According to Sensei Steve Burden, Karate Club is a “student group dedicated to traditional karate training.” The club has existed for decades as a place for “eager karate ka (students of karate)” to “come together and practice.”
The club focuses mainly on the “traditional style Okinawan Matsubayash Shoirin-Ryu Karate-Do and some of its more recent derivative forms.”
While the club does not compete in competitions, but they believe it is better to focus on “combat training in a ‘street attack’ scenario.”
Sparring in competitions “requires being taught to strike the human body in specific areas for ‘points,’” which is not entirely applicable for real-life situations.
They welcome people who have “an attitude for learning.” Their philosophy is to teach any student interested, no matter what skill level they have.
Burden said that walk-ins have the opportunity to learn about self-defense or traditional karate depending on what the newcomer interests are.
Each meeting is comprised of “a dynamic stretch and warm up set of exercises including kihon (basic karate movements), kata work (pre-arranged movements demonstrating basic to advanced skill levels), a mini-clinic of self-defense tactics from basic to advanced combat skills and a stretch and cool-down session.”
Burden extended an invitation to all saying, “Join us anytime.”
