RTK Online Karate training via Zoom begins this evening. All you need is a little space and a laptop/desktop or a mobile phone or a tablet. Your device must have a functioning camera and the audio sound switched on.

The 6pm-7pm is now FULL but message me at info@redtigerkarateclub.co.uk if you'd like to join in the brown and black belts 7pm session.

From Monday 23rd March, we will be offering sessions on weeknights and Saturday mornings as well as 15 minute slots for 1:1 video training.

If you are booked onto to tonight free session here is some of the information you need.To get involved simply log on to www.zoom.us or download the app from your smartphone or tablet. It is completely free of charge to sign up to an account and takes just a few minutes.

You can find the apps here under ‘Zoom Mobile Apps’: https://zoom.us/download

It is called ‘ZOOM cloud meetings’

Tonight we will be running 2 classes (Zoom refers to these as ‘meetings’). The first class will be from 6pm-6.45pm and we will be covering syllabus for beginners, orange, red, yellow, green, purple and purple and white belts. The second class will be from 7pm-7.45pm and will be catered towards all brown belts and black belts.

The more space you have the better, we appreciate that some will have only a limited amount of room so you can just adapt your stances etc. to the space you have. Any training is better than sitting on the sofa!

Also if you have a smart TV you may be able to ‘cast’ or ‘mirror’ your phone or tablet to your TV. (Not if Mum or Dad want to watch something else on the telly though!). The bigger the screen, the easier it will be to follow the Instructor.

You can arrive early to test out the app and get used to the screen. You will also be able to talk to each other but remember, everyone can hear everyone else until the class starts! I’m sure you’ll all have a lot to catch up on.

We will bow in at 6pm prompt and class with Paul Wolstencroft Sensei will begin. Please wear your karate uniform and belt.

You will be able to see and hear all of the Instructions and Paul Sensei and I will be able to see and hear you. So no being lazy or you’ll be getting told off!Just like a normal class, you’ll follow instructions about what to do in that session. And because you’ll be on camera too, you can receive feedback and suggestions, or ask questions if you’re not sure how to do something. We do want to keep this to a minimum this evening because there will be so many of you online at the same time.

If more than one of you are training together in the same house, you can use different devices in different rooms. For example, one on a phone, one on a tablet. You just have to sign in on both devices.

I would advise that you set up your account early and have a little practice with some of the features. You’ll also need to check how far away to put your device so you can still follow our instructions and be seen yourself. If we can only see your face, we can’t see your karate!

Do not be scared of the technology, it is all so simple and easy and if you need any help, I am here for your support.

There is a video you can watch if you follow this link that will give you an idea of what to expect.

https://zoom.us/meetings

It is something we will all have to get used to for the foreseeable future and I’m sure there might be a few technical glitches. Please stick with it, imagine a world with no karate! Now that would be a terrible thing!

We have tried this already and the main thing we got out of it was seeing each other again, we got a little sweat on and above all, it was GREAT FUN! I messed about, Debbie Sensei spent most of the time giggling, Leesa Sensei and Mike Sensei were getting told off, Team Baron was as at awesome as karate as ever, Paul Wolstencroft Sensei, Dave Robertson Sensei and Rob Sensei all got grumpy, Callum Sensei couldn’t get rid of his cat and it was just very good fun and very Red Tiger! Haha!Tonight’s class will be free of charge and open to everyone. Please put today’s date and your initials on your own membership card and your attendance will count towards your next grading.

From Monday onward, we plan to run smaller classes with a limited number of participants so we can offer better quality of teaching and more feedback. We plan to offer multiple classes in the evenings and try to cater for all levels. You may get the opportunity to train with your usual Instructor.

There will be a small fee that is to be confirmed for which will apply to all online classes from Monday onward. This can be paid directly into the club’s bank account. We will run this as an honesty box, a bit like in a church. If you can afford to pay; we would be grateful. If you aren’t in a position to, then by all means please keep up your training. It is a time when we should stick together and help each other out where we can. We value all our members and want them to continue to enjoy karate until we can all return.

If you have paid for prepaid training up to 1st April, you will be sent these links free of charge; likewise I will keep sending them for the foreseeable, if you continue to your standing order. This is not expected though.

Any training fees received will be split between the Instructors who now find themselves without work.

Thanks everyone and stay safe,