YOSHINKAN DOJO
Southern England Branch
Authentic Japanese Martial Arts in Hampshire
Classes for Adults and Children
PLEASE CONTACT US NOW TO ARRANGE A FREE TRIAL CLASS!
2 Finns Business Park, Crondall, GU10 5RE
About Us
The Yoshinkan Dojo, Southern England Branch is a traditionally focused Japanese Martial Arts Dojo in Crondall, between Fleet and Farnham.
We have been teaching Jujutsu in our Dojo since 2012, with a friendly, no nonsense approach to training, which is conducted safely, and in a traditional manner.
Suitable for anyone, from beginners right through to experienced martial artists, regardless of your age, size or current fitness levels we're here to help you achieve your goals.
Our focus is not on sport martial arts, or flashy moves, and you will find our attitude towards self defence quite different to many other organisations.
You will find a serious and common sense approach to actual fighting. Our aim is to give you real life skills (physical and mental) which will give you confidence and enable you to handle yourself and stay safe in a violent and/or potentially life threatening situation.
The same skills used by Samurai for generations to stay alive in a culture where death and killing was an accepted way of life, on and off the battlefield.
We teach both adults and children, maintaining a real family feel to the Dojo as many of our adults also have their children practicing, this creates a great atmosphere and a rare chance to bond over a mutual interest. So if you have children this could be a good chance to connect while learning something useful.
With a direct connection to our Hombu Dojo in Japan, our students regularly visit for training, and to experience the country and unique culture, Yasumoto Sensei has also visited our Dojo, as well as other high ranking Sensei. You can really benefit from this additional experience and see how it makes a real difference to the style of practice we offer.
Our name was given to us by Yasumoto Sensei, Soke of the Moto-Ha Yoshin Ryu school of Jujutsu which we practice, Eikoku Nanbu Yoshinkan Shibu Dojo - Yoshinkan Dojo, Southern England Branch.
Children's Classes
Our aim is to offer children a chance to learn authentic Japanese Martial Arts (Budo) from a school who's lineage dates back into Japan's actual Samurai period in the 1600's. This is very different to other systems such as Japanese Karate, Judo, or Aikido, which are in comparison (while very good) very modern systems even when the word 'traditional' is used.
Our classes are not what you would typically expect from a Martial Arts Dojo (from movies or potential experiences with other organisations). Our classes are small, no more than 10 students to a class, with no emphasis placed on competition and a very simple grade structure. We believe Budo is a gift to be shared, not a way to fatten our wallets with endless charges for courses, gradings, equipment, etc...
The Young Samurai Class teaches core fundamentals of Japanese Martial Arts including; Jujutsu, the Japanese sword, and staff. We keep practice light hearted and fun, but with a serious approach to maintain safety while practicing techniques and to develop focus.
Our under 18's class then takes this up a notch with practice of Moto-Ha Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu, and the chance to work toward grade recognition from Japan and entry into the school. Parents are also welcome to train in this class alongside their children, offering a great way to bond through practice.
There are many benefits that can be attributed to martial arts training. Beyond the physical aspects and self defence ability, confidence, concentration, etiquette, can all be enhanced through practice. Our small classes allow those who are perhaps not so confident in large groups to train comfortably and the changes we see in these type of students are phenomenal. Please check out our video section to see these guys in action in their Children's Class Embu!
We also organise additional events where possible to further educate and aid development, these have included visits from Japanese Sensei, talks from representatives of Japanese Cultural organisations such as Tendai Buddhism UK, Japanese Calligraphy, and as mentioned above the children take part in public demonstrations of their skills (Embu).
Please contact us for further information, or if you have any questions regarding our classes.
Jujutsu
Jujutsu (柔術) as we consider it is a strategy of total body fighting, using everything at your disposal to overcome your enemy, including strikes, joint manipulation, throws, chokes, strangles and even weapons, but without the need to pit strength against strength, or force against force...
This is done using natural body mechanics and principles of movement, which when manipulated correctly can render an attack useless and allow the practitioner to overcome and unbalance their opponent.
