Palmetto Kenpo Karate Programs
Tigers and Dragons Program
At a young age, it is important to incorporate fun with our activities and the early years, ranging from 5 years to 6 years, are the best time to start your child on the road to success. We entertain, stimulate and educate children all within the framework of a structured playgroup. We strive to build coordination and basic motor skills and teach courtesy, fair play and a sense of accomplishment. Classes are limited in size, 45 minutes in length and structured to teach physical, mental and social skills. In each student, we aim to build coordination, concentration and confidence. We accomplish this through disciplined classroom activities and individual goals.
The young student learns coordination, basic motor skills and stretching. This structured playgroup emphasizes the fun aspects of Karate and prepares each child to earn their Tiger belt, distinguished by a yellow & black striped belt.
The Tigers program is designed to help develop the young child’s individual physical awareness and basic coordination skills. Both individual and group activities are used in conjunction with various mats, pads, hand targets and kicking shields. Reaching the level of Tiger Belt, it adds progressively more difficult coordination of hands and feet, balance, timing and flexibility and an introduction to self-defense techniques and "Karate Tag". This program has been created to broaden a young child’s motor skills and physical experiences and prepare them for the next level, Little Dragons.
A yellow & red striped belt distinguishes Dragon Belts. At this level, they learn terminology associated with the Dragon belt rank that is easy to understand for this age group. The Little Dragons program is a specially designed class for 5 and 6-year old children who have successfully completed the Little Tigers program. Little Dragons focus on fine motor coordination, balance, strength, and agility. Through disciplined classroom activities, students are introduced self-defense techniques and learn to set goals and achieve them. Classes are structured according to their developing attention spans and serve to gradually introduce them into the Junior Program.
Juniors Program
The Junior program has been specifically designed to meet the needs and interests of 7-13-year-old children. Students are grouped by ability through a belt ranking system, which allows students to periodically be evaluated and regularly advance through progressively more sophisticated skills and techniques. The Belt Ranking System for our Junior program reflects their advancement through Beginner (White, Yellow and Orange), Intermediate (Purple, Blue and Green), and Advanced (Brown and Jr. Black) Belt Levels.
This program progressively develops basic movement through advanced Karate skills in kicking, blocking, striking, forms and self-defense. All children need to develop a sense of confidence and security within them. Parents are not always available to assist them in their efforts. Kenpo Karate provides a system of defense, which serves as a basis for the development of confidence, self-esteem, and respect for discipline, responsibility and achievement. Children develop their inner strengths, learning to rely on their personal integrity, convictions and abilities. Parents see almost immediate results. Notable improvements occur in school grades, attention span, concentration and leadership abilities after as little as a few months of study.
Each of the Junior program classes are 45 minutes long and includes several of the following main components. Cardiovascular and stretching exercises are utilized as warm-ups that challenge and encourage each student to improve their fitness levels. Basic movements including kicks, blocks and strikes are practiced in the air or with different types of equipment as the Instructor moves from student to student giving patient and helpful pointers and encouragement.
Forms and sets are solo routines practiced to develop the sequential flow of multiple movements and to develop concentration, focus and expression. Two-person interactive drills develop timing, flow and reactions. Self-Defense techniques are performed on the Instructor to teach practical application and varied responses to street situations. Vocabulary words incorporated in each level used to illustrate concepts and principles utilized in Kenpo Karate and to promote a deeper understanding of the detail and finer points of the Art of Kenpo.
Controlled Freestyle Sparring is included as a fun activity to reinforce concepts of healthy competition, good sportsmanship, honor and integrity. It teaches students to win humbly and lose gracefully. Learning from their mistakes always makes them a winner. If they put forth their best effort and try their hardest, they are on their way to be the best they can be.
Adult Program
The Adult program is 14 years and up. The adult curriculum includes many new Empty Hand Techniques, Forms and Sets as well as Grappling, Ground fighting and Weapons such as knives and sticks. Students will advance and learn more sophisticated skills and techniques. The Belt Ranking System reflects their advancement through Beginner (White, Yellow and Orange), Intermediate (Purple, Blue and Green), and Advanced (Brown and Black) Belt Levels. Your proficiency in Kenpo Karate reflects by the color of the belt you wear.
The curriculum features proven self-defense techniques incorporating speed, power, accuracy and effectiveness. It includes updated individual and partnered interactive training drills designed to develop spontaneity and proficiency in the practitioner of this explosive and extremely effective modern Art of American Kenpo Karate.
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Palmetto Kenpo Karate is a member of the AKKI and the adult students are encouraged to become a member as well. AKKI students are known for their speed, power, and distinctive timing abilities. These abilities can be heard as well as felt during self-defense applications. Its simplistic use and effectiveness make American Kenpo Karate one of the most popular martial arts in the world today. It also provides a path to grow, excel, and to reach new heights of awareness both in ourselves and in the world around us.