Choosing the right karate school is confusing.
Isn’t it?

Many people are confused when it comes to selecting a karate school and with good reason.

Unless you have previous martial arts experience you are likely to run up against strange new names and jargon, a variety of fantastic claims and often some intimidating people.

So let’s demystify the process.

Selecting a karate school should not be a difficult process and the good thing to bear in mind is that there is a karate school out there that is right for you. After all, Karate is one of Australia ’s largest participation activities.

Let’s start by asking a few simple questions.

Where can I get information about what karate schools are available?

Whether selecting football, tennis, gymnastics or any sport or recreational activity, you can access a range of information sources. The local newspaper is often popular as is the ‘Yellow Pages’ or a Google search of your area. However, word of mouth remains the most used form of reference.

But if you want to a quick, easy way to access reliable information connect to www.karatevictoria.com . This website hosts a listing of approved karate schools throughout Victoria .

To be approved a karate school must satisfy certain criteria and be a member of Karate Victoria .

These criteria include confirmation of the teacher’s karate qualifications and that the karate school complies with a set of nationally approved standards.

Whether a parent enrolls children in swimming or basketball or some other sport you should always check the coach’s credentials.

A legitimate karate teacher should have both coaching qualifications and karate qualifications.

All genuine karate instructors should hold coaching qualifications issued by a Federally recognized institution such as the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme. Karate Victoria also recommends coaches undertake a police background check if they teach children.

To be an instructor the person must also hold a recognized certification of their karate rank. It is more difficult to verify a karate instructor’s rank qualification but that is where Karate Victoria can help. By contacting the State Sporting Association you can locate genuine karate instructors with recognized qualifications as well as verify a teacher’s claim.

A genuine karate teacher should welcome this type of inquiry. Unless they have something to hide.

Every genuine karate teacher understands the importance of her / his credentials and your right to be satisfied in the legitimacy of the teacher you choose.

Of course, some people may feel intimidated requesting this sort of information from a karate master or feel they are not in a position to verify if credentials are legitimate. Once again that is where you can turn to Karate Victoria for help.

Yes. There are many reasons to be concerned, especially the well being of your children.

Our children (and others seeking instruction) must be protected. Unqualified instructors can cause physical and psychological damage. If they do not understand what they are teaching they can convey the wrong principles and values.

Unfortunately it is not uncommon to find charlatans pretending to be something they are not. So beware of unqualified people masquerading as karate instructors and always check out their claims.

Karate Victoria , formerly known as AKF Victoria, is the State Sporting Organisation for karate and a member of the federal Australian Karate Federation. This membership entitles Karate Victoria access to the full range of Federal sporting resources as well as opportunities to participate in international competitions.

The Australian Karate Federation is the National Sporting Organisation representing karate in Australia . It has full federal government recognition, access to Australian Institute of Sport resources and full IOC recognition.

The AKF is a member of the World Karate Federation and also the Oceania Karate Federation. Through these associations Australia participates in WKF and OKF sanctioned international competitions.

This is a personal choice. There are many different karate schools and they all offer something unique. It is important to find the right school for you.

So once you are satisfied that the karate teacher is legitimate it is time to look closely at the school’s operation. Some karate schools concentrate on traditional karate, some on sports karate, others prefer a mixture.

The best approach is to observe several different karate schools to decide which you prefer. There is no need to worry about all the foreign names, titles and formalities. None of that makes a karate teacher or karate school right for you.

The main things you should consider is how the classes are run, the attitude of other people who attend classes, the atmosphere in the school and whether you like the teacher. Look at the exercises and drills the classes practice and try to imagine if that appeals to you. In other words, would you like to be a part of this karate school?

Karate is something you must enjoy so choosing the right teacher is very important.