FOOTHILLS KARATE YYC

PHONE 403-397-2931


Dojo address: #215 153 Avenue SE,
Calgary, Alberta T2X 2K2
Email: info@fkkc.org
Email: fkkcorg@gmail.com
SMS: 403-397-2931

RYUKYU KYURYO SHORIN-RYU

Okinawan Karate ... the original Karate


WKF (OLYMPIC) KARATE

Recreational & Elite Athlete Development


REGISTERING FOR WINTER 2025

We are a small dojo and have have limited spaces for new students including:

Click here to register online.

OR

Try a free class!


SMALL DOJO. BIG BENEFITS.

Last Updated: December 31 2024 15:17:55

FOR KIDS

  • SAME INSTRUCTOR EACH CLASS!
  • ONLY ADULT INSTRUCTORS AND ASSISTANTS!
  • BULLY-PROOFING. We only teach effective self defense.
  • REAL SELF DEFENSE. Not competition-based.
  • BASIC WEAPONS INSTRUCTION.
  • STRENGTHEN YOUR KIDS. PhysEd and technique.
  • FOCUSED CONCENTRATION. .
  • KIDS LEARN COMMITMENT.
  • LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
  • DISCIPLINED CLASSES.
  • INDIVIDUAL PROGRESSION.
  • NON-COMPETITIVE. Focused on real self defense.
  • CONSISTENCY. The same instructor every class.
  • EVERYONE PARTICIAPTES. No one sits on the bench.
  • OLD-FASHIONED PASS/FAIL TESTING.
  • NO FIGHTING. There is no fighting in our classes.
  • NO GAMES. No games are played in our classes.

FOR ADULTS

  • KARATE IS THE ORIGINAL MIXED MARTIAL ART.
  • ALL PHYSICAL ABILITIES. Not just for atheletes.
  • NON-COMPETITIVE and focused on real self defense.
  • BODY-FRIENDLY and focused on physical development.
  • BUILD MUSCLE. Maintain and develop lean muscle.
  • LOW IMPACT. Easy on the knees.
  • RELIEVE STRESS..
  • IMPROVE MENTAL FOCUS AND MEMORY.
  • EXTENSIVE PARTNER WORK.
  • PEER INSTRUCTION.
  • DEVELOP FOCUSED CONCENTRATION. .
  • REAL WORLD SELF DEFENSE. .
  • FOCUSED PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. .

FOR SENIORS

  • GET BLACKBELT WHILE KIDS IN SCHOOL.
  • DAYTIME AVERAGE AGE = 50.
  • RELAXED COMMUNAL TRAINING
  • FITNESS TRAINING.
  • ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION.
  • INDIVIDUAL PROGRESS.
  • BACK AND KNEE FRIENDLY. Reduces back pain.
  • NO FIGHTING. There is no fighting in our classes.
  • REAL WORLD SELF DEFENSE.
  • NO YELLING.
  • TRAINING FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS.
  • EMPTY HAND & WEAPONS.
  • STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY.

ABOUT OUR KARATE SCHOOL

Last Updated: December 31 2024 15:17:55

CHIEF INSTRUCTOR KEN LARKMAN
text

FOOTHILLS KARATE is owned/operated by KEN LARKMAN and was established January 1, 2000. Here is some other information about LARKMAN SENSEI:

  • has been training non-stop for 47 years
  • began training White Crane Gung-fu in 1977
  • dragged kicking and screaming to first class
  • progressed to brown belt in Gung-fu
  • trained kickboxing in addition to Gung-fu
  • published in martial arts magazines c. 1988
  • has been teaching karate since 1988
  • ran three successful karate clubs in central Alberta.
  • trained with some of the world's leading sensei including:
    • Teryuki Okazaki
    • Yutaka Yaguchi
    • Shojiro Koyama
    • Minoru Saeki
    • Masami Tsuruoka
    • Patrick McCarthy
    • Bill "Superfoot" Wallace
    • ... and more
  • has asthma and joint problems (childhood illness)