There are lots of interpretations of the word Jujutsu: Gentle Art, Supple Art, Art of Yielding, etc, however the translation that we find suits our practice is Soft Skill. Ju 柔 is the Softness that stops us clashing with an opponent, and 術 Jutsu is the Skill and Technique that allows us to use this to our advantage, breaking their structure and overcoming them. This is a very simplified description for the purpose of getting across the basic idea, but the concept goes far deeper than can be explained here.
Mindset is of equal, if not more importance, as it is this that will often dictate your success or failure, regardless of physical prowess or technical ability.
Jujutsu is often referred to as 'Unarmed Fighting of the Samurai' however we do not use this description. Samurai were virtually always armed, therefore Jujutsu had to be able to deal with the threats associated with this, while also allowing the practitioner to execute techniques while wearing weapons themselves, or even enable them to use their own weapons.
This may seem a trivial point, but it is of great importance when you consider the mindset mentioned above, rather than just thinking of a modern brawl or a boxing match, as most do when they think of fighting, when weapons are involved everything becomes a life or death situation.
Beginners' Courses
Starting something new as an adult can be a fairly daunting prospect, even if you have previous experience.
Lot's of things come to mind; What are the existing members like? Will I fit in? What if I do the wrong thing? Am I fit enough? I'm nervous about getting hurt, I don't want to feel like I'm holding up the more experienced students, etc.
With this in mind, we've created a 4 week beginner course that helps to remove these concerns and allow you to experience training and decide if it is right for you without any obligation.
Self Defence
If your goal is Self Defence, Jujutsu is a very effective Martial Art.
Japanese Jujutsu relies on manipulation of an attacker's structure and natural body mechanics to overcome them without the use of muscular strength.
This makes it an ideal system for anyone looking for self defence, regardless of size and/or ability.
Unfortunately looking for the right kind of Self Defence class can be tricky!
Self Defence is one of the most common reasons for people to learn martial arts beyond childhood, so is used excessively in marketing and advertising campaigns to help drive new students through the door...
...but not all things are equal, what's good for one person may not be right for another.
Here are some things to think about if you are looking for Self Defence classes:
Aesthetics mean Nothing!
It doesn't matter if the adverts show people training in military style fatigues or combat gear, traditional martial arts clothing, casual sportswear, etc. Does the content of what's being taught seem realistic and will it work for you?
Is it Strike Heavy?
You have to be prepared in a self defence situation to do all necessary, which will usually involve some form of striking or hitting, but does it rely too heavily on striking to make it work? Or is it only striking? This may be fine for someone fairly strong, but can someone of a slighter build do this effectively when their attacker is stronger and pumped full of adrenaline?
Don't be fooled by Gimmicks!
Lots of modern 'self defence' systems use gimmicks to make them appealing. Whether it is quoting a military connection or something from a popular movie, look beyond the surface. A system taught to military or law enforcement personnel sounds impressive, but does someone looking for a way to defend themselves in their day to day life have the same physical requirement as military personnel?
Watch out for a False Sense of Security!
Is using the system's techniques all that is taught, or are you encouraged to escape? Are there methods for de-escalation or avoidance? Is there an encouraged over confidence in the techniques taught?
Is it Simple?
Anything fancy or complicated wont work in the heat of the moment, are they teaching simple principles? If what they are teaching takes more than a split second, will it really work when needed?
Is there a strong Sport Element?
Sport martial arts can be great for fitness, strength and overall confidence. The techniques employed to score a point however may not translate well into actual fighting to defend yourself. In the same vein being able to hit and score a point is very different to being able to hit and stop an attacker, think about this.
If you are looking for Self Defence, we would be happy to talk to you and look at how we may be able to help, please contact us today to discuss.
Class Times & Location
Monday's
20:00 - 22:00 (General Class, 16 yrs+)
Tuesday's
18:00 - 19:00 (Young Samurai, 6-10yrs)
18:30 - 20:00 (General Class, 11yrs+)
Thursday's
19:30 - 21:30 (General Class, 13yrs+)
@
Yoshinkan Dojo
2 Finns Business Park
Crondall
GU10 5HP
PLEASE CONTACT US NOW TO ARRANGE A FREE TRIAL CLASS!
2 Finns Business Park, Crondall, GU10 5RE