KARATE CLASS DETAILS
Manchester: Karate & Jujutsu
Circle Martial Arts
Marlboro House
52 Newton Street, Manchester M1 1ED
Monday evenings: 8:30pm
Sunday mornings: 10:00am
Shihan: Simon Keegan (5th Dan Renshi Karate & Jujutsu)
Sempai: Philip Jennings
Email: [email protected]
Circle Martial Arts
Marlboro House
52 Newton Street, Manchester M1 1ED
Monday evenings: 8:30pm
Sunday mornings: 10:00am
Shihan: Simon Keegan (5th Dan Renshi Karate & Jujutsu)
Sempai: Philip Jennings
Email: [email protected]
our method of karate
As well as authentic Japanese Karate and Nihon Jujutsu we also teach the martial arts of the island of Okinawa where Karate was originally developed. The original tactical fighting arts of Okinawa and the other islands south east of Japan were Hakuda Kempo and Toshu Jutsu. We teach these skills as part of a system called Hakuda Kempo Toshu Jutsu which teach the original Okinawan combat techniques of Karate before the fighting art became the sport of Karatedo. We can trace our Karate and Jujutsu lineages back hundreds of years and we are proud of the tradition in our school. But we are also realists and ensure that our self defence is realistic and practical.
ABOUT KARATE
Karate was developed on the tiny island of Okinawa (in between Japan and China) between the 1600s and 1900s.
In the 1700s it was called Toshu Jutsu or Tode (meaning Chinese Hand Techniques) and its greatest master was called 'Tode' Sakugawa who had studied Chinese boxing.
The art was refined in the 1800s by Sakugawa's student 'Bushi' Matsumura who was bodyguard to the king of Okinawa and studied Okinawan, Japanese and Chinese fighting arts. Since Matsumura worked in Shuri castle, his art became known as 'Shuri Te'.
In the late 1800s, Matsumura's student Anko Itosu developed the art into something that could be taught more formally and in schools and in around 1900 the art was sometimes called Kara Te which could also mean 'empty hand' as well as 'Chinese hand.' Itosu's art was sometimes called Shorin Ryu or Kobayashi Ryu, a reference to the Shaolin arts of China.
In the 1920s, two of Itosu's students Gichin Funakoshi and Makoto Gima introduced Karate to mainland Japan and because Funakoshi was nicknamed Shoto, it became known as Shoto Ryu.
Over the decades that followed, Karate grew, but much to Funakoshi's chagrin it grew into a sport rather than a way of life and his students parted and the school splintered into many styles, such as Shotokan, Shotokai, Wado Ryu, Yoseikan, Kyokushin and even Taekwondo.
Karate was introduced to England in 1956 and a few years later masters like Hirokazu Kanazawa (a student of Funakoshi) arrived and the art spread in popularity.
In the Bushinkai school we follow the original teachings of Funakoshi, Azato, Itosu, Matsumura and Sakugawa (Shoto Ryu or Shorin Ryu) as well as influences from many other styles. Our branch is called Hakuda Kempo Toshu Jutsu.
Email: [email protected] for more information.
In the 1700s it was called Toshu Jutsu or Tode (meaning Chinese Hand Techniques) and its greatest master was called 'Tode' Sakugawa who had studied Chinese boxing.
The art was refined in the 1800s by Sakugawa's student 'Bushi' Matsumura who was bodyguard to the king of Okinawa and studied Okinawan, Japanese and Chinese fighting arts. Since Matsumura worked in Shuri castle, his art became known as 'Shuri Te'.
In the late 1800s, Matsumura's student Anko Itosu developed the art into something that could be taught more formally and in schools and in around 1900 the art was sometimes called Kara Te which could also mean 'empty hand' as well as 'Chinese hand.' Itosu's art was sometimes called Shorin Ryu or Kobayashi Ryu, a reference to the Shaolin arts of China.
In the 1920s, two of Itosu's students Gichin Funakoshi and Makoto Gima introduced Karate to mainland Japan and because Funakoshi was nicknamed Shoto, it became known as Shoto Ryu.
Over the decades that followed, Karate grew, but much to Funakoshi's chagrin it grew into a sport rather than a way of life and his students parted and the school splintered into many styles, such as Shotokan, Shotokai, Wado Ryu, Yoseikan, Kyokushin and even Taekwondo.
Karate was introduced to England in 1956 and a few years later masters like Hirokazu Kanazawa (a student of Funakoshi) arrived and the art spread in popularity.
In the Bushinkai school we follow the original teachings of Funakoshi, Azato, Itosu, Matsumura and Sakugawa (Shoto Ryu or Shorin Ryu) as well as influences from many other styles. Our branch is called Hakuda Kempo Toshu Jutsu.
Email: [email protected] for more information.
What can i expect in a karate class
Anyone can join our Karate classes (although we prefer over 16s). The classes are safe and friendly.
At the core of our classes is a keen awareness of self defence which we call the Bushinkai Method. We look at habitual acts of physical violence that people may encounter, we look at the underlying principles of effective self defence and we drill and train effective responses to attacks of every kind.
Since Shoto Ryu is our core style, we begin by learning the traditional punches, kicks, elbows, knees, blocks and postures then progress to formal sequences called kata.
We include practical techniques of every kind - throws, locks, strikes and chokes which we learn safely, carefully and gradually.
We progress to learning about different types of weapons, both traditional and modern. The Okinawan weapons we study include the Bo, Tonfa, Sai and Nunchaku.
Students should forget misconceptions about Karate. We don't wear silly headbands, we don't Karate chop bits of wood, we don't do that 'crane kick' off Karate Kid, and we certainly don't shout 'Hai ya!"
Overall the art uses traditional postures and drills in order to train effective self defence.
We have students from all walks of life train with us - some include complete beginners, others are already martial artists and others have real combat experience as police officers, doormen and so on. And students find there is "something for everybody."
In a nutshell, our classes:
At the core of our classes is a keen awareness of self defence which we call the Bushinkai Method. We look at habitual acts of physical violence that people may encounter, we look at the underlying principles of effective self defence and we drill and train effective responses to attacks of every kind.
Since Shoto Ryu is our core style, we begin by learning the traditional punches, kicks, elbows, knees, blocks and postures then progress to formal sequences called kata.
We include practical techniques of every kind - throws, locks, strikes and chokes which we learn safely, carefully and gradually.
We progress to learning about different types of weapons, both traditional and modern. The Okinawan weapons we study include the Bo, Tonfa, Sai and Nunchaku.
Students should forget misconceptions about Karate. We don't wear silly headbands, we don't Karate chop bits of wood, we don't do that 'crane kick' off Karate Kid, and we certainly don't shout 'Hai ya!"
Overall the art uses traditional postures and drills in order to train effective self defence.
We have students from all walks of life train with us - some include complete beginners, others are already martial artists and others have real combat experience as police officers, doormen and so on. And students find there is "something for everybody."
In a nutshell, our classes:
- teach you effective self defence
- teach you the psychology of real violent situations
- keep you fit and active
- allow you to study an art that is hundreds of years old
- are taught in a friendly, supportive and safe environment