FAQs

Not at all - you can just wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. Please wear something that is loose fitting e.g. a T-Shirt and tracksuit bottoms to begin with. We would recommend that you make sure that you really like our classes before buying a Uniform (traditionally known as a ‘Gi’), then you have the option to purchase a good quality uniform from our online shop. It will come complete with belt and a Club Badge. To order a uniform click here.

Depending on the class, training fees are paid at the start of each lesson or at the time of booking via the app:

£7.00 for one person
£6.00 per person for two in the same household (£12.00)
£5.00 per person for three or more in the same household (£15.00+)

Because you’ll enjoy yourself so much after the first few lessons, you’ll need a licence. That’s £22 for the first year.

A Martial Arts Licence confirms your identity and membership of your chosen Club and the Association to which it belongs. It usually comes in the form of a small booklet which contains information such as personal details, your unique licence number, relevant medical information, emergency contact details, your grade and grading history, events or tournaments you have attended, a martial arts declaration or oath that you are required to sign and your license renewal date (usually 1 year from the date that you joined). A licence is issued to confirm that you have been accepted into a Club and its organisation and once you have paid the License fee (£22), you have your own member to member and public liability insurance. You will need to get a licence within the first four weeks of starting karate and renew this annually. You can purchase licenses via our online shop here.

You will need to purchase a licence as Red Tiger Karate is a members' only club. Once we have collected your information, this will be added to our secure database and will not be shared with third parties. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept members under the age of 4 years. This is because we cannot obtain adequate insurance cover. Operating a members' only club allows us to offer a more personal welcome and cater our classes around expected number of students.

No. We operate a pay as you go system. This means that you only pay for the classes that you actually attend; that way you do not lose money if you cannot attend for any reason (e.g., you become ill or go on holiday). You do, however, need to book and pay for your classes in advance using our online booking system or on the door depending on the class.

Red Tiger Karate hold regular grading assessments. You will be invited by your Sensei to attend the grading closest to where you train. See our grading page for the next grading dates, locations and what you will be expected to do on the day. All grading assessments are taken by the Chief Instructor with the help the rest of the Instructor team. Students can only be put forward by their Instructor when he or she feels that you are ready and capable of achieving your next level.

On average students will be put forward every 3-4 months up to the grade of 5th Kyu; however, this does depend on their own individual progress. Once a student reaches the level of 5th Kyu, they may be expected to spend a longer period of time on their grade to gain the valuable knowledge and experience required to successfully complete the grading.

This is a question that is often asked and there is never an easy answer. The most important thing to remember is that whatever grade you have achieved in another style will always be with you. There are many different variations even within each style of karate. We teach Shotokan Karate, so students who have experience in Shotokan may find it easier to progress or adapt.

We treat each student as an individual. Some students may join and attain a higher grade, some may be able to keep the same grade and on rare occasions students may be asked to drop down a few grades depending on their knowledge and experience.

Once you have had time to settle in and had time to get used to our style and training methods, you may be double graded in a future grading for example. If you are a Black Belt, we would urge you to contact us and we will be able to direct you to your nearest class which has other Black Belts training in it.