Where are you located?
We are located inside Switchfit Gym at 1/73 Montague Street, North Wollongong. There is onsite parking available.

How much does it cost?
Information about fees is available here.

What should I wear?
When you are starting out you can just wear casual clothing to train in (e.g. shorts and t-shirt, tights or tracksuit pants). We train in bare feet. Jewellery must be removed before training. When you are ready to purchase a Shinkyokushin dogi (uniform) you can organise this through the dojo.

Can we come and watch?
Yes, but we recommend you (or your kids) just jump in and try.

Can we try a class?
We offer 2 free classes with no obligation to ensure you like it and are interested before paying any joining fees. If you want to try you can simply turn up to class ten minutes early and let the instructors know you are interested in doing a trial. You do not need to book in.

Are there joining fees?
Yes there is an annual fee (regardless of the time of year) of $65 for kids and $80 for adults.

What age can kids start?
Children can train from 5 years old.

Are kids and adult classes separate?
Kids class is from 5 years to 12 years. High school students then join the adults class.

Are there any girls/women in the class?
Yes, classes are mixed in both the kids and adults.

Do you do kata (patterns) as well as fighting?
Shinkyokushin Karate training has a syllabus that covers all aspects of karate training including basics, movement, kata, bag and pad work and sparing.

Do the kids play games?
We teach the kids discipline and respect, we will make them fit, flexible, strong and confident while they learn Karate. We make it fun at the same time and sometimes we include games in the lesson.

How often do you grade (promotion test) students?
The first few gradings are about 4 months apart but a student must do a minimum of 30 classes between gradings. Shinkyokushin Karate is not a style of martial arts that gives gradings frequently. It will take you about 5 years of continual training to earn a black belt.

Do you compete in tournaments?
Yes we do, but it is voluntary and not everyone fights in tournaments. There are also kata competitions.

Do I have to fight?
The short answer is yes, fighting is part of what we do, however we fight at a level that is appropriate for individual student needs and development.

Do you cater to special needs, physical or mental disability?
We do not have specific classes but we are willing to trial any person and see if karate training is a good fit or not. Like any student who trains in the dojo the dojo operator has the right to accept or refuse any student.