Shotokan Karate
JKA Academy
Karate Fitness & Self-Defence
est 1979
Dedicated to the Pursuit of JKA Shotokan Karate Excellence in Body, Mind, and Spirit..
Empower yourself or your child to build character,confidence,& karate self-defence skills
Develop leadership life-skills, thrive in healthy competition,forge a winning mindset,
Discover New Levels of Physical & Mental Strength to release your full potential
whilst masteringShotokan JKA Karate at Watford & Luton's top Shotokan Karate Academy
Classes supervised by Sham Aktar 7th Dan
See Why Parents & Students
Love Shotokan Karate JKA Academy !
2+
Locations
Across Beds & Herts
10+
Certified
Instructors & Coaches
47+
Years
Serving the Beds & Herts Community
Shotokan Karate Skills are Life Skills
Get the tools to succeed at school, at home,and in your life with our Elite Karate training
Self-Defence
Our Shotokan JKA Karate Academy requires your child to follow multi-step karate directions and build problem solving and critical thinking karate skills,which can be karate stances, karate blocks,karate kicks, karate punches or karate strikes. This kind of karate preparation is very useful in school and everyday life. Through karate training at shotokan karate jka academy, your child will learn to overcome challenges they fce in theor life and achieve goals positively at the same time build up self-confidence that serves them well outside the dojo.
Fitness
Your child will stay active throughout our entire karate class, improving their fitness, stamina, strength,agility and
co-ordination as well as learning ultimate karate self defence techniques.
Self-Confidence
Through our karate training your child will learn to overcome all sorts of challenges in theor life and achieve goals through our special karate tape-testing and karate grading systems, which will ensure your child builds up confidence that will serve them outside their training into all aspects of their life. In our structured & safe environment the karate self-control & karate self-discipline training can develop their focus, concentration, and listening skills.
Intellectual Growth
Our Shotokan JKA Karate classes require your child to follow multi-step directions and solve complex problems,through karate techniques, karate kumite, and karate kata.These karate skills translate well into their school class room .In navigating the Teen years , parents of our young adults and teens karate programme, praise the Shotokan JKA Academy for helping their teens manage stress, develop their resilience, and navigate years of intense personal growth.
Our Award-winning Karate Classes for All Ages
Juniors 10-14
Our Karate Classes for juniors in Watford,and Luton helps your child grow and manage theor self-discipline and stress of school and early teenage life. Our karate classes provide a safe place for your junior to have fun and be themselves whilst developing karate life-skills and good judgement through our mental and physical skill building karate exercises.
Teens & Adults 14-80
Our Teens & Adult Karate Classes helps you to take charge of your mental, physical, & emotional well-being. You will gain powerful karate self-defence skills in a supportive atmosphere. You will enhance your focus & perseverance for success in business or work. Develop attributes that positively impact both your won life and that of your children, learning the art of Shotokan JKA karate, a fascinating martial art of self-defence.For more details contact us now.
What makes our Shotokan JKA Karate different from other sports ?
While participating in other sports or activities can benefit your child, no other sport can provide the level of discipline, challenge or emotional competency that Shotokan JKA Karate can.
Benefit | Shotokan Karate JKA Academy | Other Sports |
|---|---|---|
Everyone can participate | ✔ | ✘ |
Training for preventing Bullying | ✔ | ✘ |
Builds Confidence | ✔ | ✘ |
Improves Physical fitness | ✔ | ✔ |
Decreases Likelihood of Bullying | ✔ | ✘ |
Instills Discipline & Focus | ✔ | ✔ |
Teaches Karate Self-Defence | ✔ | ✘ |
Provides Social Opportunities | ✔ | ✔ |
Elite Ultimate Karate Training
for more than 47 years
Sham Aktar sensei 7th Dan - is the head coach/trainer/instructor of the Shotokan Karate JKA Academy. He Currently trains with Kawasoe sensei' 8th Dan JKAWF. He has over 48 years of Karate & martial arts experience. Starting Karate & Martial Arts at a very young age,he has trained in many traditional & modern martial arts,including Kick-Boxing & Tae kwon Do (WTF), of which he is also a 1st Degree Black Belt. He has also trained in and incorporated concepts from Aikido, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Jeet Kune-Do, and Tai Chi Chuan . However he has always stuck to Shotokan Karate,as he believes it provides a strong foundation & through its principles provides a greater versatility for its practitioners. He has travelled a lot training extensively in China, Malaysia, & Japan with the worlds' leading original Karate & Martial arts expert masters,& recalls how these masters have always pushed his training beyond his limit to find his best true potential at every session he remebers training with them. He tries to do likewise for his studentsat the Academy. His goal is to revive the true spirit of the original traditional JKA Karate at his Shotokan JKA Academy for his students, & to simplify the somewhat complex techniques & concepts that he learned from each of his original karate masters. After many years of practice,analysis, research, & synthesis of his learning, Aktar sensei has been able to devise his unique, simplified, & best method of training in the original Shotokan JKA karate for his students, which enables anyone of any age or ability to learn this original dynamic & practical art of traditional karate for self-development, fitnes, and for ultimate self-defence in a shorter time than ever before, and thereby become great karate Black Belts on this fascinating journey of self- discovery & self-development.
