Takumi Karate Do (Edinburgh)

Welcome Pack
Welcome

Welcome to our club. The purpose of this pack is to help you through the next few
weeks as you begin your Karate career. In here we have forms, resources, and
information that you might require as you start training. If you require help with
anything, have a question or feel that anything is unclear, then please don’t hesitate to
ask a graded student (the people with coloured belts) or an instructor (the ones
wearing a black belt).

We accept students from the age of 6 years, as due to insurance restrictions we are
unable to take students any younger than this. We practice Shito Ryu Shukokai
Karate and are also interested in Kobujutsu training. This is the art of weapons
training that originates from the Ryukyu Island in the Far East. It should be noted that
this training is for seniors only (brown belt and above) and is usually conducted as a
practice session and attendance at various weapons courses. The instructors do not
profess to be experts in this martial art as they too are still learning.

All our instructors have been vetted and have attended Coaching Courses run by Sport
Scotland. We are also members of Traditional Karate Great Britain and the Scottish
Karate Confederation.

Forms and Insurance

At the back of this pack are three forms that you can tear off (wait for it…). They are:
• The “Health Check Form”. FILL THIS IN NOW. It let’s us know about your
current medical state.

• A consent form to allow the club to either use photographic or video footage of
you in training or competition etc. This can also be used for our website, on
which the images used are protected.

• The “Takumi Licence Application Form” – this is your full licence application
and costs £16 per year per person. All club licences provide insurance cover to
the club members as well as membership of the Scottish Karate Confederation.
TKD licences expire on 24th February each year; any one joining during the
year is not charged the full £16, depending on when they join (see appendix).

Don’t worry about the last form just yet. After four weeks, if you’re still enjoying
Karate, that is the time to fill out the ‘Takumi Licence Application Form’ to join the
club and its governing bodies. Membership of Takumi registers you as a practitioner
in Shito Ryu Shukokai karate and you also gain membership to Traditional Karate
Great Britain (www.tkgb.org).
Fees and Joining

Training sessions cost £3.00 (£2.00 if you are under 16 years of age). Most martial
arts club charge “joining fees” or offer “six monthly subscriptions” on top of your
class fees. At Takumi we keep things straight and simple: there are no subscription
charges or joining fees; you can join at any time of the year and are charged on a pro
rata basis for your licence (i.e. if you join 6 months into the year, you pay half the
annual fee, see appendix sheet). Our club is “non-profit” making; all training fees go
towards hall-hire, training courses, or are put back into the club to pay for equipment
such as mats and impact pads. We believe that our fees are amongst the lowest and
fairest of any of the martial arts clubs in Edinburgh. We prefer to go for “value for
money” over profit any day.

To join you must:

• Fill in the licence application form.
• Attach 2 passport sized photos with your name printed on the reverse.
• Attach your fee (cheques payable to “Takumi Karate Do”).
• Hand all of the above to either Carolyn or Jim (the people wearing black
belts).

Membership applications take a week to process.

Other Costs
Karate need not be expensive as you need very little equipment. Whenever you want,
you can order an outfit (gi) which costs around £20.00 (ask for an exact price at time
of buying) and comes complete with a club badge (badge cost £3.50 if sold
separately). We recommend that this is the last thing you purchase, as if you buy one
straight away then change your mind about karate, you’ve wasted your money.

Hand mitts are also needed but these can be purchased at a later date. They normally
retail between £6 - £12 (again check price when ordering).

Occasionally we hold training courses or events and these can cost a little more, but
they are always well publicised in advance and never compulsory. The money
generated from these goes back into the club so that we can subsidise some of the
course or competition costs for club members.
Who’s Who

The Club has two instructors, Carolyn Fisher and Jim Bailey. They took over the
cub after it was passed to them by former instructor Steve McKenzie in February
2008. Takumi was established by Steve in 1997 but the clubs origins date back to
1979.

Carolyn Fisher started training in 1980 doing a style of karate called Sankukai but
after ten years she took some ‘time out’. She joined Takumi in 2003 and is now one
of the club instructors. She is a black belt and the club Kata Coach.

