Rising Heights Karate

Karate is a traditional Japanese practice which aims to teach basic self defense skills, fitness, life skills, and FUN. The only goal is to be a little bit better today than you were yesterday! Students will develop improved focus, self-discipline, and positive attitudes. Learning to punch, kick, and perform traditional movements is an amazing way to get fit and reduce stress. Every class is high energy and dynamic. All classes are divided by age to be appropriate for kids, teens, and adults. Karate is for EVERYONE! Kenpo Karate is a unique form of Karate which originated in China thousands of years ago, and made its way through Japan. The karate program focuses on the eclectic Kajukenbo branch of Kenpo. The program takes students both through traditional practices and modern self defense training.

To attend Karate Classes a student is required to wear a martial arts uniform, known as a GI. This is the traditional garment for practicing Japanese style martial arts and their derivatives. The uniform allows for flexible movement and sense of community within the training. These uniforms are designed with their style of training in mind, and tailored specifically to support the kind of training you would be doing. They are meant to be durable and more appropriate for classes than street clothes. A gi consists of a special top, pants, and belt. The word gi is a shortened form of the word “Keikogi,” or “Practice Uniform.” The gi as we know it today was originally designed by Jigaro Kano in the 1900s, an educator and found of Judo. The goal was to create a durable yet flexible outfit for training which would stand up to rough handling, but wouldn’t flop open on its own. Its appearance is loosely based on a simplified kimono. Eventually Kano would also add specialized belts to denote rank. As time went on the martial arts of Japan would all adopt variations of this uniform to match the needs of their classes. In Judo the gi’s were white or blue to tell competitors apart. Some martial arts would adopt a more traditional indigo color.  The uniforms of Kenpo Karate in the United States are traditionally black, a move done in the 1940s due to the difficulty in keeping white perfectly clean during rigorous training.

GI are available for ordering and purchasing through the Rising Heights Dance main office or by phone!