A Cannington karate instructor said there was a range of benefits from getting involved in the sport beyond just learning how to fight.
World Shotokan Karate-Do Federation main instructor Grant Rollinson had worked as an instructor for more than 30 years and said getting involved in karate would benefit mental focus, aerobic skills and help develop good morals and principles.
“A lot of Japanese culture promotes good character and that’s a really big area of karate,” he said.
“It promotes respect for others, awareness of your environment, reading people, having empathy and having self control.”
Karate was a martial art developed in Japan as early as the 14th century and exists in competitions across the world.
In 2016 the International Olympic Committee confirmed it would feature in the Summer Olympics for the first time in 2020.
Mr Rollinson operated classes in Cannington and his organisation also functioned in Double View, Craigie, and Swan Valley.
He said children as young as three-years-old and adults as old as 69 had been in his classes.
Classes for children were designed to be about learning karate principles and developing balance, coordination, focus and listening skills.
“The kids love it. There’s a lot of social interaction, when you’re learning different types of fighting and exercises the kids change partners a lot. They get accustomed to lots of different people and lots of different cultures.”
“Most of the games we do are not just games for games sake, they’re really designed to develop the brain as well as the body and really push them out of their comfort zone.”
Mr Rollinson said the adult classes were more serious.
“More self defence. We do three major types of fighting. They consist of what to think, traditional training, learning correct techniques and developing automatic responses.”
The club had competed in local and state competitions and usually did well.
Mr Rollinson said his students had received medals in just about every category of competition at every age.
He said classes started from $15 and people who trained at one club would be able to access any of the other WSKF clubs for free.
“Our association is in over 92 across the world and we travel to Japan every second year.”
“All the instructors are Department of Sport and Recreation qualified coaches and we’re all working with children approved.”
Anybody interested in getting involved in karate could contact enrol with WSKF Australia at www.wskfaustralia.com.au. For more information about clubs or getting involved contact 9444 4567.
