Frequently asked questions

Every new Yushukan student starts with Karate Ready, a structured 3-week starter program. Seven in-dojo sessions plus online support. A Week 4 readiness check. Then a term with a built-in mutual gate, so either side can walk if it is not the right fit. $99 to start, or $90 each for two or more family members. No long-term commitment. No pressure.

Absolutely. Most children who start Karate Ready have never trained before, and the program is designed around that. Week 1 teaches your child how the dojo works. Week 2 builds basic body control. Week 3 introduces real karate technique. Each week assumes nothing from the one before except a willingness to show up.

A water bottle, comfortable clothes they can move in (no jewellery), and a willingness to try. We train in bare feet. A gi (uniform) is not required at the start. If your child decides to continue past Karate Ready, you can purchase a gi through the dojo at that point.

That is a real answer and we respect it. Bring your child for three weeks. If by Week 4 it is not the right fit, you shake hands and they walk away with the start they got. We would rather find that out properly than have you keep them in something that is not fitting. If they continue into the term, there is a mutual gate built in so either side can step away.

Yes. The most common new Yushukan adult is someone who used to train decades ago, or who has never trained but is finally making the decision. Karate Ready Adult is built for the body you have today, not the body you had at 25. Junbi Undo warm-up and Sanchin breathing are part of the program specifically because they suit adult mobility. You are not too old. You may simply have been using the wrong method.

You are exactly who Junbi Undo and Sanchin are for. We warm up and mobilise before anything demanding, and we scale technique to the body in front of us. Tell your instructor what is going on before your first session and we will adjust. Plenty of our adults arrived stiff and stayed because the training met them where they were.

Sparring (kumite) is optional. When a student wants to spar, it is controlled, supervised and matched to grade-appropriate intensity, with protective gear. It is never a beginner introduction and never forced. You can train for a long time and grade without free sparring if that is your preference. See our full kumite guidelines for contact levels, banned techniques and protective equipment.

Yes. All instructors hold a current Working With Children Check, and we carry public liability insurance. Kids classes run with age-grouped sessions and clear safety standards. Sparring is taught at age-appropriate levels with protective gear, never as a beginner introduction. Yushukan is affiliated with the All Japan Karate Federation Gojukai and Gojuryu Seiwakai Karate-Do Australia, which set the technical and ethical standards we train to.

A McDojo is a dojo built to sell belts, not to teach martial arts. Here is how Yushukan answers the standard checklist: real sparring at age-appropriate levels. Verifiable Goju Ryu lineage from Chojun Miyagi to Sensei Sam, with certificates available on request. Roughly 5 years to a real black belt, not 18 months. No 9-year-old black belts. A short mutual gate, not a multi-year contract. Sensei Sam still trains in Japan and Okinawa with Fujiwara Hanshi. Visit the dojo and decide for yourself.

Roughly 5 years of consistent training. Not 18 months, and never guaranteed. Yushukan grades on the standards that Seiwakai Goju Ryu International and the JKF Gojukai use, which means belts are earned, not bought. The honest answer most adults find satisfying is that the value is not in reaching the black belt. It is in who you become on the way.

Kids and teens use WKF-approved gloves, shin and instep protectors, and a mouthguard and groin guard. For tournaments, WKF-approved head gear is added, and chest guards for female competitors. Adults use either the WKF-approved set, or MMA-style or Muay Thai gloves and shin guards, plus a mouthguard and groin guard. Mouthguards and groin guards are technically optional, but if an injury happens in that area without them, insurance cover is waived. We stock everything at the club at the best available price, but you are welcome to buy your own. Sparring itself is always optional, controlled and matched to your grade. See the full kumite (sparring) guidelines for contact levels, rules and banned techniques.