Dojo Information

Brackenfell Shotokan Karate Academy

Dojo Etiquette & Dress Code

Once inside the hall/studio, you are in the Dojo (“Place of Training”). To ensure a high standard of training and teaching, certain rules must be adhered to. Essential elements are:

Beginners can start with tracksuit pants and T-Shirt for the 1stmonth but after that must be dressed in a proper white karate Gi. This can be purchased from BSKA.
No shoes are allowed in the dojo.
Always bow when entering and leaving the dojo.
Be on time. If the student is late, first report to the instructor, bow and then join the class.
It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to collect their children at the dojo. Should you wait in your car, it is done at your own will. It is every parent/guardian’s responsibility of the child after leaving the dojo. BSKA will not be held responsible for this.
Karateka’s are expected to arrive clean, nails trimmed, and long hair tied. Karateka must arrive with shoes and clean feet. Arriving with dirty feet will result in student not being able to enter the dojo floor/tatami area.
No jewelry, including earrings.
No casual conversations, ask questions by raising your hand.
No food and drinks will be allowed on the floor/tatami.
No water breaks, water can be consumed before or after the class. Water breaks will be implemented in extreme hot weather conditions, but it will be to the discretion of the instructor.
No cellphones are allowed in class, it must be switch off or silent mode.
All clothing is the responsibility of the student and no responsibility will be taken by BSKA for any personal belongings. BSKA is not responsible for any lost property.
It is understood that the time indicated as end of class is the time that the last exercise will be done. The undersigned understand that thereafter, instructors still need to settle administrative points and students still need to collect their belongings and or dressed before they exist the dojo.

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Other equipment

These items will be needed for training and participating in competitions:

– Fighting Mits (Red/Blue/White)
– Mouth Guard (Any colour except RED)
– Groin Guard for Males (Recommended)
– Chess/Breast Guard for Women (Recommended)
– Shin Guard (Recommended)

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Order from BKSA

– Karate Gi’s
– Karate T-Shirts
– BSKA Sweat Towels
– Fighting Mits
– Mouth Guard
– Groin Guard
– Shin Guard

Classes & Spectators

BSKA advises parents and or partners not to sit in on classes unless stated by the BSKA. This is to help students concentrate and enhance focus. However, we encourage parents and supporters to come to the grading, as this is a great opportunity where students get the chance to showcase what they’ve learned.
It is advisable not to drop your child earlier than 15 minutes before their class. These students waiting before or after class must wait at the dojo for safety and security reasons.
Please note that there will be occasions in the karate class when the instructor need to touch the student to assist to provide the effective and correct technique. I the undersigned hereby give this consent freely and declare that it was not made under duress.
Instructors reserve the right to take reasonable sick leave without replacing classes lost. The Dojo Head reserves the right to close BSKA at times when other related activities such as championships, gradings, senior/instructors seminars for a period, regardless of student takes part or not.
It is the responsible of the undersigned to ensure their child is at his/her classes. If the child misses a class with or without the parent’s knowledge, the parents are still responsible for the full month’s fee.
Students will be introduced to other forms of martial art techniques in their class at times and will be introduces to other instructors other than the Dojo Head.
Please note that no parent or spectator are not allowed to publish any photo or video recordings of classes on the internet, this is for the safety of the children. The entire BSKA class plans are copyright.

Gradings

All grading entries are subject to approval by the Dojo Head and are dependent on an 80% attendance record.
All monthly and affiliation fees must be paid up to date to be allowed to grade.
All grading fees strictly to be paid by the closing date provided.
If a parent decides that their child will not be partaking in the grading, it will not constitute a refund or reduction of fees.