Butokukan Karate School
Shorin-ryu karate is known for quick, accurate hand and foot movement, supported by healthy, natural body movements and breathing.
AMIEL PARK – Frik Willemse’s Butokukan karate school in Amiel park, offers one of the oldest, most prestigious styles of martial arts in the world.
Shorin-ryu karate is known for quick, accurate hand and foot movement, supported by healthy, natural body movements and breathing. It is the most traditional of karate styles and one of the most important.
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Sensei Willemse said, many people wanted to do karate but it was not as popular as it was in the eighties and nineties, because of the evolution of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). “Karate has lost its appeal as a result of the development of other sports.”
He teaches approximately 30 karateka: a children’s class at Newcastle Senior Primary which relates more to physical education, and an adult one at his home which is practical applied karate.
Students are assessed and graded in different levels with internationally recognised ranks, as Butokukan is affiliated with Okinawa’s karate organisation.
In the realm of martial arts, the karate belts and their colours play a significant role in determining the expertise of the skilled karateka.
White depicts a beginner and black symbolises mastering the basics to begin proper karate. In between the two there are yellow, orange, red, green, blue, purple and brown, each having two levels per belt.
“Gradings take place twice a year and for students to reach a black belt, they must reach a certain level of maturity. It took me eight years to obtain mine, so persistence is key,” said Sensei Willemse.
Shyllin Moodley is one of Butokukan’s finest students, and has a level 2 orange belt. This 23-year-old karate warrior has been training karate for the past one and a half years.
“I have a very deep respect for karate and I admired the art since I was young. I decided to research it and loved it from day one,” he said.
The degree of focus, the technique, and the practical application all make karate appealing to him. “I love that there are no ill-feelings among the students at Butokukan and we all act as a family.”
Shyllin hopes to master his technique and is a proud entry level participant in Kobudo, which is the art of weaponry. “
“I think the greatest challenge I would need to face is mastering Kobudo because I have had exposure, but it gets very difficult,” he said.
He hoped to find inner-peace doing karate and would like to remain a permanent member of the organisation, he said.
“For all those who wish to participate in this fine martial art, focus is key. You must be passionate and serious about it and never use the skill for violence.”
“An aspiring karate student must decide whether they want to practise it for self-defence, recreational purposes, for sport or for stress relief, then they should shop around and see which vibe suits them best. Wherever they decide to train, they should get on the floor and train hard, said Sensei Willemse.
