FAQ

What is Seido Karate?

Seido Karate Dunedin is part of the Worldwide Seido Karate Organisation founded in 1976 by Tadashi Nakamura. Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura was one of Mas Oyama’s star pupils and Seido traces its karate lineage through Oyama’s Kyokushin style to Funakoshi’s Shotokan, as well as Miyagi’s Gojuryu and beyond, to karate’s roots in Okinawa. These influences are evident in our kata and in our traditional approach to etiquette and protocol. Seido headquarters are in New York.

Seido means ‘the way of sincerity’, and this indicates the philosophical approach that we follow. Karate is not just about punches, kicks and blocks. It is also about developing personal character. In practicing Seido Karate we strive to become the best people that we can be, learning to overcome our physical and spiritual limitations to do all things with the deepest sincerity.

Born in Japan in 1942 Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura started karate at an early age and rose to become the worldwide Chief Instructor for Kyokushinkai Kaikan Karate. Disillusioned with the way Karate was heading and its emphasis on competitiveness, Kaicho formed Seido Karate in 1976 based on the principles of love, respect and obedience.

Kaicho wanted to return karate to its original root values – that is that everybody, men, women and children from all walks of life should be able to safely practise this beautiful martial art. A 9th degree black belt, Kaicho’s ideals, beliefs and philosophy of living have given strength and inspiration to thousands of students around the world. Kaicho, with his son – Nidaime Akira Nakamura, Vice Chairman of World Seido Karate – teach and practise Karate daily at the Seido Honbu (headquarters) in Manhattan, New York.

Joining

New members are welcome to train without paying for two or three classes. You can contact us by phone, email, or just turn up at the door!

There is a beginner class on Tuesday evenings, and a junior beginner class on Sunday at 11 a.m. We recommend that children are 6 before they begin karate.

Fees

You are welcome to train for free for two classes, after that:

Adult Beginners – $100 takes you through to your first grading
Junior Beginners – $60 for your first term, $50 a term thereafter

After the first grading fees are:

Adults: $350 per year
University students: $300 per year
High school students: $250 per year
Juniors: $50 per school term

There are discounts available for families or multiple family members training – please ask Sei Shihan Kelvin Wilson for further details.

Preparing for a session

Uniform

Karate students train in bare feet. You should wear loose fitting clothing that will allow you to kick, punch and stretch in. Once you have graded to white belt, you will need to purchase a ‘gi’ (a karate uniform). These can be bought from any martial arts shop, you will also need two badges for your gi, which can be purchased through the club.

Upon arrival

Take off your shoes and come into the room. Please go up to any of our students, explain you are there for your first class, and they will help you.

Etiquette

Probably the most unusual aspect of a martial art for a complete beginner is the etiquette in the dojo (training hall), and the constant use of the word ‘osu’. The word ‘osu’ has many meanings. It comes from ‘oshi shinobu’ which means ‘have patience’, but we use it to mean ‘hello’ and ‘yes’ – and many other things too. At the beginning of class we kneel down to formally begin the training. A series of bows will follow. There is no religious significance to the bowing. It is simply following the Japanese custom of bowing out of respect for our seniors; in this case, those who have trained longer than us in karate.

Belt system

Beginner
10th kyu: white belt
9th kyu: advanced white belt
8th kyu: blue belt
7th kyu: advanced blue belt
6th kyu: yellow belt
5th kyu: advanced yellow belt
4th kyu: green belt
3rd kyu: advanced green belt
2nd kyu: brown belt
1st kyu: advanced brown belt
1st dan: black belt (shodan)

Gradings

Gradings take place several times a year. They provide opportunities for students to demonstrate in a more pressurized situation what they have learned. Upon successful completion of gradings, students are awarded their new belts (see above). A ‘kyu’ means a level, or grade.

At levels up to green belt, students need to have learned the required syllabus and trained regularly for three months to be eligible to grade.

From green belt onwards, students need to train regularly for a minimum of six months, including sparring sessions. In practice, this means it is likely to take a minimum of 3 to 4 years before reaching 1st kyu.

After spending at least another year and a half at 1st kyu, a student who has trained sufficiently hard and developed their skills satisfactorily may be invited to prepare for the demanding first degree (shodan) black belt grading.

Our instructors

Shuseki Shihan Kelvin Lewis

Monday: Black belt syllabus
Wednesday: Fitness

Sei Shihan Kelvin Wilson

Tuesday: Beginners, white, blue & yellow belt syllabus

Jun Shihan Seán Brosnahan

Thursday: Sparring

Kyoshi Steve Eaton

Wednesday: Green and brown belt syllabus

Senpai Peter Mortimer

Sunday: Kata, junior beginners and syllabus

Senpai Kacey

Thursday: General syllabus

Our organisation

President: Shuseki Shihan Kelvin Lewis

Vice President: Jun Shihan Seán Brosnahan

Secretary: Sei Shihan Kelvin Wilson

Treasurer: Sei Shihan Kelvin Wilson

Club Captain: Senpai Helena Bailey

Committee: Kyoshi Greg Wilkinson, Senpai Mike Wilson, and Senpai Peter Mortimer.

Please approach any of these members if you have any concerns, ideas or want clarification about the Club or karate in general. Minutes of the meeting are available in the dojo.