Kōdōkai means the Organisation/Group for the Study of the Way. Kō meaning study, Dō meaning way, and Kai meaning Organisation. Although a new club, the instructor once belonged to the former Wadō-ryū, and later Shōrin-ryū, club that ran for twenty years at the Leisure centre until 2015. Thus, the Kōdōkai is a continuation of that club in spirit.
As a club, we offer instruction in Shōrin-ryū Karate and Ryukyu Kobujutsu (weaponry). However, we consider ourselves a Free-Style club in that all are free to join us. Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced karateka you are welcome to join us for training. Ultimately, we believe there are only two types of Karate: Good and Bad.
Our focus is on karate as a pragmatic form of self-defence, therefore our training consists of three primary elements:
1. Hojo Undo: Emphasis is placed on proper conditioning of the body for combat. Training includes, but is not limited to, callisthenics, Body-Conditioning, and the use of striking pads.
2. Kata: Prearranged sequences of movements performed as a routine. Also known as forms in English. The Kata of Karate contain the fighting techniques and tactics of the martial art, and the movements can be directly applied to physical conflict. We study, experiment, and pressure test applications of the movements in the context of self-defence. Below are three common words to describe this process:
3. Kumite: Literally “Meeting Hands” which infers practice with a partner. A significant part of our training regime is kumite. Indeed, we have an 80/20 principle at the heart of our training. What this means is that 80% of your time at the club should be spent working with a partner to develop your combative skills. After all, you can practice at home by yourself, and you can attend the gym to work out.
We believe our karate is a living tradition that needs to continue to evolve to stay relevant. Though we look to the past and the traditions of Okinawan and Japanese Karate, we are not afraid to embrace new methods to give our members the best training we can provide. Hopefully, you have not been scared off by the technical language. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact our Instructor, Keith Williams. He can be contacted in the following ways:
By E-mail: Contact@karatekodokai.com
Via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oswestrykarate
You are also free to drop by and watch a session if you wish and make inquiries in person. Please see the Time Table page for details.
