​The 12th of September was an exceptional occasion for us this year. Our club had the honour of a visit from 2 great karate-ka from Nagasaki.  Sensei Fumio Shiki and Sensei Hatsumi Kataoka, chairman and Chief referee of the Nagasaki Karate Association.   It was the first time the gentlemen had visited Aberdeen and Scotland. It was a great honour for us to have them visit our Karate club, travelling from Japan.

​The previous evening a special Samurai Dinner was held at the Trinity Hall where Lord Charles Bruce and Ronnie Watt presented the Japanese instructors with Samurai Awards.  The Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh Mr Takaoka also travelled up to join them at the dinner.  Mr Takaoka is a great supporter of our Karate. 

​Sunday, September 1st, 2019.  After a lovely summer, the club took off with the first pre-grading course and Dan Grading in preparation for the many events planned before the end of the year.     The session focused on multiple Kumite techniques using the legs. With tips on how to score quickly by enticing your opponent to move, so you can score a quick point using fast punching and kicking combinations.   Of course, this is important, so you don't waste energy fighting for a full match chasing an opponent.  The summer holidays meant some of us had missed some of the regular karate training sessions, because of holidays or other family commitments.  So the emphasis on exercising and stretching the legs muscles was significant.   You will likely be feeling your muscles and hips remind you not to miss any more training sessions.  Karate is very beneficial for your body and training regularly is essential to your development, suppleness and well-being.    A few weeks away without discipline, and you will start to feel these benefits slipping away.  If you do go away, remember to keep training.  Every little helps.  

​Congratulations to the students who passed their black belt Shodan gradings today.  Your hard work and improvement is an inspiration to the whole club and gives us all confidence that there is a future for real karate in Aberdeen.  Wear your belts with pride; you deserve them. Keep training and aiming higher.  You have the foundations to become great masters one day.  "Your body is a temple" Don't leave the foundations bare, build on them. One day you will look back and see how high you have built the walls of your temple and feel the true spirit that resides inside.  This is Karate.

​We have a visit from some special guest Japanese Karate masters who will be training our students along with Ronnie Watt (9th dan) on September 12th and a grading on October 6th.  

Our national championships are on November 3rd. 
 There will be a self-defence course held on November 17th. 
December 1st - will be a pre-grading course.
December 21st and 22nd we have karateka from Norway and Germany joining us for a special course and grading with  Ronnie Watt (9th Dan) and special  guest instructor Paul Kee (7th Dan) from Sweden.