Adult beginners karate in Christchurch

Starting karate as an adult

Most adults who walk into a dojo for the first time are worried about the same things: being unfit, being inflexible, and being the oldest beginner in the room. None of them matter. Karate is trained at your own pace. You go as low in a stance and as high with a kick as your body allows that day, and both improve with practice.

Adults often progress quickly in the early grades because they listen closely and practise deliberately.

What you'll learn in the first three months

• The three basic stances: front stance, back stance and horse-riding stance.
• A straight punch, a lunge punch and a reverse punch.
• Four basic blocks: rising, outside, inside and downward.
• Front kick, and the beginnings of side kick and roundhouse kick.
• Heian Shodan, the first Shotokan kata.
• Five-step sparring, a pre-arranged partner drill.

That is also the material for a first grading.

What adults get out of it

• Fitness that doesn't feel like exercise. An hour of karate works legs, core and shoulders, and you're thinking about technique the whole time, not the clock.
• Mobility. Deep stances and kicking open up hips and hamstrings that desk work tightens.
• A clear head. Karate needs your full attention, so the workday stays outside the door.
• Practical skill. You learn to move, hit and block with your whole body behind it, and to stay calm under pressure.

Coming back after a break

If you trained years ago, in Shotokan or another style, you're welcome to join the adult class. Bring your old grading book if you still have it. Technique returns faster than fitness, so take the first few weeks gently.

When and where

Tuesdays 6:00 to 7:00 pm and Thursdays 7:00 to 8:00 pm, at Waimairi School, 1 Tillman Avenue, Strowan. Come to one night or both. See how to find the dojo and what to expect at your first class.