Any Karateka with at least 2 stripes can attend Weapons Certification Training at the Cooper City Main Dojo. If it’s your first seminar you should do Basic Escrima. You can order an escrima from Sensei Schopp or just bring a dowel cut to 26″ in length. Thickness varies depending on your hand size so pick something that you can grip well in your hand that is also sturdy enough to hit something solid.
The training session goes from 5-7:30pm and then you will work your weapon in class for the next few weeks. The test in on Nov 16th at 5pm, so make sure you are available that night to attend the test before you make the commitment of signing up for the training.
Weapons training or Kubudo is an important aspect of your Goju training that teaches control, and dexterity, and develops your overall skills and strength in the Martial Arts.
There are 8 certifications in total before you can be promoted to black belt. The four weapons in our system of USA Goju Karate are the Escrima, Bo, Sai and Nunchaku and there are two certification for each weapon; Basic and Advanced. With each certification you learn a new Kata and increase your self defense and fighting abilities. As a rule of thumb Green belts should have at least one or two certifications, purple belts 4-6 and brown belts should have most of the certifications completed if they are over the age of 16. These are not hard and fast rules, because you will progress in Karate at your own rate and according to your own interests and time frames. But, one of the goals of your Karate training should always be to strive for more knowledge.
Another important thing to remember is that once you attain a Weapons Certificate you need to keep working and advancing your skills with that weapon and not just put it away. The Certification is just the starting point in your training and you can expect to be tested on all of the weapons that you certified in for your subsequent rank promotions.
The cost for certification ranges in price from $30- $50.
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