BEGINNER? START HERE
 
Beginner students should check our or enroll in the following classes:
 
K-12 WKF BEGINNER KIDS Tuesday & Thursdays
6:00PM-7:00PM
13+ ADULTS/YOUTHS Monday to Thursday
7:15PM-8:00PM
 
INTERESTED IN WEEKEND CLASSES? CONTACT US
 

DOJO SCHEDULE

Last Updated: December 31 2024 15:17:55

   
RKS = Ryukyu Kyuryo Shorin-ryu
WKF = World Karate Federation
   
MONDAY
10:30AM-NOON
6:00PM-7:00PM
7:15PM-8:15PM
8:15PM-9:00PM
 [13+ ] DAYTIME ADULTS
[K-12] WKF ADVANCED KIDS
[13+ ] RKS BASICS & HOJO UNDO
[13+ ] RKS KATA
 
TUESDAY
6:00PM-7:00PM
7:15PM-8:00PM
8:00PM-9:00PM
 [K-12] WKF BEGINNER KIDS
[13+ ] RKS BASICS & HOJO UNDO
[13+ ] WKF KATA
 
WEDNESDAY
10:30AM-NOON
6:00PM-7:00PM
7:15PM-8:15PM
8:15PM-9:00PM
 [13 +] DAYTIME ADULTS
[K-12] WKF ADVANCED KIDS
[13+ ] RKS BASICS & HOJO UNDO
[13+ ] RKS YAKUSOKU KUMITE
 
THURSDAY
6:00PM-7:00PM
7:15PM-8:00PM
8:00PM-9:00PM
 [K-12] WKF BEGINNER KIDS
[13+ ] WEAPONS
[13+ ] WKF FUNDAMENTALS
 
FRIDAY
10:00AM-NOON
6:00PM-7:00PM
 [13+ ] DAYTIME ADULTS
[7-12] WKF KIDS DEVELOPMENT CLASS
 
SATURDAY
8:00AM-9:00AM
9:00AM-9:25AM
9:30AM-10:30AM
11:00AM-NOON
 [13+ ] WKF FUNDAMENTALS
[13+ ] WKF KUMITE
[K-12] WKF OPEN KIDS CLASS
[13+ ] RKS BASICS & KATA
 
SUNDAY
NONE
 

BELT TEST DATES

Belt tests are conducted three times per year. The next exam will held:

  • December 7, 2024
  • March 8, 2025
  • June 8, 2025

UP-COMING EVENTS & CLOSURES

KA = Karate Alberta
KC = Karate Canada
  • Jan-11 2025 - KA Team Training
  • Jan-18 2025 - NCCP Training (Red Deer)
  • Feb-01, 2025 - KA Annual General Meeting
  • Feb-08, 2025 - KA Competition Training
  • Mar-01 2025 - NCCP Training
  • Mar-22 2025 - KA Team Training
  • Apr-01 2025 - KC National Tournament (Burnaby)
  • Apr-18 2025 - Las Vegas Invitational
  • May-02 2025 - Spirit of The North Tournament (St, Albert)
  • May-10 2025 - Champion Karate Tournament (Calgary)
  • May-32 2025 - KA Provincial TOurnament (Calgary)

ABOUT Shōrin-ryū Karate

Last Updated: December 31 2024 15:17:56

SHŌRIN-RYŪ (少林流) KARATE is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts and is one of the oldest styles of karate (empty hand).

The characters 少林, meaning "sparse" or "scanty" and "forest" respectively and pronounced "shōrin" in Japanese, are also used in the Chinese and Japanese words for "Shaolin". "Ryū" means "school".

