Student Handbook

Mission Statement
Our mission is to teach the highest quality of martial arts in the spirit of continuous improvement

FAQs

How old do I have to be to begin taking classes?
We start taking students as young as 3.5yrs old and as old as 65yrs old.  Little Ninja classes are designed for ages 3.5yrs - 4yrs old.  Beginner level youth classes cater to ages 5yrs - 8yrs old.  Beginner level youth students who are ages 8yrs - 11yrs old should attend an "ALL Belts" class to start.

What should my child wear to class?
Before ordering a uniform students should wear long comfortable pants and t-shirt to class each week (dark colors such as black are preferred without any logos).  Students will have time to change before the start of class.  Click here to see the clothing requirements by belt.

Do I need to order a uniform?
When a student first starts karate classes a uniform is optional. Once a student determines that they are interested in continuing classes past their initial session then a black uniform can be ordered through the Kaizen Karate website at our discounted group rate.  Click here to see the clothing requirements by belt.

Will there be sparring or fighting in class?
Before a student is allowed to participate in partner drills they must first learn basic kicks, punches and blocks.  Movement drills will follow the technique training.

When should I purchase sparring equipment for my son/daughter?
Students can invest in sparring equipment after completing a full 8-week session of karate and not before. Students must have all sparring equipment by yellow belt rank.  Details of what to purchase can be found here.

How safe is the class?
We are very sensitive to the safety of every student in our karate program. At no time will a student be in danger in any Kaizen Karate class. The instructor will cover all safety procedures in detail before the start of each drill.

Will students earn colored belts?
Yes, students will be allowed to test for colored belts upon invitation by their instructor. The instructor will announce the dates of belt exams in class and parents will receive email notification as well.

When does the next session start?
Weekend classes run in 2-month cycles.  Other programs vary depending on the location.  For details email us at coach.v@kaizenkaratemd.com or visit our list of classes here.

How do I enroll my son/daughter for classes?
To register, visit us online by clicking here.  Students must be enrolled in class *prior* to participating.  We ask that all students are registered online as we do not accept cash or check.

How do I tie my belt?

Getting Started
 

Tuition - payment must be received *prior* to starting classes.

To pay tuition for weeknight or weekend classes please click here.

To pay tuition for one of our programs that you do not see listed on the website please email us at coach.v@kaizenkaratemd.com.

Session Dates - Weekend & Evening Classes

Session 1:  Jan1-Feb28
Session 2:  Mar1-Apr30
Session 3:  May1-Jun30
Session 4:  Jul1-Aug31
Session 5:  Sep1-Oct31
Session 6:  Nov1-Dec31

All weekend and evening classes following the scheduled listed above for session dates.  Students must register for classes prior to the start of a new session.

Refund Policy

CLICK HERE to view our refund policy

Make-up Policy

CLICK HERE to view our make-up policy

General Rules

Food & drink policy – water bottles are permitted and encouraged at all class locations. No food or drink is allowed in class.

Jewelry & watches - At no time should a student wear any jewelry or watches to class. We have found that jewelry can easily be damaged and also cause injury to another student.

Parent pick-up – Instructors will always wait until the last child is picked up from class. Please make sure to arrive on time to pick up your child. A written note is required if a person other than the child’s parent arrives for pick up. If any special needs exist please inform the instructor in writing.
 

Video Taping - *NO* Video taping is allowed during regular class time.

Inclement Weather Policy

The Inclement Weather Policy applies to all Kaizen Karate classes including after school programs, weeknight classes, and weekend classes. 

For updated closing information:

1. www.kaizenfitnessusa.com - updates can be found on homepage

2. Phone – call our office at 301-938-2711. Voice mail will be updated at all times with closings and other important scheduling information.

 
If no cancellations are announced, it should be assumed that the karate classes are being held.

Timing of Announcements

When possible, notification of class closing or class cancellations will be made by the following times:

Morning cancellation or closing - announcement out by 6 a.m.

Afternoon cancellation or closing - announcement out by 10 a.m.

Evening cancellation or closing - announcement out 2 p.m.

