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Q: How fit do I need to be to start Karate?
Answer: There is no pressure to be fit, as you work at your own pace or as hard or easy as you want. We start the class with a good warm up and stretch so you will be ready for the training that follows. Karate will provide you with the skills necessary such as improved flexibility, coordination, balance, muscle strength and muscle tone, not to mention fat loss. You will notice an improvement with each class.
I often hear concerns such as "I have no coordination, I am not flexible enough, I am not fit enough", but remember, you train to get fit. You don't need to get fit to train.
You wont develop a "Karate muscle". Karate training exercises almost every muscle of your body. Will you be sore after your first ever Karate training session? Quite likely! But this is completely normal for any exercise activity that you're not used to. It would equally apply to Salsa Dancing or to your first ever round of Golf!
Q: Do you have beginners-only classes?
Answer: Students are often worried joining in with other students who have already been training for some time. However, holding specific beginners only classes is not the best way to teach someone Karate. You may end up with the blind teaching the blind, where no-one knows what is going on.
By placing beginners in with the more advanced students, they are able to copy correctly what the other students as well as the instructor is doing. And as we practice partner work, you will be paired with a more advanced student who can correctly show you what to do. In this way we are able to teach you Karate at a much faster rate.
You don't need to worry about whether you'll "get beaten up by little 6 yr old Karate kids" - presently we only take students from 16 years and up, as we are holding adults only classes, to ensure a mature, relaxed and professional atmosphere that makes our Karate classes fun and effective.
Q: Do I need a Karate Gi?
Answer: To start with for your first FREE class wear something comfortable such as a T-shirt and shorts or track suit pants. We don't wear shoes so you also don't need expensive gym shoes.
Later on if you decide to continue we can provide you with a Karate Gi for around A$ 38.00 that will last you for many years to come. The Gi is the traditional uniform of Karate, and its main purpose lies in its functionality.
A Gi has the advantage that it is very robust and comfortable at the same time. Typically a Gi sports quite short sleeves and pants, so that you don't get caught with your finger or trip over yourself. It allows you great freedom of motion, and for a beginner it also has a psychological effect, as it makes you feel more "real" when you wear the Gi, and you also feel as if you fit in better with all the other Gi-wearing students.
Q: Are the classes large - how many people are in it?
Answer: Many martial arts schools manage to squeeze 30 - 40 or more students into a small hall with only one relatively inexperienced instructor to teach. Our classes are quite small with the average class size being around 10 students. We train in a very large hall with good ventilation and a sprung wooden floor that is perfectly suited for Karate.
The advantage of small class sizes is obvious. You get much closer supervision and much more direct instruction compared to a class were 30 or more students practice. In large classes the instructor will not be able to correct, supervise and instruct everyone to the same degree as in small classes. Large classes also often demand a military-style of discipline to keep things in order, which can be stressful for students and instructors alike.
Smaller classes automatically tend to be more relaxed and focused on enjoying the experience rather than to "somehow get through training".
Q: Am I too old to start Karate?
Answer: I have been teaching Karate for 30 years and in that time have taught beginners from 5 years to 62 years. Please check out our program section to read and understand how our program will help you achieve your personal fitness goals. Whether it is for personal fitness, self defense, Spiritual fitness, to attend competition or just to train for fun, Budo Martial Arts Academy has some thing for every one.
With advanced age, everyone may find one or another technique harder or impossible to perform. Let this not deter you. Karate is a martial art, and as such it is self-defense system, not a display of superhuman ability and athleticity. There is no shame in not being able to pull off a triple spinning flip kick. Chances are that in a real situation a simple front kick would have been the better option anyway.
All the benefits of Karate in terms of self defense skills and improved health still apply, regardless at which age you start. With increased maturity you will also be in a better situation to judge what exactly YOU want to gain from Karate training, and you will be able to focus on that in our classes - this way you'll gain maximum enjoyment and benefit from Karate training, regardless of your age.
Q: What are the injury risks for Karate?
Answer: The injury risk in Karate is lower than in most other sports. All contact is controlled and the most you would expect is the occasional lump or bruise. Our classes are meant to teach Karate - thus Gung-Ho bone breakers and street thugs are not welcome, and you wont find them in our classes.
Broken bones and noses as well as knee and joint injuries common with most popular sports are in fact very uncommon in Traditional Shotokan Karate Do.
It is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure a safe environment for his students. I am proud to state that in the 30 years that I have been instructor to countless numbers of students I have had no serious injuries to myself or my students.
Q: How long before I can use my Karate skills?
Answer: You will be better equipped to defend yourself from day one! At the end of your first class you will know how to perform several punches and kicks correctly as well as how to block and evade your attacker.
At each following class you will build on this, getting better every class you attend. Your confidence will also grow with your new found skills which will also benefit in keeping you out of trouble in the first place.
Some people say (including the infamous, very street-wise Homer Simpson!) that "you learn Karate so you'll never use it", and for most of us, this will hopefully apply in the sense of hopefully never having to defend ourselves or our loved ones in a life-threatening situation. However, with Karate training, you will have a much better chance of doing so starting with your first training session.
Q: I have back, shoulder, knee problems ... can I still do Karate?
