Traditional martial arts for modern-day living...
The term ‘Karate-Do’ means ‘Way of the Empty Hand' and is the Japanese name given to the art of self-defence originally derived from the indigenous fighting systems on Okinawa, a small island off the coast of Japan. The former translation for ‘Karate' was ‘China Hand' (the character ‘Kara' can be written two ways), in homage to the large historical influence on this art from ancient Chinese fighting systems.

Karate came to mainland Japan from Okinawa in the early part of the 20th Century and quickly became accepted as a Japanese martial way. Its further spread to the West after World War II has led it to become one of the most popular martial arts to date, with literally millions of people studying it from around the globe.
There are many benefits from studying Karate, including an increase in fitness and strength, boosting confidence and self-control, improving discipline, mental focus and of course developing a range of personal safety skills to help keep you, your friends and family safe from harm.

For children, karate classes are excellent for developing key life-skills such as motivation, anti-bullying, self-belief, respect and courtesy to others. This offers youngsters the opportunity to grow within a rich and progressive learning environment, building on their natural strengths.
What makes Karate really special is the effect it can have on your overall lifestyle. The art offers a chance to look deep within and analyse the key elements that make you function as an individual.

Many of the principles learned through the regular practice of Karate can be adapted and used within almost every part of your life to become a better person for yourself and others around you. Karate training also helps combat the negative effects of stress and depression, providing the attributes necessary for you to take positive control of your life.

Our members are our family...
We proudly teach karate as a traditional martial art, which is very different to how it is commonly viewed today in many schools as a modern day competitive sport.

As well as learning a very effective form of physical self-defence, traditional karate focuses heavily on self-improvement and helps to develop a strong connection between the mind and body so that the lessons learned can easily be integrated into every-day life, whether you’re at home, in the office, at school or elsewhere.

The regular challenge of karate training has also been known to help combat the negative effects of stress and depression, providing the attributes necessary for you to take positive control of your life and achieve your goals.

Our weekly classes are open to all men, women and children from five years up.  We have a healthy mix of adults, juniors and family groups so that you can be sure to train in both a positive and friendly environment.

So if you fancy trying out something new and fascinating, then you should certainly consider karate - the traditional way!
​"We want to make sure that the time you spend with us is productive, challenging and most of all, enjoyable - This is Karate!"

Adults & Teens

Karate is first and foremost an effective system of physical self-protection.

Regular karate training can teach you how to use your body efficiently, become more aware of your surroundings and recognise the danger signs in order to escape and avoid conflict in the first instance.

Karate can also give you the confidence of knowing that you have developed the tools and skills should you ever be required to defend yourself or loved ones.

The nature of karate practice can make your body healthier, stronger and more toned.  Regular training can improve your stamina, balance and reflexes, along with self-confidence so that you can become a calmer and more assertive individual. 

Many students have also reported a significant increase in energy throughout the day, feel less stressed, more focussed on achieving personal goals and sleeping much better at night.

Boys & Girls

As parents, we always want the very best for our children and during their development stages, regular karate training in a positive environment can help kids become healthier, safer, smarter and most importantly, happier.

Bullying and behavioural problems in early years can have a drastic lasting effect on the lives of our children. Our karate program helps improve discipline, focus, confidence and self-esteem through fun and fascinating classes.  We focus on developing kids to become more respectful, to learn essential life skills and to recognise 'challenge' and 'failure' as a positive platform for future growth.

The self-defence and fighting skills we teach in karate is combined with a philosophy of ‘no violence’, which actually helps to give children the confidence not to fight.  This ultimately leads to less aggressive behaviour and a much greater level of self-control.

​These physical skills also help children excel in any field they choose to follow in the future.

The Whole Family

Karate is a fantastic activity for members of the whole family to get involved in.

Whether you're a dad and son trying out a new hobby, a mum and daughter looking for some self-defence training or a whole household working together as a family activity - karate has something for everyone!

As well as all the regular benefits associated with karate, families can help each other progress as a team, train together at home, work progressively towards a set of common goals and make the positive ethos that comes with karate part of your everyday family life.

Taking up karate as a family will also help you all get away from the usual stresses and strains of life for an hour or two each week in order to spend some quality time together in a friendly environment.  You will no doubt also meet other families who share similar interests and become integral to the dojo camaraderie and support network that we always actively promote. 

Born in Shuri;
Forged in Cumbria...​
There are many styles of karate and each have their own distinctive traits.  Our dojo and approach is named Toku Sei Kan, which means, 'Hall of Virtue and Sincerity'. We aim to reveal the real beauty of traditional karate through a sincere mind and without distortion to promote an effective method of self-defence, as well as an intriguing pathway for ongoing personal development. This is accomplished by constantly striving to polish one's true self through the arduous and explorative study of Budo (the martial ways).

We encourage our members to explore the fact that the essence of karate runs far deeper than simply a collection of physical combative strategies. Rather, it is a far-reaching methodology that aims to pursue the holistic expression and seamless integration of mind, body and spirit, in order to experience progressively profound and positive effects on everyday life.

Our driving goal is to inspire those who join our dojo to respect the accomplishments of those who have gone before, embrace the insights gifted to us at this present moment and (like a still pond) reflect our true nature as we look towards the future without the restrictive binds of self-imposed limits.

Toku Sei Kan Karate represents a constantly evolving expression of the art and takes influence from a number of sources. The style responsible for its initial development was Wado Ryu (Way of Peace School), foundered by Master Hironori Ohtsuka in 1934. In addition to more contemporary training methods and practices, Toku Sei Kan Karate also draws heavily from principles, techniques and kata (forms) that are more evident in the older, more traditional Okinawan styles from Shuri, the former capital of the island.

Interested? Then come and give one of our classes a try!