."

At some later point the Karate student may suddenly discover that through perseverance, he has gained some degree of ability in performing the techniques as well as the physical ability to come through the lessons in good shape.

Still later on the Karate student may find him/herself in a new dilemma, more serious than the first. Despite a feeling of well being due to improved physical condition, the unique situation arises in which the Karate student realizes he is both defender and aggressor – that his/her only real opponent is oneself.