Jim Bailey is the other club instructor. He started training in 1991 and joined Takumi
in 2002. He is the biggest member of our club and the biggest black belt. He is also
the Club’s Kumite (Sparring) coach as he is an excellent fighter.

As well as the two senior instructors, there are now several brown belts in the club
who help out as assistant instructors under the guidance of Carolyn and Jim during
classes. This allows us to split classes up so that people are given training relevant to
their grade. Feel free to chat to any of these people about any aspect of training.
We’re all very friendly and love talking about Karate.

Resources

When you join the club we suggest that you look at the club website
(www.takumidojo.org.uk). This site is always being developed and updated, and has an
exclusive ‘members section’ full of information about karate as well as the club rules
and the grading syllabus. You need to request a username and password to access this
area.
FAQ
Who takes up Karate?
You do hopefully! Lots of different types of people train at our school. We tend to
attract people who want to get fit, learn self defence, meet new people and have fun.
The minimum age of the club is seven years old but we have no upper limit. We also
have roughly as many men as women.

I'm really unfit - does this matter

No. Training is geared towards what you personally can do so you don't need to be fit
to start. You will certainly get fitter through regular training, but we don't often do
specific strength or fitness building exercises.

Does it hurt?
Bumps and bruises are inevitable in any martial art but more serious injuries are
extremely rare. If you're not at a high fitness level then you are likely to ache a day or
two after your first few sessions, but this will stop as you continue to train.

Is it very military?
Not really. We don't tend to shout at people as encouragement works much better. We
also don't make you do anything you don't want to (what would be the point?). We do
use some traditional protocols (like calling the instructor 'sensei' and bowing a lot) but
these tend to be retained for safety purposes.

How often do I have to come?

We like students to train regularly as it is much easier to follow their progress, but
how often you train is completely optional. Beginners often come once a week, higher
grades usually do two sessions, and the die-hards come to the specialised classes too
(weapons training and bunkai class). All you need to remember is that Karate, like any
other skill, requires practice and the more you come the quicker you'll progress. We
have good relationships with other clubs and some students attend other clubs as a
guest to supplement their training.

What sort of stuff will I learn?

You'll start with the simplest techniques e.g. basic kicks, punches and blocks, along
with a few combination moves. As your training progresses you will learn more
advanced techniques as well as defences against someone attacking, grabbing, or
punching you (we try to cover the most common attacks seen on the street). As you
progress you'll learn defences against weapons (seniors only) and multiple attackers.
You'll also learn how to protect yourself when you fall and most of all your
confidence and self discipline will increase.
Do you have coloured belts?
Yes, we have a range of grades progressing from white to black. Gradings are held
regularly and if you are ready and fancy trying it then give it a go...

The belts grade as follows (dates are the minimum time permitted):

8th Kyu (Yellow Belt) – Four months training.

7th Kyu (Orange Belt) – Eight months training.

6th Kyu (Green Belt) – Twelve months training.

5th Kyu (Blue Belt) - Sixteen months training.

4th Kyu (Purple Belt) – Twenty months training.

3rd Kyu (Brown Belt with 3 tabs) – Twenty Four months training.

2nd Kyu (Brown Belt with 2 tabs) – Thirty months training.

1st Kyu (Brown Belt with 1 tab) – Thirty Six months training.

Sho-Dan (Black Belt – 1st Dan) – Forty Eight months training.

 Confidential

TAKUMI KARATE DO - Health Check Form

This form must be completed prior to training at the first session

Name: ______________________________ Date of Birth: ______________________________

Address: ______________________________ Email Address:_____________________________

______________________________ Phone (home):______________________________

______________________________ Phone (mobile):_____________________________

Next of Kin (emergencies only) _____________________ Relationship________________________________

Phone: ______________________________
It is essential that we have an up to date record of any injuries of health problems you may have suffered. Please indicate on the form
below. This will not necessarily prevent training.