Answer: As we grow older we all have some legacies of previous sports played or work related injuries. With Karate training you can simply work around them, if something in the training is not good for you, we can do something else.
The general rule is: It is your body and you know it best, so when training be aware of anything that may upset your injury.
In principle, Karate training strengthens the back muscles, and also the muscles and tendons around the shoulders and knees. However, if you contemplate to start Karate as a beginner, it is better not to
acerbated existing problems with a new sport that contains movements that you're not familiar with. Always consult your medical practioner before commencing training in any martial art. If you have minor physical problems that may or may not interfere with your training ability, let your instructor know before training so that your safety and physical health is ensured.
Q: What can I expect from Traditional Shotokan Karate - what are the benefits?
Answer: In our classes of Shotokan Karate, you can expect to be taught correctly a practical method of self defense that may one day save your or a loved one's life.
With continued Karate training, you will gain...
• Fitness
• Confidence
• Flexibility
• Improve Reflexes
• Coordination
• Muscle Strength
• Relaxation
In addition to these obvious physical benefits, you will also find a strengthening of your character, and you will gain peace of mind that you are able to defend yourself in any situation.
Our Dojo-Kun
• First. Seek perfection of character
• First. Protect the way of the truth
• First. Foster the spirit of effort
• First. Respect the principles of etiquette and respect others
• First. Guard against impetuous courage and refrain from violent behavior.
Q: What are Karate Kata’s and what is its purpose?
Answer: Katas (sometimes referred to as Shadow Boxing) are an integral part of Karate and many other martial arts, where they are also sometimes called forms or patterns. The martial artist follows a particular sequence of movements that include the attack and defense against one or several imaginary attackers. Practicing Kata is a good way of exercising the pure form of techniques.
Many Katas also contain secret or hidden Karate techniques that are not obvious to the unsuspecting bystander (and often not even to the student performing the Kata). Katas are a means of maintaining the true form of an original style, and its tradition from master to student, who may then in the future teach his own students. The meaning and application of techniques found in Kata is called Bunkai.
As the student progresses through the ranks more and more Katas and the techniques contained therein (see Bunkai) are mastered. Thus, Katas are also an important aspect of the grading procedure, where student undergo an examination process that culminates in the award of a belt whose colour indicates the achieved skill level of a student.
Katas are the blueprints for certain styles, but it is natural and often cannot be avoided that individual masters or schools change Katas, or the order of the Kata, or other aspects of the Kata to better fit with their understanding of "their" style. Historically, many sports styles of Karate have intentionally modified some Katas to be better suited in the context of tournaments. Apart from documentation in books (which then is also open to interpretation by the reader), the knowledge of Katas is traditionally transferred person-to-person, and are bound to change slightly over the generations. This is another reason why exponents of particular styles tend to stress their "direct lineage", which basically implies that they have learned it from the grand master or even founder of a style, and thus their interpretation of Kata and other aspects of their style is undiluted and preserves all aspects of the style, including Kata, in the way it was meant to be.
Q: Do you have belt systems and what do the colours mean?
Answer: The grading system in Karate has been introduced for a variety of reasons. In modern day, it is a sign of having achieved a particular skill level, that gives the student an indication on how they are progressing. As a visible sign, the colour of one's belt lets other students in the class know what skill level to expect from their fellow students. This makes partner training easier, and the newer students know where to look for the more experienced students.
Traditionally in most Karate styles, there are 9 stages where students go from 9th kyu (kyu means student) to 1st Kyu wearing coloured belts, and ultimately become 1st Dan (Black belt). Learn more about the history of Karate belts here.
The grading procedure typically involves a training session where experienced Karateka (typically black belts from 1st Dan onwards) examine the performance of the students, including basic techniques, Kata, and sparring. In general, the further you advance in the study of Karate, the more precision and also fighting spirit is expected in the performance of all techniques. Familiarity with Dojo etiquette and also a good grasp of the Japanese terminology is also increasingly expected.
Q: Where is your Dojo and when are your classes?
Answer: Welcome to Budo Martial Arts Academy! Sensei Sriram Rangan is the founder and Chief Tec Director of Budo Martial Arts Academy and holds 5th Degree Black Belt
with 30 plus years experience with accredited classes in Canada, USA, India, Nepal and Switzerland. This page informs you of the Karate classes and training venues in Toronto, Canada and its class times.
Come and join us! The first Karate training session is FREE! Just wear comfortable clothing (t-shirt, shorts and bare feet will do) and enjoy the relaxed and professional atmosphere.
Sensei Sriram has been teaching Karate professionally for 30 years and will guide you to make every session a great and fun experience.
Training Venues And Class Times
SCARBOROUGH: 3021 Markham Road, Unit 54, Scarborough, Ontario
Mondays and Wednesdays 6pm to 8pm
NORTH YORK: 1290 Finch Ave West, Suite 23, Toronto, Ontario
Saturdays and Sundays, 4pm to 6pm
BRAMPTON: 4525 Ebenezer Road, Unit 32, Brampton, Ontario
Tuesdays: 7pm to 8pm, Sundays: 9am to 10 am
CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
416-360-BUDO (2836)
sensei@budomartialarts.com.
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