Membership and Costs
We are a non-profit making club - if there is any profit made, it will be put back
into the club to the benefit of everybody.
Joining Colchester JKA is easy, just come along to any lesson. If you're unsure
if karate is for you feel free to watch a lesson or two before you join in.
There is a form to fill in before your first lesson just to let us know whether
you have any injuries, medical conditions that we should be aware of and any previous
martial arts experience.
We train barefoot so all you will need to wear is light
loose clothing, tracksuit trousers or shorts and a t-shirt will be fine.
If you
decide to keep up with karate training for some time you will need to get a karate
suit (gi), which is free for beginners if you pay for two months in advance.
You will
also need to get a licence. See 'Getting Licensed' below.
Membership scheme fees:
We have a value for money club membership scheme.
Adults (18+): £25. Students/Kids £22.50 per month.
Getting licensed
If you want to keep training regularly you will need to apply for a license from
the JKAE. Currently, licenses cost £20 and
are renewable annually. Your club instructor will give you
an application form, please return the form with payment to us and we will send
it off for you.
Included with your first license will be a grading record book in which you will
keep a record of each grading, courses attended as well as any competition successes
and technical qualifications.
Apart for being required if you want to grade or attend any JKAE courses, we
do require that students who wish to train regularly hold a valid in-date license
as it also affords you some insurance against injury.
New students should apply for a licence shortly after beginning training. It can
take a week or two for new licences with record books to be dispatched so make sure
you apply for yours well in advance of any grading as unlicensed students will not
be allowed to grade and may not be allowed to train at all.
Gradings
A grading is a formal event where students demonstrate their ability in order to
earn a new grade, or rank. Where the club has organised a grading students will
be notified well in advance. Before gradings the assessor will usually take a training
session. These sessions are recommended for all students, whether they are grading
or not, as grading assessors are always fantastic teachers.
A grading
costs £25 per student including the special lesson beforehand, the grading itself and the belt and certificate (if successful).
For more information about gradings please see the
Ranks
and Gradings section.
Courses, Competitions and other likely costs
Occasionally the club may organise trips to special karate courses and competitions in the UK. These
courses are not compulsory but can be extremely beneficial, especially to those
students looking to take higher grades. Course and travel costs vary widely.