YOUTH KARATE
ABOUT OUR GENERAL CHILDRENS PROGRAM
We take great pride in our karate classes for kids and in the children enrolled in it.
First and foremost we love to come and teach every day, because of how friendly and respectful all the kids at the dojo are. This is an atmosphere that new beginners sense and adopt quickly. Character development is important to us and by adhering to dojo rules, the children develop important life skills such as discipline, focus, respect, and humility.
As far as it comes to karate skill the children at our karate classes for kids are held to the highest standards. Their understanding of the underlying movement principles are deep, even at young ages.
We teach the kids to pay attention to detail, because it is crucial to instill correct movement patterns from the beginning.
The neuro muscular control the children develop from this training is remarkable, and the tools they gain will always stay with them – carrying over to other physical activity and sports. The children improve their cardio, strength, agility, flexibility, balance, and coordination.
We work hard to ensure that every child has success in our program. Once a child feels successful and validated in one area of life, it is easier for them to bring that success to other areas as well.
We want the dojo to be a place where children feel that they are a success story, having put in hard work and watched it pay off.
Every child is unique, so we make sure to identify where each individual needs the most work. One child might have low muscle tonus, while another may have low self esteem.
Our kids reach advanced levels and many of them enjoy competition. They participate in local, regional, national, and international competitions.
We do emphasize, however, that Karate extends beyond competition. Hence, karate is just as beneficial to someone who is not interested in competition and only wants to improve him/herself.
In Karate, the greatest opponent to overcome is oneself and one’s ego.
KINDER KARATE AND GYMNASTICS
Girls gymnastics / karate:
This is one of our most popular youth karate classes, developed by Sensei Ruth Rokah.
The class takes place in a small group setting with a maximum of 6 children, allowing our youngest participants to get the attention they need. The class begins with a short meditation, followed by an extensive warm-up.
During this part of the class the kids might be slimy poisonous frogs jumping through the rainforest (squat jumps) or beautiful rainbow- sparkled butterflies escaping the fire-squirting dragon (dynamic leg stretch).
This warm-up has been thoughtfully designed to improve functional strength, flexibility, and gross motor coordination, all while the children are completely immersed in imaginary play. After the warm-up we rotate between Karate and Gymnastics exercises. At this age, where the childrens’ attention spans are limited, Ruth guides the participants seamlessly from one activity to the other.
One minute they might practice their front kicks and the next, work on their somersaults. The class ends with a short game and a meditation.
Sensei Ruth believes in building a strong foundation of correct movement patterns already at a young age. The neuromuscular development that takes place during this class will have a direct carry over to any other sport and will benefit your child’s view of his or her own athleticism in the future.
Neuromuscular training requiring skillful coordination, when practiced at a young age, is scientifically proven to increase the number of neurons in the brainstem.
Sensei Ruth’s dedication to teaching these young kids is apparent, feeding their love for the class and their excitement in continuing to train.
Youth Competitive Programs
The purpose of the junior and senior teams is to help children – who enjoy the competitive side of Karate – gain the skills necessary for successful participation in Karate tournaments. In competition there are five events (Kata, Team Kata, Kumite, Fukugo, and Enbu).
The team training allows us to prepare the kids in all of the above categories. The participants also learn the etiquette of competition – how to bow when you enter the ring, etc. We also cover basic rules of judging in the program. To be a successful competitor, one must understand what judges look for, as well as what causes score deductions.
Team training is also a very fun environment. We sometimes watch parts of competitions projected on the wall, which helps students get a better understanding of how great competitors are supposed to perform. Moreover, we frequently invite elite athletes from all over the world – here to train with Sensei Rokah – to visit our team, perform demonstrations, and act as Sempais (assistant coaches).
Why do we compete in Karate? Competition – in a sense – conflicts with the ultimate goal of Karate practice – to develop a humble character.
Sensei Nishiyama could not even bear to call it competition, but called it Shi Ai, which means “testing each other for future development”. These words embody what competition means to us. It tests one’s skills and helps detect weaknesses – making it a useful tool for improvement. During competition children also develop a skillset in addition to their karate skills, including; performance skills, sportsmanship, control over emotions, performing well when it counts, etc. All of these life skills are essential to be competitive in the real world.
Who is a good fit for the team? We are not looking for the fastest, strongest, or most athletic kids when we choose our team members. We are simply looking for great “learners”. By great “learners,” we essentially mean children who listen well, think about what has been taught, and then make an effort to implement it into their practice. Team members are children who demonstrate a humble and respectful behavior at all times. Team training is more demanding than the regular classes, and participants have to come armed with a love for Karate and a strong spirit.
We are proud to say that members of this team have won numerous Regional, National, and International titles. Karatekas (practitioners) on the team can go as far as their motivation is willing to take them.
YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Over the past few years, our Youth Karate Leadership Program has come to life and evolved completely on its own – grown through the love of karate, the fulfillment of being a valued member in the Dojo community, and the excitement of sharing one’s passion with others.
Students in the leadership program schedule classes where they come to work as Sempais [assistant Senseis]. As a Sempai you begin and end the class with a short meditation by your Sensei’s side, facing the other students. You will frequently lead the warm-up, demonstrate Karate techniques, and instruct individual or small groups of children.
Once you reach a certain amount of classes and meet other testing requirements (belt ranks, technical quizzes) you graduate the program as a certified Rokah Karate Youth Instructor. There are three levels of certification. When you graduate our program, you are qualified to teach for a salary – as a Sempai – when extra instructors are needed.
We feel that this program benefits everyone – youth leaders, Rokah karate, and the Rokah Karate students.
1) Benefits of program for the youth leaders:
Participants develop leadership skills and self confidence through serving as instructors and role models for our other students.
Teaching Karate makes students analyze their own technique and strategy on a deeper level, elevating their own Karate skills.
In this program students learn the psychology behind teaching – knowledge which can be applied in a variety of areas.
It is with a great sense of pride, self worth, and accomplishment that this program’s participants wear their leadership gear.
Students learn a profession that you can actually make a living from. Even if you do not plan to have a dojo of your own one day, you might want to start a club at your school, teach in a summer camp, teach here at Rokah Karate or at another affiliated club etc.
Participants have fun and experience a sense of fulfillment that accompanies being a valued member in the sprawling dojo community.
This type of program is highly valued on a resume. Students develop strong physical, psychological, and leadership skills – all useful in society. Needless to say, this program is a great boost to anyone’s high school/college application.
2) Benefits of program to Rokah Karate:
Rokah Karate is excited to develop young leaders for the future who really understand the underlying principles of traditional Karate and who have developed the necessary skills to be able to pass it on effectively.
We feel fortunate to have these talented youth by our side when we need extra instructors.
3) Benefits of the program to our student body:
The students at Rokah karate greatly benefit from being taught by these developing instructors. Learning from someone of similar age brings out the best in children.
The youth leaders often use their own language and analogies to describe techniques and principles, resonating very well with the students.Having older and more experienced children to look up to is also highly motivating for our students.
It is with great pride and joy that we watch these young leaders in the making – driven by love and passion for karate and willing to go above and beyond what is expected.
Eligibility for the program is at the discretion of Rokah Karate.
