Welcome!

Joining the Shotokan Karate Club is easy: Simply enroll in the Shotokan Sports and Fitness class at the beginning of any quarter. After the class ends all you need to do is continue to join us for practice twice a week. We strongly encourage you to join Shotokan Karate of America as well. As a member of SKA you will be able to join us for events such as Special Training, the annual Goodwill Cup Tournament, and testing for rank.

If you already have karate experience, you are welcome to join us without enrolling in the class. Feel free to contact us or show up to our practices!

What is the Sports and Fitness class?

The Sports and Fitness Class is a six week program that introduces you to our style of Shotokan Karate. In the class you will learn basic commands in Japanese, how to count in Japanese, kihon (basic techniques), be introduced to kata, and be familiarized with general dojo etiquette. We ask that you take the class before joining the club, even if you have had previous martial arts experience. This guarantees a smooth transition into the dojo and minimizes confusion about expectations.

Here’s a link to the IMA registration page.

What do I need?

In order to practice in the dojo you must wear a gi, or a karate uniform. A gi can be provided for you at the equipment rental counter in the basement of the IMA. If you plan to join the club we ask that you purchase your own gi. We also ask that club members purchase “Karate-Do Kyohan.” Written by Master Gichin Funakoshi, it is an invaluable book for our style, outlining all 19 kata in detail, fundamental aspects of karate, applications, and philosophy of training.