Here are the questions we get most often from people thinking of joining West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île:
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Do you teach young children at West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île?
Of course! We teach students of ALL ages...kids AND adults. We have students who are as young as 4 years old (as well as some who would prefer that we don't discuss their age :-))! Shihan John and all the Sempais (black belt teaching assistants) have many years of experience teaching both children and adults alike. We also believe in a "mentoring" system whereby the higher belts help and guide the lower belt students. This is a primary reason why West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île has such great TEAM spirit. In fact, many of our adult students are parents of kids who study karate here too! So we are quite literally one big FAMILY at West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île!
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Will it be too rough for my child? Will he/she get hurt?
Obviously karate can be a rough sport, but we teach it in such a way that there is never any serious danger of injury. Students are s-l-o-w-l-y introduced to the fighting aspect of karate...and only after they have built up their bodies (and spirits) to be able to handle this challenge. They are also constantly supervised by Sensei John and/or the Sempais (black belt teaching assistants), so any sparring is done in a strictly controlled environment at all times. The safety of our students is paramount. Accordingly, Sensei John and several of our Sempais are certified by Ambulance Saint-Jean to render Emergency Level First Aid and CPR.
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I often see lower belts sparring against higher belts. This doesn't seem very fair. Won't the lower belt get hurt?
Although it seems counterintuitive, this is actually a much SAFER situation for the lower belt. Higher belts have much greater control of their techniques and far more experience sparring, so the chance of an errant strike on their part is greatly diminished. At West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île, we teach our higher belts to be RESPECTFUL of their sparring partners and always mindful of a lower belt's skill level. The idea is to allow a lower belt to practice their newly learned techniques against an opponent who is able to absorb their strikes more readily and to present them with a challenge when required.
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Can I or my child try out a class before I sign up?
Absolutely! In fact, we encourage you to do so. We have always offered a free introductory class so that you can experience first-hand what studying Kyokushin Karate is all about. Our regular students are always respectful and welcome anyone new. After that initial lesson, we're confident that you'll see how much fun it is and that you'll feel that unique sense of accomplishment that comes from studying Kyokushin Karate. Of course, parents are always welcome to just sit and watch their child participate (although it's often the other way around at West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île :-)).
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How often are the classes given?
In general, classes are given 3 times a week for all levels (kids/teens/adults, beginner/intermediate/advanced). Consult the SCHEDULE page of our website for the latest times. You are free to attend as many classes appropriate to your level as you like or as your own schedule permits. Many of our students cannot get enough and occasionally take classes with the more advanced students in addition to their own classes. Of course, having THAT much fun is by all means not mandatory. :-)
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How are students ranked in Kyokushin Karate?
There are 10 levels (Kyu) indicated by the belt colour leading up to the coveted black belt. In a nutshell, you begin as a white belt and progress through orange, blue, yellow, green, brown and finally black ("Shodan" or 1st dan) as your karate skills increase (see the BELT COLOURS page of our website to understand what these colours mean). There are also intermediate levels between each of the belt colours indicated by a stripe or bar on the belt with the next rank colour (eg. orange belt with a blue stripe, blue belt with a yellow stripe, yellow belt with a green stripe, etc). Higher ranked black belts are indicated with the presence of multiple gold stripes on their belts (eg. Sensei has 4 gold bars on his belt to indicate that he is "Yondan" or 4th dan). Other styles of karate may use different colours to indicate each level, but in general, the above belt colours are used in Kyokushin Karate. The Sensei has the sole discretion to test and promote a student, and only does so when he feels a particular student has met the requirements for the next belt rank based on their training and performance in class. Each rank is thus very much *EARNED* and is not simply a function of how long a student has been studying karate at our dojo (or elsewhere as the case may be). Our students quickly learn that hard work and perseverence are rewarded...as they are in life.
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What does a student need to do to attain the next belt rank?
In general, attaining the next belt rank entails mastering a particular set of karate skills for each level as determined by the Sensei and as defined by a standardized syllabus for Kyokushin Karate worldwide. The student must be able to demonstrate a physical mastery of these skills in addition to acquiring a deeper understanding of the techniques involved. He/she must also demonstrate a firm grasp of the relevant karate terminology. Here at West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île, we teach Kyokushin Karate in a very traditional "old-school" way. As such, we emphasize the learning of all terminology in *JAPANESE*! So all our students get to learn another language (a little bit anyway) as they study Kyokushin Karate.
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What else does West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île offer?
A lot! There is always something happening at West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île...just have a look at the News and Events page of our website. Our students compete in several karate tournaments each year, including our very own CANADIAN JUNIOR KYOKUSHIN CHAMPIONSHIPS (2011 will mark the 10th anniversary of our annual tournament). Participation is optional, but highly encouraged, as it is an excellent opportunity for our students to put into practice what they've learned in a fun and safe environment. The confidence this builds in our students is immeasurable and translates into every aspect of their lives. During the summer, we have weekly outdoor training sessions, culminating with our annual Beach Training weekend in Maine (nothing beats training on the beach beside...and often *in*...the ocean :-))! Every year our students have a blast trying to guess what costume Sensei will wear to our annual Halloween training. Our family Christmas party always features an awesome potluck supper combined with all kinds of fun entertainment (which usually includes a visit from Santa). To help our local community over the years, we have held charity fundraisers such as car washes, garage sales and karate demonstrations. Recently we have begun offering Japanese classes for anyone interested in learning and/or expanding their knowledge of this wonderful language. West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île is always an exciting hub of activity all year round!
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