Start karate
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Karate gives you a clear ladder to climb, from a white belt through the coloured kyu grades, each tested on basics, set sequences called kata and partner drills. Some clubs let you try a session free before you buy a suit or a licence.
ModerateUnder £100 / $130MonthsIndoorsWith othersUK and US
Gradings and belts
Karate is organised by style and association, so the belt order varies. In the coloured-belt syllabus of SHOTO, a Shotokan group in London, you start on a white belt and work through ten kyu grades, from red (10th kyu) to brown-red (1st kyu), before the black-belt dan grades.
Each grading tests three things. Kihon is basics, such as strikes, blocks, kicks and stances. Kata are set sequences, starting with Taikyoku and moving on to the Heian series. Kumite is partner work, which begins as five-step sparring.
Gradings are not automatic. South Notts Karate, a Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB) club, holds coloured-belt gradings four times a year and says KUGB rules require at least three months between gradings and training at least twice a week on average.
What beginners pay
| Club | What you get | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| South Notts Karate, Nottingham (KUGB) | Free trial session; club membership free for beginners; KUGB licence needed before your fourth class | Trial free; licence price not listed |
| Chilwell Karate Dojo, Nottingham | Beginners join the lower-grades class; unlimited training or pay as you go; no contracts | £45 a month or £8 a session, plus £25 a year licence and insurance |
| Valley Shotokan, California (Shotokan Karate of America) | Watch a Wednesday class first; initiation fee covers three months' dues and the first year of SKA membership | $300 initiation, then $75 a month; SKA $100 a year after the first year |
You can train in ordinary sports clothes at first. Valley Shotokan asks beginners to wear a T-shirt and sweatpants for the first month, then buy a gi through the dojo for $25 to $40.
How to start
- Find a club through your national body or association (Karate Scotland lists accredited clubs; USA Karate has a club finder) and ask about beginners' sessions.
- Go and watch a class, or book a free trial; wear loose sports clothing, as no special kit is needed at first.
- Before you carry on past a few sessions, ask what the licence covers and when you can first grade.
Where to go
- Karate Scotland: accredited clubs UK
- English Karate Federation: affiliated associations and clubs UK
- USA Karate: membership and Find a Club US
We opened these links on 9 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
What do you wear to your first karate class?
Loose sports clothing. South Notts Karate says you need no special equipment for a trial, and Valley Shotokan has beginners train in a T-shirt and sweatpants for their first month before buying a white karate suit (a gi).
How much do karate lessons cost?
It varies by club. Chilwell Karate Dojo in Nottingham lists £45 a month or £8 a session plus a £25 yearly licence; Valley Shotokan in California lists a $300 initiation fee and then $75 a month.
How often are karate gradings?
At KUGB clubs there must be at least three months between gradings. South Notts Karate holds them four times a year, usually in March, June, September and December.
What are the karate belt colours in order?
It depends on the style and association. In SHOTO's Shotokan syllabus the order runs white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, purple-white, brown, brown-white and brown-red, then black.
Where this comes from: Karate Scotland, Accredited clubs; English Karate Federation, Associations and clubs; English Karate Federation, Join us; USA Karate, Membership; USA Karate, About us; South Notts Karate, How do I start?; South Notts Karate, Coloured belt gradings; SHOTO, Syllabus – coloured belts / kyu grades; Chilwell Karate Dojo, Training times; Valley Shotokan, Classes and fees. Opened 9 November 2026.
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