Please record whether you suffer, could be suffering or have ever suffered from:
EPILEPSY Yes / No ASTHMA Yes / No

BACK PROBLEMS/INJURY Yes / No DIABETES Yes / No

HEAD INJURY Yes / No BLEEDING DISORDER Yes / No

WEAK JOINT / JOINT INJURY Yes / No BREATHING DIFFICULTY Yes / No

INFECTIOUS DISEASE Yes / No PREGNANT Yes / No

ANY OTHER CONDITION Yes / No

If you have answered YES to any of the above please give full details, together with details of medication or surgery

___________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
We need to know whether you have anything in your past that would indicate that training is not suited. We regularly carry out checks with
the Police on prospective members. Under the rehabilitation of offenders act, this does not necessarily preclude you from training.

Do you have a criminal record Yes / No

If yes: Were you convicted of a crime of a violent nature, a crime against women or children, or possession of an
illegal weapon or substance? Yes / No

Do you object to us carrying out a background check on you Yes / No

Signature: ________________________________ Date: ________________________________

 Takumi Karate-Do
Senior Instructors:
Carolyn Fisher (San-Dan)
Jim Bailey (San-Dan)

Consent form for the use of photographs or video. (Parents and children)

Takumi Karate Do recognises the need to ensure the welfare and safety of all young people in sport.

In accordance with our child protection policy we will not permit photographs, video or other images of young
people to be taken without the consent of the parents/carers and children.

Takumi Karate Do will follow the guidance for the use of photographs, a copy of which is available from
Carolyn Fisher.

Takumi Karate Do will take all steps to ensure these images are used solely for the purposes they are
intended. If you become aware that these images are being used inappropriately you should inform Carolyn
Fisher immediately (Tel. 0131 441 3602 or Mobile 07769834026).

I __________________ (parent/carer) consent to Takumi Karate Do photographing or videoing

________________(insert name) for publishing or web site usage.

Date:

I _____________________ (insert name of child) consent to Takumi Karate Do photographing or videoing

my involvement in club activities for publishing or web site usage.

Date:
 TAKUMI KARATE DO (EDINBURGH)
APPLICATION FOR AN ANNUAL LICENCE

ALL CLUB LICENCES RUN TO 23RD FEBRUARY

Type of Licence Applied For: First Licence (see Instructor) Renewing Licence £16

If you are aged 16, or over or will attain 16 during the period of this application, you should apply for a senior
licence. (Fee includes I year member to member & personal accident Insurance)

Full Name ___________________________________________________________

Date of Birth _____________________ Occupation _______________________________

2 passport photos
to be
Address _____________________________________________________________
enclosed ONLY if
_____________________________________________________________ this is your 1st
Application.
Post Code _________________ Telephone No ____________________________

Is this your FIRST licence application? Yes No First time applicants please ensure

that you include two passport type photographs

If ‘NO’ enter previous licence number and expiry date _____________________________________________

Applicants Club TAKUMI KARATE DO Instructor’s Name CAROLYN FISHER and JIM BAILEY

Your Current Grade & Date Achieved _____________________ Awarded By __________________________

Do you suffer from any medical condition or take any medication that your instructor should know about?

Please answer honestly. Yes No If yes, please specify

I declare that the information given here is correct and that I will comply with the rules and regulations of
Takumi Karate Do and its affiliated body.

Signed ________________________ Date_______________ (parent or guardian if under 18 years)

Return this form with the correct fee to an Instructor.

 Class Times & Locations:
Juniors
There are no junior classes at this time.

Seniors
Monday 7.00pm till 9.00pm (Southbridge Resource Centre)
Thursday 7.30pm till 9.15pm (Southbridge Resource Centre)

Specialized Advanced Training Classes (these run at South Bridge):

Saturdays 11.00am till 12.00 noon

Saturdays 12.00 noon till 12.30pm Kobujutsu Training

(weapons for advanced students)

Southbridge Resource Centre (Infirmary Street)

 Takumi Karate-Do
Appendix of Licences Charges

MONTH Licences
ANNUAL FEES £16.00

October £6.00
November £5.00
December £4.00
January £3.00
February £2.00
March £16.00
April £15.00
May £14.00
June £12.00
July £10.00
August £9.00
September £7.00
Fees are correct at time of going to print