Frequently Asked Questions

We hope that the following information answers many of the questions regularly asked by our students. If not, please ask your instructor, or ask by way of an email, text or phone call. We are always happy to help.

Costs...

(all shown as current and can be paid direct to instructor or through website)

Classes are £6 for the one hour classes. We offer discounts for familes of 3 or more and monthly payments are available if they are of benefit to you. Two hour sessions are at a discounted cost of £7 and ATMA seminars are £10.

Uniforms are £21 for children and £26 for adults. This includes belt and association badge and are available from your instructor.

Membership is £25 per year and incorporates the Student Insurance. A copy of our Policy can be found on the Student Information page. Membership falls due in March each year and can be paid annually - or monthly by standing order.

Gradings Coloured belt (Gup) gradings are £20 and there is an opportunity to grade every 3 months, but you will only grade if you are ready. Black belt (Dan) Gradings are £100.

Equipment. You will need a bo staff - these range from £12 to £25. Rubber or wooden knives range from £5 to £10 and you will need one for your senior syllabus. Sparring kit is not mandatory in the classes, but will be needed for gradings and tournaments. Full kit of headguard and hand and foot pads is currently around £45. It is also recommended that you have a mouthguard - and groin guard for males. We also ask that you obtain some handwraps and focus mitts for the padwork - see your instructor for advice.

Tournaments. Participation in tournaments is not mandatory, but entry is generally £25. We do organise overseas trips for both tournamnet and training ad these are popular with our students.

Grading System...

There are 10 Gup grade levels (coloured belts) and 9 Dan grade levels (black belts). Opportunities to grade are held every 3 months, but students will only grade when they are ready. You can expect your gradings to stretch out over longer periods as you progress through the levels, as there is much more to learn and remember the higher you go. Please remember, this is not a race to Black Belt, but a journey of self-development that should be enjoyed. Once at Black Belt, the time between gradings grows even more. There is a minimum of 2 years training between 1st and 2nd Dan, 3 years between 2nd and 3rd Dan, 4 years between 3rd and 4th Dan...and so on. In between gradings, you will be expected to be consistent in your training and, to this end, there are pre-grading tests to be taken to ensure that you are on track.

You will be assessed by Black Belt students and instructors and given a report on your progress at each grading. Grading requirements can be found within the Student Manual which is available to download from the Student Resources page on this site.