Durham Karate do Shotokai

Learn to defend yourself, get fit and flexible, and in a relaxed and fun environment.

Karate is a fantastic system of self defence that has its routes in the Japanese island of Okinawa. It consists of strikes (punches, kicks, elbows and knees), but in our style more important than those is balance, movement, and skill.

Karate is for everyone, irrespective of age or body type, and is a fantastic way to develop your body and mind.

Our style (‘Shotokai’) is friendly and relaxed, with a big emphasis on movement and skill rather than aggression. We are quite traditional in wearing white gis (pyjama suits) and coloured belts to denote grades, and in bowing formally to one another during practice, but there is no shouting or counting, and the atmosphere is friendly and supportive above all.