RANK

Attendance

Regular classes are held Tuesdays & Fridays at the American Legion in Eagle Rock from 5-7pm. Students are encouraged to attend class as much as time permits. In order to excel at karate, the student must also practice outside of class. This could mean sacrificing time watching television or playing video games.

Each student will get as much out of karate as he or she puts into it. However, the student and his or her family must strike a balance with other important aspects of life: school, family, friends, cultural activities, sports, etc. Parents are cautioned not to spread the child too thin over too many activities. A child should enjoy free time.

Seminars/Class Picnic

Each month special seminars will be held to explore specific aspects of martial arts. Subjects include fighting techniques, katas, and self defense. Seminars conclude with a class potluck picnic.

Seminars are generally held on Saturdays or Sundays at Mineral Wells in Griffith Park, depending on the weather.

SCHEDULE

Schedules for all classes and events will be posted to the website homepage on a regular basis. Students will be notified of any last minute changes.

Kumite (Sparring/Fighting)

Kyokushin is intended to teach a realistic method of self-defense. Kyokushin rules allow for the following: kicking from head to toe using feet, shins, and knees as weapons (you cannot kick knees, groins or the back); punching anywhere above the belt and below the neck (you cannot punch the neck, face, back, or below the belt).

Students are encouraged to purchase their own protective gear. SHIN PADS & MOUTH PIECES ARE REQUIRED! Hand guards, groin cups, and headgear are recommended.

Promotions

Students achieve higher ranks (belts) by successfully completing class promotion. Students are tested on several factors including participation, katas (forms), and kumite (sparring). Promotions are generally held 3 to 4 times a year. Those that pass receive certificates from Japan. To successfully achieve higher rank, students must attend class regularly, pay attention, and practice at home. The higher up in rank a student moves, the more time the student must spend practicing.

The instructor ultimately decides whether a student can participate in a promotion. The student's primary concern should be improving him/herself, not achieving higher rank. Ultimately, the color of one's belt is not as important as the quality of one's heart and mind. Concentrate on improving and being a good student and person. Higher rank will follow naturally.

Running

Weekend runs are scheduled throughout the month. Running is imperative for conditioning the body, and required for those students who fight in tournaments.

Summer Camp

Each summer the Branch Dojos (Eagle Rock, Burbank, Reseda, & West L.A.) schedule a weekend karate camp in the Los Padres National Forest. This gives the students from each dojo time to have fun playing and training together. Families are encouraged to attend.

Tournaments

Kyokushin is based more on practical self-defense than competitive sport. However, local tournaments are held in which our students are eligible to participate. Matches are genarally based on age and weight. Those who are willing and able to spend the necessary extra time training for the tournament will be permitted to enter. Our students have been very successful in tournament fighting (see "Tournament Results" in News).

Uniforms

The standard karate uniform is called a gi. The Kyokushin gi is a plain white top with embroidery (or embroidered patch) on the left side, and plain white pants. Talk to the instructor about purchasing a gi.

The belt worn with the gi is called an obi. The obi signifies the student's rank in kyokuskin. New students, regardless of previous experience in other martial arts styles, must wear a white belt (usually comes with a new gi). Color belts are awarded at promotion.