Equipment

REQUIREMENTS

White Belts - no uniform required (wear comfortable clothing to class)

Orange Belts - need a black Kaizen Karate t-shirt prior to testing for this belt

Yellow Belts - must have a black Kaizen Karate uniform prior to testing for this belt
(NO white colored uniforms are permitted)

Green Belts - must have a full set of sparring gear 3-4 months prior to testing for this belt

Please allow 2-3 business days for uniforms and sparring gear to arrive. All equipment will be delivered directly to your shipping address.

Mouth guards & cups (boys only) – boys and girls must wear a mouth guard at all times when participating in sparring drills. A protective cup must be worn by boys at all times when participating in sparring drills. Extra mouth guards and cups are *not* available during class time and can be purchased through our website.

Uniforms - all students must wear a black karate uniform to class each week with the Kaizen Karate logo on the back.  These uniforms are only available through the Kaizen Karate website.

We ask that *no* outside uniforms with logos from other schools are worn during class time in any Kaizen Karate class.

Guards – only students who have completed one session of karate should invest in sparring equipment. Sparring sets can be purchased on our website and include head, hand, mouth, foot and protective cup (boys).  Click here to order.

Gi top policy – students should wear full uniform top & bottom to tournaments and belt exams.  All students under black belt rank must wear a black uniform.

T-shirts – students are allowed to wear Kaizen Karate school t-shirt to class in lieu of uniform top especially during summer months when the weather is hot.

Patches – all patches should be worn on the left leg near the bottom of your karate uniform.

Karate bag - we suggest that all students invest in a dedicated bag to carry all karate gear.

Tagging - students must have their name written on all sparring equipment. If a student has black or blue guards then the use of a silver marker is encouraged to make sure names are visible.

Lost and found – at the end of every class the instructor will place all missing clothing and sparring gear in the lost and found or front office of the school / facility.

Sparring Rules & Tournaments

Contact – no touch is allowed to the face at any time during sparring drills. Light touch is allowed to the body and head guard.  

Scoring – students are allowed to strike to the stomach, chest, side of the body, side of the head guard and forehead of the head guard. Students are not allowed to strike below the belt, to the back, neck or top of the head at any time. 

Intramural vs. Open Invitational - All students 5-16 years old are encouraged to participate in our Annual Intramural tournament(s). Students will compete with other Kaizen Karate students of similar belt rank and age.  Once a student reaches brown belt level they are allowed to compete in open invitational tournaments where we visit other karate schools.  Adult students are allowed to compete in open invitational tournaments.

Belt Exams

Guidelines vs. Standards – the Belt Promotion guidelines serve as “minimums” that a student must complete in order to achieve the next rank. The instructor will make a student wait to test for the next rank if it is in the student’s best interest for long-term development.

Pre-testing - to ensure that a student is ready to take a belt exam the instructor of the class will have at least two pre-testing sessions during regular class time. The instructor is checking to see if the student has demonstrated a strong understanding of the material.

Students are invited to take the belt exam based on 3 main criteria:

1. Attendance – must have 80% attendance record or better
2. Attitude – must demonstrate good sportsmanship towards peers and instructors
3. Karate

a. techniques

b. sparring

c. master form

d. JuJitsu (if applicable for belt level)
 

2 Times to Use Karate

Situation 1 - if your life is in danger – students are taught to only use karate in a self-defense situation when there is no other option.

Situation 2 - when you are in karate class – students are allowed to practice karate during karate class under the supervision of their karate instructor. Students are also allowed to practice at home with the permission of their parent(s) or guardian.

*We strongly encourage parents to have a talk with their children about the appropriate times to use karate.  We have found that reinforcement of karate teachings at home increase retention levels dramatically.

General Terminology

1. Attention – charyut
2. Bow – kyung nae
3. Ready – jun-bi

The importance of jun-bi (pronounced “chun-bee”) - jun-bi stance is a ready stance that all students learn to master from their very first karate lesson. In our system of karate we teach students to focus and show respect. Jun-bi is the primary way we instill these critical lessons and we encourage parents to teach the importance of focus, discipline and respect at home.