  • SHŌRIN-RYŪ a complete system of self defense.
  • developed by bodyguards & scholars of the Okinawan King
  • was once practiced in secret, sometimes in caves
  • combines elements of traditional fighting styles of Shuri-te
  • originally called "todai" or "tote"
  • though much older, it was named by Choshin Chibana in 1933
  • pre-dates the karate now known as Japanese karate
  • typically taught to smaller groups
  • requires systematic physical development to support technique
  • emphasizes hard training to develop mind and body
  • emphasizes close quarters combat
  • the skills and knowledge taught includes:
    • punching
    • kicking
    • striking
    • deflecting and redirection
    • ground fighting
    • joint locking
    • joint breaks/manipulations
    • sweeps
    • throws
    • take-downs
    • ... and much more
  • More information available at Wikipedia.com.

OKINAWAN WEAPONS

SHŌRIN-RYŪ KARATE typically refers to the empty hand self defense skills but it's practice is usually accompanied by the practice of peasant weapons.

OKINAWAN KARATE
VS.
JAPANESE KARATE

The video below very effectively explains the differences between the original karate, Okinawan Karate, and modern karate, Japanese Karate.

VID

RANKS & BELT COLOURS



RANK / COLOUR TIME IN RANK *
9KYU / WHITE 0
8KYU / YELLOW 27 classes
7KYU / ORANGE 36 classes
6KYU / GREEN 36 classes
5KYU / BLUE/PURPLE 36 classes
4KYU / BLUE/PURPLE 36 classes
3KYU / BROWN 56 classes
2KYU / BROWN WITH WHITE STRIPE 56 classes
1KYU / BLACK W/HORIZONTAL WHITE STRIPE TBD
1DAN / BLACK 2YEARS
2DAN / BLACK 3YEARS
3DAN / BLACK 4YEARS
4DAN / BLACK 5 YEARS
5DAN / BLACK 6YEARS
6DAN / BLACK 7YEARS
7DAN / RED + WHITE 8YEARS
8DAN / RED TBD
9DAN / RED TBD
10DAN / RED TBD
* Time in rank refers to how long you have to spend training before you can test for the next rank.

KATA (FORMAL EXERCISES)

Last Updated: December 31 2024 15:17:57.


EMPTY HAND
WEAPONS

Itosu's Recommended Kata
PINAN SHODAN
PINAN NIDAN
PINAN SANDAN
PINAN YONDAN
PINAN GODAN
NAIHANCHI SHODAN
NAIHANCHI NIDAN
NAIHANCHI SANDAN
MATSUMURA NO PASSAI
ITOSU NO PASSAI
JION
KUSANKU
KUSANKU SHO
SHINTO
USEISHI


Additional kata
FUKYUGATA ICHI
FUKYUGATA NI
WANSU
SHINTE
JUTTE
CHATAN YARA KUSANKU
Staff kata
SHUSHI NO KON DAI
SHUSHI NO KON SHO
SAKUGAWA NO KON
TOKUMINE NO KON

Nunchaku kata
MATAYOSHI NO NUNCHAKU

Tonfa kata
HAMAHIGA NO TONFA

Sai kata
TAWADA NO SAI
CHATAN YARA NO SAI

Kuwa kata
MATAYOSHI NO KUWA

Sansetsukon kata
MATAYOSHI NO SANSETSUKON

REFERENCE VIDEOS

Last Updated: January 01 2025 23:54:47.

Pinan Shodan / Pinan Nidan VID
Pinan Nidan / Pinan Shodan VID
Pinan Sandan VID
Pinan Yondan VID
Pinan Godan VID
Naihanchi Shodan VID
Naihanchi Nidan VID
Naihanchi Sandan VID
Matsumura no passai VID
Itosu no passai VID
Kusanku sho VID
Shinto / Gankaku VID
Kusanku sho VID
Kusanku dai VID
Tesho VID
Maezato no nunchaku VID
Jion (Version 1) VID
Jion (version 2) VID
Fukyugata Ichi VID
Useishi / Gojushiho VID
Hohan Soken - Matsumura Ueseishi / Useshi (Gojushiho) VID
Tokumine no kun VID
Matsumura no passai VID