Call now to get involved on this exciting Karate program:
Call: 07956 553417
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What is Karate ?A. Karate is a martial art and system of self-defence that originated hundreds of years ago in Okinawa, but was greatly influenced by an even older tradition from China. Literally, Karate-do means the way of the empty hand, referring to the fact that its practitioners use no weapons to attack and defend, but only the hands, feet, and body. Yet karate is much more than merely physical. It is founded on a grand philosophy and Bushido ( Warrior Class ) principles. Through hard training and practice, karate develops not only the body, but also the mind and character.
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What are the benefits in practising karate ?Practising karate at the Shotokan JKA Academy offers many benfits to its practitioners, including self-defence,and improved physical fitness, strength & agility,as well as increased mental focus & discipline, It can also help build confidence & self-esteem, learning multitude of effective and practical karate self-defence skills in a safe environment .
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What is the purpose and goal of practising karate ?A. The ultimate purpose of karate is not physical prowess or the winning of matches, but the development of balance, harmony, spiritual and physical strength through strict, disciplined training. Karate training moulds you in natural, effortless action, and imbues you with an openness, peace and wholeness of character that vastly enriches your day-to-day life.
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What is the Shotokan Karate Style ?. Shotokan karate is one of the most widely practiced forms of karate in the world today, and one of the most traditional. Introduced to Japan from Okinawa by Master Funakoshi Gichin, Shotokan puts heavy focus on kihon (basic techniques), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring) to develop a range of powerful and dynamic techniques. The designation ”Shotokan” derived from ”Shoto” which was the pen name Master Funakoshi used when writing poetry. The JKA has refined the Shotokan style even further, creating a related, but unique style all its own. The strength of this style proves itself time and again: the JKA has by far the largest number of All Japan and international karate tournament champions.
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What is the Japan Karate Association (JKA) ?A. With members in over 100 countries, the Japan Karate Association (JKA), is the world’s largest and most prestigious karate organization, and the only legal karate entity officially recognized by the Japanese government as an association of members for the promotion of karate. More importantly though, we are The Keeper of Karate’s Highest Tradition, the preserver of the soul and spirit of the art of karate in line with the tradition of Bushido (the way of the samurai). Our mission is to promote the way of karate throughout the world, while ensuring that it remains true to the philosophical precepts upon which it was founded. This has been its mission since the establishment of the JKA in 1949.
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What sort of karate does JKA teach ?The JKA is the generally-recognized heir to the Shotokan karate tradition as developed by Supreme Master Funakoshi Gichin, and teaches a specially-refined form of Shotokan style karate.
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What is JKA's philosophy of karate ?At the JKA, karate is not a sport or a game of points; it is a way of life based on Bushido. In true karate, the body, mind and spirit―the whole person― must be developed simultaneously. Through intense practice, the physical and mental aspects of karate can be brought together. The result is natural, effortless action, and the confidence, humility, openness and peace only possible through perfect unity of body and mind. This is the core teaching of Bushido, and the cornerstone of the JKA’s karate philosophy.
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Are the Instructors & coaches qualified ?All our Instructors and coaches are qualified to coach karate. They are supervised by our head coach Mr Sham Aktar 7th Dan. They undergo continuous instructor training once every month and are certified to ensure that our students receive the highest quality karate instruction. They are also DBS verified & Child protection certified.
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Can anyone practice karate ?Yes! The only real requirement is a disciplined commitment to work hard and train patiently. As long as that commitment is there, karate is for everyone ―regardless of age, sex, or ethnic background . In our Academy our minimum intake age is 6 years plus for Children.
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Do I need to be in excellent shape to start karate ?Not really. Since karate will gradually improve your fitness as you progress, your starting point is less important than the effort you put into it along the way. At the JKA, our traditional focus on the basics and on correct form make it easy for beginners to train together with experienced individuals yet still progress at their own level of fitness and expertise. If you are less fit, your progress at the start will simply be more moderate; as your fitness improves, so will the pace at which you advance.
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What is expected of me if I join ?Four things. You are expected to be committed to your karate training, and to attend classes on a regular basis. You are expected to give your karate training your maximum effort, and to work hard during practice. You are expected to demonstrate the respect, humility and courtesy upon which karate’s long-standing tradition is founded. And of course, you are expected to pay your membership dues and other fees on joining.
