All blog posts
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JKA WF England International Summer Camp — 7 Aug 2026
- This 3 day camp is fantastic opportunity to train with some of the best instructors in the world, straight from JKA HQ!
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JKA WF England Spring Camp — 8 May 2026
- This is a 3 day training camp where you can train with senior instructors including Kawasoe Sensei, Izumiya Sensei and Nemoto Sensei.
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Grading — Cambridge — 21 Mar 2026
- Training with Sensei Roy Tomlin, followed by a grading hosted by Cambridge Karate Dojo at the Cambridge University Sports Centre.
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5th JSKE Spring Course — 14 Mar 2026
- Training course open to all grades with senior instructors including Roy Tomlin Sensei (7th Dan) and Ken Hori Sensei (6th Dan).
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Northstowe Karate Club Annual Review 2025
- 2025 was a year of growth and hard work. From packed classes to international training opportunities, our students achieved a huge amount together.
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Breaking Boards - Tameshiwari
- We continued with fun lessons over the summer break, practicing gyaku zuki - breaking boards with this technique. We ended with jumping kicks
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NKC is 1 year old
- We continue practicing the grading syllabus and then had cupcakes at the end to celebrate the club being open for 1 year
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Grading Practice - 2 July Lesson Summary
- We went through the kihon, kumite and kata for 9th Kyu and then practiced some more advanced kata
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Kata Practice - 29 June Lesson Summary
- We practiced kihon kata, heian nidan and heian yondan, and looking at specific areas to improve upon.
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Hip Rotation and Side Kicks - 25 June Lesson Summary
- In the first half of the class we studied hip rotation and block punch combinations. We then moved on to side snap and thrust kicks.
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Kata - 22 June Lesson Summary
- Today we went through kihon and heian katas 1-3.
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Mae Geri and Yoko Geri Keage - 18 June Lesson Summary
- Today we focused on front snap kick and side snap kick and how snap kicks differ front thrust kicks
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Back to Basics - 11 June Lesson Summary
- We had 5 beginners tonight, so we went back to basics. Even though basic, everyone can still improve their techniques and the way they move.
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Kihon Kata - Bunkai
- We went through kihon kata and some basic applications of kata in small groups. We then covered some advanced applications, noting that blocks can also be strikes.
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Grading at Cambridge Karate Dojo - 7th June
- A total of 99 students trained and 75 students passed their gradings, including 10 students from Northstowe Karate Club
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Grading preparation- 28 May Lesson Summary
- We practiced the kihon, kumite and kata required for your upcoming kyu grading
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Grading Prep - Gohon and Sanbon Kumite
- Today, we practiced primarily gohon and sanbon kumite
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Generating Power - 14 May Lesson Summary
- Today we practiced using the lower body to generate power. Key points include having both feet completely flat and hands and feet finishing together.
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JKA WF England Spring Camp 2025 - 9-11 May 2025
- JKA WF England Spring Camp 2025 with Oishi Takeshi sensei (9th Dan), Chief instructor of the JKA; Kawasoe Masao (8th Dan); Naito Takeshi Maestro (8th Dan)
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Grading Prep - 7 May Lesson Summary
- We don't have much time until the grading, so we practiced our basic techniques, primarily on the spot
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Grading Prep - 4 May Lesson Summary
- Today we focused on the content of 1st and 7th Kyu Syllabus including uchi uke (inside block).
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Basics and Kata - 30 Apr Lesson Summary
- Today we started with basics choku zuki and soto uke. We then moved on to kihon kata on the spot, jumping and normal before moving on to grading kata.
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Heian 1-4 and Back Stance - 27 Apr Lesson Summary
- Today we started going through the finer points of the heian kata and back stance, which 4/5 heian kata begins with.
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Zanshin and mirror image kata - 23 Apr Lesson Summary
- Thank you Sensei Joe for taking the lesson. The lesson focused on zanshin (awareness) and mirror-image/on the spot kata. Practice techniques on both sides.
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Kihon and Heian Kata - 16 Apr Lesson Summary
- Tonight we practiced performing kihon kata, heian shodan and heian nidan. It's important to practice all the kata you know, not just your current kata.
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Kihon and learning new Kata - 9th Apr Lesson Summary
- As many of you have just graded, you have new kata to learn so we went through some of them for the first time, after practicing our kihon
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Kata and Fast Techniques - 2nd Apr 2025 Lesson Summary
- We started off making out kihon techniques faster, relaxation, pulling the front leg back and compression and expansion. We then finished with kata.
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Sharp, fast and powerful techniques - 26th March 2025 Lesson Summary
- Tonight we focused on generating fast, sharp techniques through relaxation with tension at the end of technique.
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Grading at Cambridge Karate Dojo - 22nd Mar 2025
- We had 11 students visit Cambridge Karate Dojo. All 11 students passed, with Jasper and Victor double grading. Congratulations to everyone who graded.
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Grading Preparation - 5th Mar 2025 Lesson Summary
- We've been practicing our kihon, kumite and kata over the last 2 months. Today we put all of this together and practiced everything required for the grading.
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Sanbon Kumite - 26th Feb 2025 Lesson Summary
- We continued with last weeks theme of sanbon kumite, 3 step sparring, defending and attacking 3 times to the head and body.
