Ashiita-kai is the south west's premier freestyle karate school. We teach proven competition techniques designed to suit all comers in a safe, friendly environment. Some of our students train regularly for the competitive aspect but many train to simply get an all round workout.

The Ashiita-Kai Dojo is open to any and all who wish to train, irrispective of whether they train elsewhere or not. The Sensei (Russell) doesn't allow "red-tape" and "politics" to get in the way of training, and there is no room for egotism within the Dojo walls, so you'll find no "big-heads" or "show-offs" there. It is a genuinly friendly and enjoyable atmosphere, and although the respect, discipline and ettiquette are still present, the two main rules of the Dojo are;- "Don't overdo it and risk injury" and "Enjoy yourself." On top of this, there is great openmindedness. Russell and many students are regularly attending seminars of various styles throughout the year, because they are smart enough to realise that you NEVER stop learning.

Everybody has different abilities therefore the techniques we teach are designed to be tried by all and then adopted and adapted by each student to suit their own natural ability and subsequently build their own repertoire of techniques into their own unique arsenal for competitive use. We encourage students to absorb what is useful and discard what they find useless.

Whatever your experience whether you have years of martial arts training under your belt or have never thrown a punch in your life, Ashiita-kai is great way to get fit and learn self defence - everybody is welcome!!

The main benefits of Ashiita-kai training are:

• Get fit while you learn
• Learn self-defence
• Build self confidence
• Improve overall body conditioning
• Regular competitions
• Meet new people
• Fun
• Character building

How fit do I have to be?
Quite simply you do not need to be fit at all. We welcome people regardless of their fitness level. Many people have taken up Ashiita-kai as a means to improve personal physical fitness and found it ideal for this purpose. Others who are already physically fit use karate as ameans to stay in shape and at the peak of their physical ability. Anyone with any physical or health issues should inform the instructor of any such cases upon joining.

Do I need to be flexible?
It helps, but it is by no means necessary. Ashiita-kai is a dynamic art and involves a wide range of movements. Those who are naturally flexible will of course find it easier than others who may not be so blessed. However, there is plenty of instruction and guidance towards improving your flexibility and mastering the requirements within your natural limitations.

Is Ashiita-kai karate effective in a ‘real life’ situation?
Although Ashiita-kai is predominantly a competitive sport style, it is also designed to be of practical use in self-defence situations. However, it should be clearly understood that like any self-defence discipline, Ashiita-kai is not a magic cloak of steel that you pull from your pocket when faced with an attacker.

The techniques that you learn will only be of use to you if you acquire the correct mental attitude required in their application. As a consequence, this mental attitude, along with very practical advice as to how to avoid and/or prepare yourself for the eventuality of a physical confrontation play a significant part in the Ashiita-kai curriculum.