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What will the training involve ?A typical karate practice session usually begins with a comprehensive warm-up, followed by the various training exercises. The exercises are divided into three main categories: kihon (basic techniques), in which you learn the basic blocks, punches, kicks, stances, etc. of karate; kata (forms), in which you practice and physically remember the various kihon learned; and kumite (sparring), where your kihon and kata techniques are matched against a real opponent. As your skill level increases, so will the difficulty and degree of the exercises. Of course, there will also be times when you are taught theory, dojo etiquette, and the more philosophical aspects of karate. In our Academy there is regular testing every month on the material learned during that month,and also the main regular grading examination every four months for your belt test.
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How long does it take to achieve the first Black Belt Degree ?It’s really up to you. The more you practice, the more you will improve ―for your entire life. There is no limit to mastering karate, no ”final destination” at which you can arrive. There are benchmarks along the way however. At the Shotokan JKA Academy, you progress through a series of belt levels (9th to 1st Kyu). After that, you receive a black belt, and progress through another 9 degrees of black belt (1st to 10th Dan). A student with no prior training joins the JKA as 10th Kyu, and is eligible to take ranking examinations every 3-4 months of training. Since there are 9-15 examinations you must pass to attain a black belt 1st Dan, therefore the 1st Dan requires an average of 5 years of diligent training. It takes several years to attain each subsequent Dan, which are degrees of black belts like rungs up the ladder of advanced karate practice. At these higher levels, you will see that karate is not just something to be learned, but something to be lived. And that takes a lifetime.
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Do I have to wear a karate uniform ?Eventually, yes. Karate uniforms (dogi) are usually given free first time on joining and paying the fees and are available through your instructor at our Karate Academy. Inquire at your karate dojo for more details of joining .
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Are there Self-Defence components built into the karate curriculum ?Effective Karate self-defence is the essence of our Shotokan JKA Karate curriculum.We provide students with the opportunity to apply karate self-defence techniques and karate skills against an attacking or resisting opponent through live simulated karate training drills. Practical , effective Karate self-defence in application training is the key benefit to training in karate and you will get plenty of karate practice on your way up the grades through the practice of karate kata applications (simulated fighting drils) and karate kumite (sparring drills) practice in class.
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How many classes can you attend per week at the Shotokan JKA Karate Academy ?Required attendance for beginners starting karate at the Shotokan JKA Academy is 2 -3 times per week . For more Intermediate and Advanced level students, it is 3-4 classes per week.
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How do I join the Shotokan JKA Karate Academy as a student or as an instructor ?You have to qualify to join the Shotokan JKA Academy. We enrol only enthusiastic and dedicated students from the age of 6 years,who show a great interest in learning JKA Shotokan karate after passing our FREE Trial class and meeting our requirements of attendances as well as the fees. Contact the Shotokan JKA Academy if you wish to qualify as a student to join.
Our Locations :
WATFORD 1 :
St Michael's Catholic High School (Gymnasium)
High Elms Lane, Watford , Herts
WD25 0SS
Monday & Wednesday:
Tiny Tigers ( 6-10.5 year old) 5.30pm - 6.15pm
Juniors 11yrs - 14 yrs ) 6.15pm - 7pm
Teens/Adults ( Above 14 yrs) 7pm- 8pm
Call: 07956 553417
WATFORD 2 :
Watford Leisure Centre, Woodside
Horseshoe Lane, Watford Herts WD25 7HH
Saturday:
2.45pm - 3.30pm BBC & Adults ( Plus purple & two white stripe belt juniors by invitation ).
2.45pm - 3.45pm Black Belt Club (BBC )
3.45pm - 4.30pm mixed grades Juniors (11yrs to 14 years) From White Belt to Purple Belt.
4.30pm - 5.15pm Tiny Tigers (6yrs to 10.5yrs) All grades.
Call: 07956 553417
LUTON BEDS :
Olive Tree Church Hall, Montrose Ave,
Luton, Beds, LU3 1HT
Tuesday & Thursdsay :
Tiny Tigers ( 6-10.5yrs old) 5.30pm - 6.15pm
Juniors 11 yrs - 14 yrs ) 6.15pm - 7pm
Teens/Adults ( Above 14 yrs) 7pm- 7.45pm
BBC 7pm - 8pm/8.30pm
Saturday:
Teens/Adults 9.30 am - 10.20am
BBC & Brown/Black Belts 9.30am- 11am
Tiny Tigers 11am - 11.45am
Juniors 11.45am -12.30pm
Call: 07956 553417
Our Story
At the Shotokan Karate JKA Academy, Our mission is to empower people of all ages to reach their fullest potential through High-Level instruction in the art of Shotokan JKA Karate.At the same time developing self-defence and life skills, while embodying our spirit of indomitable spirit, generosity, experiential learning, teamwork, community and growth.
We also have a blog page where we will be updating blogs on karate from time to time.
Fill out the form below and submit. One of our team members will be in touch with you within 24 hours . If you wish to join us as a member check out and familiarise yourself with our Student Creed , Dojo Kun & Rules, which we expect all our members who join us to learn & follow in class
