Kids Fitness Karate Club
Sensei Darlene Koskinen 4th Dan
Shihan Jouko Koskinen 7th Dan - Finnish & world champ
Style Name
Shukokai (K.S.I - Kimura Shukokai International)
A little about the style...
The founder of our style, Sensei Kimura created this style of karate and we continue to follow his technique and teaching methods today. The style incorporates the learning of kata, kumite, and self-defense. Only controlled contact is acceptable and body armor is worn. Shihan George Pursianen who is the chief instructor of Shukokai here in Finland, Shihan Jouko, and many others Shukokai instructors were fortunate to have trained with Sensei Kimura resulting in Finland being a strong contender at International Championships. More can be read about the history of Shukokai at this link.
Karate Championships
Two national children's championships are held annually, a team and individual championships. Children can be selected to the national karate squad once they are 12 years of age. A World Championship is held every two years and a European Championship once a year. Finnish Shukokai teams attend both events. Participants are 12 years and above.
Important Information
Club Karate is for children ages 8 and above. We also have adult groups.
Club Badge
All new children to club karate will be given the Kids Fitness Karate Club badge for their gi. This badge has to be sewn on the left side of the Gi jacket. If your child has come from The Kung Fu Panda Karate system, that badge can be removed.
Karate Passports
All children who grade to yellow belt (8th Kyu) are given a "Karate passport". The passport is for keeping a record of all gradings, gashuku's (training sessions) attended and tournaments your child participates in. Every time your child participates in one of these three events it should be written up and signed in the passport.
Beginners Course
Please visit the Event / Class Registration page to see if any beginner courses are being offered.
If you have any questions please email darlene.koskinen@shukokai.fi
Kids Fitness Karate Club Details
Autumn 2023 Season:
Classes start from Monday 14th August
Last Classes / Gradings - Between the 27th November and 8th December.
Please see the timetable page for days and times of all club classes
New Class: For adults/teenagers please make contact if interested.
kfk@shukokai-espoo.fi
No Karate Classes:
During the autumn or winter holiday's
Cost of tuition:
265.00€ - One hour a week
395.00€ - Two hours a week
505.00€ - Three hours a week
595.00€ - Four hours a week
Additional Payments: TBA
Instructions are given in both Finnish and English.
Once your child is in club karate, the number of hours they train is important. The grading system is strict and the required amount of training hours is required in order for your child to grade. Once your child is a green belt it is compulsory that your child attends training twice a week. We usually give advanced grades between colour belts, only if a child is old enough or pressing exceptionally fast will a child go from one colour belt to the next.
Children should come to karate wearing a cleanly pressed gi. No watches or jewellery of any kind should be worn while training or competing. Children with long hair should have it tied up and hair clipped back out of the face.
If your child prefers to wear a t.shirt under their gi, the t.shirt must be white.
Once in club karate, your child will automatically be re-enrolled each season unless parents notify otherwise. We do our best to keep training sessions on the same day and time for the full school year but this is not always possible.
All the Sensei’s have a lot of experience
The facilities are Excellent. Dojo has a lot of space, also the accessories such as gloves, training bags and protectors are for everyone to borrow during practise. Also the 'coffee room' provides a place for parents to wait for their children and it is a nice place to meet other parents and socialize while havin' a coffee.
Johanna and Mikko Merenlahti
Johanna and Mikko Merenlahti
Been a happy customer for over 7 years
Karate family of 5
Karate family of 5
Shukuokai Karate Federation
Every karate student has to be affiliated to the Shukokai Karate Federation. As a Shukokai member, your child is entitled to compete in all tournaments, and attend Gashuku's. A gashuku is a national or regional training camp where karate sessions are instructed by Shihan Yrjö Pursianen who is the chief instructor for Finland.
Karate Grading
A grading is when the children get tested on all they have learned and have the opportunity to grade to the next level. Yellow to green belts usually are graded at the end of each season, but only if the required training hours, level and age are reached. The higher belts require more training hours and the level of difficulty increases so from green advanced upwards, the time between gradings increases.
Grading Fees
Every time your child attends a grading a grading fee has to be paid. This fee is payable in advance or on the day of the grading.
Grading Hours Required for Color Belts
9th to 8th Kyu, Junior yellow belt to yellow belt - 15 hours
8th to 7th Kyu, Yellow to orange belt - 30 hours
7th to 6th Kyu, Orange to green belt - 40 hours
6th to 5th Kyu, Green to blue belt - 40 hours
5th to 4th Kyu, Blue to purple - 50 hours
4th to 3rd Kyu, Purple to brown - 100 hours
3rd to 2nd Kyu, 3rd Brown to 2nd Brown - 100 hours
2nd to 1st Kyu, 2nd Brown to 1st Brown
1st Kyu to 1 Dan, 1st Brown to 1st Dan black belt - 100 hours
Karate Tournaments
Club and national karate tournaments will be held every season. The children are encouraged to participate but they are not forced to. Both kata and kumite are done in tournaments and your child can choose to do one or the other or both.
Karate Gi's and Body Protection
Karate Gi's and all body protection needed for participating in tournaments or for training purposes can be purchased from the karate shop at the dojo. These items can be purchased before or after training.
Kids Fitness members of the Finnish Shukokai Karate Team
for European Champs in Coimbra, Portugal, 2019
From left: Henri Ala-Taurila, Micke Tamminiemi, Asla Salonen, Aaro Salonen, Anna Salonen, Iida Kaasinen and Sam Cobb
How to Tie a Karate Belt
It is very important that once in club karate, the children learn how to tie their karate belt themselves correctly.
This video will help your child to achieve this.
