The U.W. Japanese Karate Club offers instruction to beginners and advanced students in Shotokan karate.
The founder of Shotokan Karate was an Okinawan named Gichin Funakoshi. He introduced karate to Japan in 1917, where Shotokan evolved to include elements of jujitsu and kendo, ancient fighting techniques native to Japan.
Shotokan karate seeks, through formalized rational training, to synchronize the powers of mind and body. In the classes this is sought in three types of training:
The instruction is given from the most basic level and increases in difficulty as the students learn the techniques required to control his or her body and mind.
While the instruction centers on karate as a martial art, portions of the training involve self defense applications and karate as competitive sport. The club regularly sends teams of men and women to regional and national collegiate competitions.
The club is affiliated nationally with the American Amateur Karate Federation, and internationally with the Japan Karate Association International and the International Traditional Karate Federation. All ranking is done under their auspices. Club members regularly attend clinics at the Sugiyama dojo in Chicago, as well as at the main dojos of the Great Lakes and North Central Regions of the AAKF.
The Madison Japanese Karate Club - UW is open to all students, faculty, and staff. During the Fall Semester the general sessions will meet MW from 5:00 to 7:00, F from 5:30 to 7:30, and the advanced training sessions will be M from 7:00 to 9:00 and Sa 12:00 to 2:00.
The club itself has been a University of Wisconsin-Madison sports club since 1976 and the current director-instructor is Vassil Peytchev, a Nidan (second degree black belt). The instruction is also performed by other regionally qualified first and second degree black belt instructors. You can also take a look at our tentantive semester syllabus.
For more information please contact us using our e-mail form.