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Everything you read on this website is true. We don’t seek to inflate our achievements, or make grand claims that are difficult to disprove. We can substantiate everything we say. Unfortunately, however, there are many unscrupulous, dishonest and unqualified people running 'Martial Arts' clubs, relying on the unquestioning trust of the public. So, how does the newcomer know what to believe? It's an unfortunate fact of life that we can't take everything at face value. What should a newcomer be looking for? What documentation should they ask to see? The information below has been written to help you find a bona-fide class, run by qualified instructors who have the students interest at heart, where you or your child can enjoy learning and training in a thoroughly worthwhile, enjoyable and fulfilling activity, where every opportunity that should be available to you, is! -Rob Copeland Vale Karate is an independent Association affiliated to The Welsh Karate Governing Body. Visit www.wkgb.org.uk for verification of this.
The WKGB is the ONLY Governing Body for Karate in Wales that is recognised by the Sports Council.
For verification of this visit www.sports-council-wales.org.uk/grants-funding/funding/list-of-bodies
Only WKGB Coaching qualifications are recognised by the Sports Council and The Welsh Assembly Government. Safety
: Before you or your child begins training at any Karate class; ask to see WKGB affiliation certification, CRB certification, WKGB Coaching qualifications, First Aid certification and Insurance documentation. Closely inspect these documents! Any qualified and experienced instructor will be only to happy to oblige. If not..Why not?
Your safety or your child’s safety is in our hands DON’T ASSUME an Instructor knows what he or she is doing because they're wearing a Black Belt! DEMAND PROOF! Always watch a class or several classes before parting with any money. Remember: Wearing a black belt is no more proof of being able to teach than having dark hair! If you’re not happy about the way your child is being taught, or allowed to watch your child being taught.. Leave!
Never Simply drop your child off at a karate (or any Martial Arts) class without ensuring that they will be taught in a safe manner and in a safe, friendly environment.
How much should you pay?
Don’t be pressurised to sign up for direct-debit payments and don’t pay over-the-odds. At the time of writing this (August 2010) we would suggest anything above £5 per session is expensive.
If you’re being taught by a bona-fide High-grade instructor (5th Dan or above who has thirty or more years experience) we would suggest that about £5 may be value for money. (Private classes would obviously cost much more!) Champions? Don’t be fooled by claims of your instructor being a Welsh, British, European or even World champion! Of course they may be, but be aware that only winners of the WKGB 'Closed championships', 'Open championships' or 'Youth Championships' can truthfully claim to be official WELSH KARATE CHAMPIONS. We at Vale Karate have won a record-breaking ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY OFFICIAL WKGB titles since our independence in 2000, far more than any other Association in Wales in that time!
Likewise only winners of British Karate Federation, European Karate Federation www.ekf-karate.net or World Karate Federation www.wkf.net are official British, European or World Karate champions! Being an official champion in karate is far more difficult than you may imagine:
The Welsh Karate Governing Body has almost Forty Associations affiliated.
The European Karate Federation has more than Fifty Countries in membership and
The World Karate Federation is comprised of around One Hundred and Eighty countries! All these members are the Officially recognised National Governing Bodies! Therefore; for a Welshman to progress past the first round of the official European or World Karate Championships is a major achievement! You can be sure that any Martial Arts Organisation, in particular any Karate Organisation making claims of having 'Many World Champions' in their midst are talking absolute nonsense! Wales has only ever had one European champion, current Welsh National Coach Steve Wellington, thirty years ago, and we've never had a World Karate champion (not yet anyway, I'm working on it!)
Kickboxing.
Several qualified and extremely knowledgeable Karate instructors run Kickboxing classes as an alternative method for their members to keep fit. There are also no doubt, many highly skilled Kickboxing instructors with integrity. However it should be noted that according to the Sports Council at www.sports-council-wales.org.uk/kickboxing “Kickboxing is not currently recognised as a sporting activity and there is no official National Governing Body in Wales or the UK. None of the Home Country Sports Councils fund the activity directly or indirectly” The Olympics
Karate; through the World Karate Federation, is recognised by the International Olympic Committee as an 'Olympic Sport' see: www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/if/fi_uk.asp?Id_federation=46
However: Karate is not on the Olympic programme, narrowly failing in 2009 to be recommended for the Games of 2016. Therefore any groups claiming Olympic connections, or that their fighters will be 'attending the Olympics', or that they train up to 'Olympic standards' are bogus. There are plenty of good Karate clubs with honest, knowledgeable and qualified instructors with integrity out there. Don’t settle for the first club you find, unless it ticks all the boxes!
Don’t settle for less than you, or your child deserve! |