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Sanbon Kumite, 3 step sparring - 19th Feb 2025 Lesson Summary
- Tonight we practiced sanbon kumite, 3 step sparring, attacking and defending against head and stomach level punches.
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Mae Geri, Keage and Kekomi - 12th Feb Lesson Summary
- Tonight we practiced kicking - mae geri (front kick), yoko geri keage (side snap kick) and yoko geri kekomi (side thrust kick), finishing with kata.
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Back Stance - 5th Feb Lesson Summary
- We practiced kokutsu dachi (back stance). Key points of back stance include the L shape, 70% weight on the back leg and s soft hip.
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Front Stance - 29th Jan Lesson Summary
- We had 6 new joiners this session. We went back to basics, practicing basic techniques. We introduced kumite concepts then finished with kata
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2025-01-22 Lesson Summary
- Tonight, we continued learning about kime, relaxing for speed, tensing at the end for power, and how to utilise the hips, legs, and floor to generate power.
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2025-01-15 Lesson Summary
- Tonight we continued with a focus on kime, practicing basic blocks and punches, followed by the first 3 kata.
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2025-01-08 First Lesson of 2025
- Tonight was our first session back, where we went back to basics, but also covered a new topic - 'kime'.
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Northstowe Karate Club Annual Review 2024
- We have had 24 sessions this year, with 40+ students training once, and had a successful grading with 4/4 passes!
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2024-12-11 Lesson summary
- This was our last lesson of the year and we had some fun. We started out with some basics but quickly moved on to working with pads and break boards.
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2024-12-07 Grading at Cambridge Karate Dojo
- Northstowe karate club attended its first grading. We started off with some training with Roy Tomlin Sensei and ended up with 4/4 grading passes. Well done!
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2024-11-20 Lesson summary
- Only 2 more lessons until the grading. We'll focus more on the grading syllabus from now on. Tonight we went through 9th - 7th Kyu Grading syllabus.
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2024-11-13 Lesson summary
- Only 4 weeks to the grading. We'll focus more on the grading syllabus from now on. Tonight we practiced kihon kata.
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2024-11-06 Lesson summary
- Only 4 weeks to the grading. We'll continue to focus more on the grading syllabus from now on. Tonight we practiced the 9th kyu grading syllabus
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2024-10-30 Lesson summary
- Only 5 weeks to the grading. We'll focus more on the grading syllabus from now on. Tonight we practiced our basic techniques and the 9th kyu grading syllabus
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2024-10-23 Lesson summary
- This lesson, we practiced the 9th Kyu Grading syllabus, keage in kiba dachi, heian nidan and kihon kata in preparation for the upcoming grading in December
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2024-10-16 Lesson summary
- We practiced Mae Geri - Front Kick. You must raise your knee first, use the ball of the foot and snap the foot back when executing front kick
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2024-10-09 Summary
- In tonight's lesson we looked at keage side-snap kick, Heian Nidan and Kihon Kata Bunkai. We also introduced bunkai - kata application and it's meaning
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2024-10-02 Lesson Summary and Grading Details
- Jodan Sanbon Kumite - Oi Zuki and Age Uke. We practiced sanbon kumite - attacking and defending 3 consecutive stepping punches with rising and outside block
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2024-09-25 Lesson Summary
- A slightly more advanced lesson covering yoko geri keage, kiba dachi and heian nidan. With side kick you must use the edge of the foot.
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2024-09-18 Lesson
- We went back to basics, practicing zenkutsu dachi, soto uke and oi zuki, practicing it alone and then with a partner (kumite).
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2024-09-11 Lesson
- Everyone was looking great in their new gis. We continued practicing our basic techniques and the first two kata kihon and heian shodan.
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10th Lesson - The finale
- We recapped what we've learnt over the 10 week course, practicing our basic techniques, sanbon kumite and kihon kata
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9th Lesson - Lower Body Power generation
- In tonight's lesson we looked at how to use the supporting leg to generate power using compression and expansion
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8th Lesson - Generating power
- In tonight's lesson we looked at how to generate speed and power - using the floor, relaxing, kime and hip rotation. We then practiced kata and front stance.
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7th Session - 9th Kyu Syllabus
- In tonight's lesson we covered the requirements for 9th Kyu grading. We also practiced sword hand (shuto) in back stance, hammer fist and heian shodan.
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6th Lesson - Sanbon kumite
- In tonight's lesson we started off practicing how to turn. We then moved on to 3 step sparring with jodan and chudan attacks. We then ended with kihon kata.
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5th Lesson - Gohon Kumite
- In tonight's lesson we did kumite for the first time. We practiced attacking with stepping punch and defending against it with rising and outside blocks
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4th Session training details
- Our highest turnout so far - 14. We covered stepping punch and rising, outside and lower blocks. We then practiced front kick end ended with kihon kata.
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Kihon and the first two kata
- In our third session we went over techniques from the previous lesson including stepping punch and rising block. We then focused on front kick and kihon kata.
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Our second training session
- In our second session we did a quick recap and then focused on rising block, ensuring the blocking arm is in the correct position. We ended with kihon kata.
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Our opening training session
- Our first session focused on oi zuki, breaking it down by learning how to step into front stance, how to make a fist and how to punch, followed by some blocks
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10 Week Beginners Karate Course
- Northstowe Karate Club are running a 10 week course starting Wednesday 3rd July, teaching traditional Shotokan Karate at The Cabin, Northstowe. Ages 8+.
