How to Run a Karate Club

Tom Hill

Description

This excellent guide, written by Tom Hill (7th Dan and chief martial arts instructor) helps students or instructors of Karate - or any Martial Art - who wish to set up their own martial arts club. It contains both useful information about how to make the club exciting for students, and also sample forms for health and safety and training purposes.

Informations

• Publié par: Andrews UK
• Date de parution: 26 mars 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781781661857
• Langue: English

Extrait

Title Page
HOW TO RUN A KARATE CLUB





By
Tom Hill



Publisher Information
How to Run a Karate Club published in 2012 by
Andrews UK Limited
www.andrewsuk.com
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Copyright © Tom Hill
The right of Tom Hill to be identified as author of this book has been asserted in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyrights Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Disclaimer
If you follow advice from this book in class or in public, you do so at your own risk. The publishers assume no responsibility for the use or misuse of the information provided which results in injury or loss.



Acknowledgements
My thanks as always to:
Tony Christian 7th Dan Goju, Who first taught me Goju Karate.
Paul Perry 9th Dan Jin Sei Kai Shotokan Karate (Black belt hall of fame UK) who greatly improved what I had learned.
My thanks also to the students of Goju.co.uk Club – who are my friends and constant educators. Also ‘thank you’ in particular to Alan Keegan 6th Dan who has been my faithful student and assistant for over 34 years.



How my club started
In 1976 the Grovehill Community Centre, Hemel Hempstead was brand new. It was visited by a young man who had just moved into the area and thought it would make a good Martial Arts Dojo. As the Centre at that time had no regular venues, he managed to negotiate a pretty good deal. Which was just as well because he was skint!
The deal was, ‘no students - no rent!’ Luckily some rent became due as a trickle of students began to attend the classes. As the years rolled on the club became stronger and steadier although the summers produced a few lean times.
I was that young man, 24 years old and wondering what he’d do if some big fella turned up who decided this “Go Ju karate” wasn’t up to much. As it turned out he did get a few big fella’s who thought they’d try their hand - they turned into Toms regular students. In those days it was 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squat thrusts, sparring and lots of shouting. If they were real lucky we would do some Martial Arts. Today new students see if they can manage 10’s of each and work up slowly and carefully to their personal maximum depending on age, etc. We are also delighted by interest shown by females and several have taken their Black Belt.
Now almost 40 years later, Tom is a Seventh Dan in his own Martial Art style and is graded to a high level in two other systems. He is busy trying to make his body keep up with his mind and spirit, he still thinks he is 24 but at 60 years old, his body won’t believe it. Nevertheless, he is still fit and strong and can give younger students a hard time on fitness.
In 2011 the club moved to Tom’s Dojo at his home in Great Gaddesden near Hemel Hempstead. Today, the club is stronger than ever. The club has now been running about 36 years non-stop, which must be something of a local record and has produced over 25 black belts with a few brown belts close behind.
There are ten belts in the system all with a different colour that are gained as you progress. Tom has students who have been with him over 35 years. Ian O’Hara 5th Dan, Alan Keegan 6th Dan, Mike Saunders 5th Dan. Tom considers these three men as very valuable assets and a real treasure for the club and the other students.
Some of the other black belts now run their own clubs and send their students along to the main club from time to time. Several students have done over 25 years of training and are still going strong.