Karate for All

I am a member of KSK Karate Club located in Tanglin Community Centre since 2002. Headed by Sensei Chia Kwek Fah, it currently has about 100 members of which 30 are currently active. We meet every Sunday at 5pm (for seniors) and 6 to 7.30pm for the rest of the members. Any body with some basic fitness can join the club. Fees are $60 for a term of 12 weeks.

Mr. Chia holds a 7th Dan Black Belt - Shitoryu Style and has approximately 45 years (!) experience as a karateka and easily 30 years as a coach. He was the coach for Karate in Team Singapore in the 2005 SEA and in the past held many titles,including Asia champion - kumite category.He has several Chinese poetry books to his name, and is currently managing his business offering consultancy in photography,martial arts, sports science and Chinese calligraphy.

My opinion after having taken up the art for 7 years now is that it is a tough sport,which requires endurance and a high degree of flexibility and agression. Many junior members, ranging from 5 years to 16 years old have 'graduated' to senior belt status (brown and black) and the art teaches discipline, respect for seniority,agressiveness and humility. Basic techniques are the leraning of many blocks (uke or barai), punches (tsuke),kicks (geri) and stances (dach). Also threre is the aspect of kata or form,which is the application of the above into a structured pattern or 'war' dance.

For the seniors such as myself, we can pick up additional skills like disarming agressive attackers, free sparring (kumite),
and learning of Sai (three pronged pincer), nanchaku and even the dong fa (baton used by police).

Most of all, it showed me that the human body is capable of withstanding attacks by effective blocking techniques and then applying trained strikes at the opponents vulnerable parts rendering them harmless.

Picture shows, Esther, Ricky Ng, Me and Looi Teck Kheong.