Karate Club

Whether you’re an experienced black belt, a complete beginner looking to try something new, or simply someone who is looking for an all-round sport to improve your fitness, strength and flexibility, Cardiff University Karate Club could be for you. Here at karate, we welcome people of all abilities and all styles and we benefit from a club atmosphere that is friendly and welcoming to everyone.

Training

In training, we cover many different aspects of karate including kihon, (basic techniques and line-work), kata (forms and patterns), kumite (sparring) and pad-work. We also like to work on fitness and strength throughout our sessions. All of our instructors are Cardiff Uni students and have many years of experience, plus they all love karate and are keen to make sessions fun, varied and challenging. There are opportunities for grading during the year, as well as chance to compete in competitions as an individual or for the university.

Our training times are:

• Tuesdays:
  • Traditional Karate/Kata: 5:30pm - 6:30pm in Y Stiwdio (SU)
  • Kumite Drills & Fitness: 6:30pm - 7:30pm in Y Stiwdio (SU)

• Saturdays:
  • Beginners Only: 12pm - 1pm in Y Stiwdio (SU)
  • Traditional Karate/Kata: 1pm - 2pm in Y Stiwdio (SU)
  • Kumite Sparring: 2pm - 3pm in Y Stiwdio (SU)

See our training page for more information on training times and what to expect in each session.

Follow our Instagram (@CardiffUniKarate) and TikTok (@cardiffkarate) pages for updates on training, socials, and just to see what we get up to!

We have multiple give-it-a-go sessions throughout the year, so come and give karate a try! If you can't make our GIAG sessions, you can still come along and try at one of our normal sessions, just get in touch with us (via Instagram or email) to let us know when you are planning to come, we can then make a GIAG ticket for you to purchase!

Competitions

Our members have multiple opportunities to represent the club at competitions if they wish to do so. Competitions generally have categories for novice, intermediate and senior grades, allowing any graded member with a valid licence to compete. Every year, the club competes at BUCS against universities from around the UK. We also compete at more local tournaments in Cardiff. In addition, we also compete at Varsity every year against Swansea University, a well-loved sporting and social event, which sees most of our members join in to compete or to support other members.

Socials

Outside of training, we host a variety of socials throughout the year. From nights out at YOLO (the SU club night), drinks at the Taf (the SU Pub) after tuesday training, to sober socials such as crazy golf and movie nights, there’s something for everyone. We usually have a social at least once a week during term time, in addition to our post-training trip to the Taf after training.

Get In Touch!

Follow our Instagram page and see what we get up to in socials and training. You can also message us via our social media or send us an email [email protected], if you have any questions. If you’re still interested, just come along to a session. We look forward to meeting you!

Membership

If you already have a valid, in-date licence purchased externally, please choose membership with own licence. If you don’t already have a licence or need to renew (they are only valid for 1 year), please choose the standard membership. Our membership fee goes towards the training costs, purchase of new equipment for the club, and contributions towards competition travel and varsity expenses.

If you’re not studying at Cardiff University, you can still join the club! In the past, our members have included Cardiff University graduates and students from other universities in Cardiff. Please download the AU Associate Membership form from the SU website and follow the guidance to email it to SU finance. Be aware that an associate membership to the AU costs more, but we will only charge you our flat membership fee on top of that. Please note that only Cardiff University Students can compete in varsity and BUCS.

Refund Policy

Refunds are available and will be considered by the committee on a case-by-case basis, taking into account number of sessions attended and other personal circumstances.  Please get in touch with our president or treasurer with your reasons for requesting a refund and we will get in touch with the committee’s decision. Please be aware that our standard membership includes the price of a licence (£30) – once you purchase this membership we will undergo the process of taking details needed for the licence. After the licence has been purchased, this portion of the membership will not be refundable, so get in touch as early as possible to maximise your chance of a full refund.

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