Who can train?

Practically anyone can train with us from the age of 5 to 65. It is normally recommended that parents of children under the age of 7 stay in attendance. Once the child has proven that they can hold their attention, join in with the lesson and not be disruptive the chief instructor will recommend leaving the junior student unattended.

Does it matter that I am not fit?

As you are advised and encouraged to improve at your own pace, all levels of physical and mental ability can be accommodated for. We would like you to feel no pressure to push yourself to hard, the road to becoming a competent martial artist is not a short one so remember, it’s not where you start it’s where you finish that’s important.

Does it matter that I am not good at sports?

Some people pick things up quicker than others but as mentioned above you will set your own pace and will not be expected to do anything you don’t feel capable of doing, however we aim to instil confidence and over time, with dedication all the pieces of the puzzle will fit together and you will be amazed at what you can achieve.

Is Genshin Ju-Jitsu Hard to learn?

Genshin Ju-Jitsu is a form of Japanese martial art. Devised as an easy to learn system of self-defence by Grand Master Den Butler, it is officially recognised by International Society of Head Founders & Head Families (ISHH).

When should I come along?

Sessions run on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00–7:00 for junior students ages 5 to 14, and 7:00–8:45 for senior students ages 14 to 65. Anyone who is interested is more than welcome to come and watch the appropriate session before taking part or registering for a place.

How many students are there in a lesson?

As our focus is on giving quality tuition and not making money, the maximum number of students in a junior session is 12 and the maximum number of senior students is 10. Our Dojo is capable of taking many more however we feel this would not give us the necessary time to spend with each student and develop competent martial artists.

How many spaces are available at present for junior students?

Currently there are - 0 - spaces available in our Tuesday session and - 0 - more spaces available in our Thursday session. We understand this may be disappointing, if there is not enough space on either day for you and brothers, sisters, friends etc. you are still more than welcome to come and watch a session and if you think Staverton Ju-Jitsu is the right club for you then you can put your name on our waiting list or alternatively you could try our Melksham Dojo, Genshin Kai International.

How many spaces are available at present for senior students?

Currently there are - 0 - spaces available in our Tuesday session and - 2 - spaces available in our Thursday session.

What does it cost?

Lessons cost £3 per session for junior students and £6 per session for senior students. There is no pressure to join straight away but when you decide that our martial arts system is for you, there is an annual fee of £20, which covers your insurance. When you join you will automatically become a member of Staverton Ju-Jitsu, Genshin Kai International and the Cobra Martial Arts Association. This means you are insured to train in any Dojo under Genshin Kai International.

Additional costs?

There is no pressure or rush to buy a uniform but should you choose to go through our grading system then this will be necessary. For full prices speak to Sensei Phil Arlett.

Grading will take place on a Saturday in our Dojo and prices start from £15 for the first belt and go up in price as you go up in grade. The reason for this is, as the grade gets higher your grading will take longer, for example to grade for a yellow belt would take approximately 10-15 minutes per student, whereas a black belt grading would take approximately 2-4 hours per student, dependant on ability.

Can Staverton Ju-Jitsu supply me with all I need?

There is not much you need to train with us apart from a uniform that there is no rush to buy, we allow anyone to train with us in loose fitting clothes, the only time you will be encouraged to purchase a uniform is when you would like to take part in a grading which should be carried out in full uniform that we can supply you with. The most important thing you will need is our annual membership for insurance purposes at a cost of £20, however it is worth noting that we allow you to train for the first few sessions before becoming a member to ensure that are system of martial arts is for you.

Have you got a map?

See the Location page of this site.

How should I prepare myself for my first session?

Just wear loose clothing: tracksuit, t-shirt, leggings, etc. Remember you will be required to remove or secure all jewellery. You will also need short fingernails and toenails.

There are 10 Kyu gradings for junior & senior students, after these have been achieved it will be a minimum of 1 year until the student is eligible to take their 1st Dan black belt. (11 gradings in total)

 A Junior student starts training with a White Belt and the order of grade is: Yellow Belt 10th Kyu, Red Belt 9th Kyu, Orange Belt 8th Kyu, Green Belt 7th Kyu, Blue Belt 6th Kyu, Purple Belt 5th Kyu, Purple Belt One White Stripe 4th Kyu, Purple Belt Two White Stripes 3rd Kyu, Brown Belt 2nd Kyu, Brown Belt Black Stripe 1st Kyu, a minimum of one year of training then Junior Black Belt 1st Dan.

A Senior student starts training with a White Belt and the order of grade is: Yellow Belt 10th Kyu, Orange Belt 9th Kyu, Blue Belt 8th Kyu, Green Belt 7th Kyu, Red Belt 6th Kyu, Purple Belt 5th Kyu, Purple Belt White Stripe 4th Kyu, Brown Belt 3rd Kyu, Brown Belt White Stripe 2nd Kyu, Brown Belt Black Stripe 1st Kyu, a minimum of one year training then Senior Black Belt 1st Dan.

How long does it take to attain black belt recognition?

This cannot be answered as all students learn at different paces, some train twice a week others once, some practice at home others don’t, some come to push their selves to their limit and others come to socialise and increase their awareness. Lets just say that no matter what you talking years, it may be 3 or 4 if you are dedicated and have prior martial arts experience it may take you 10 or perhaps you just don’t care.

Can a junior student attain black belt recognition?

Some schools of martial arts do not agree with junior students achieving a black belt and we can understand why! However the grading system is extremely important to junior students as it gives them a goal to aim for and committed to the art. This does not mean that belts will be given away on grading; only students who have proven themselves to be capable in the lesson will be entered into a grading. We do not want anyone to fail as this can destroy confidence; however if a student is given a grade they are not sure they deserve this also takes away from the sense of achievement of reaching a goal whatever grade this may be. Our club does permit junior students to achieve black belt recognition, this is because we take students from the age of 5 and to expect a student who has started from a very early age and has shown enormous dedication and improvement to wait until they reach the age of 16 or 18 like some clubs, we believe is unfair. It is important to remember that this is a junior grade and when the student is of age to leave the junior class and become a senior student they will join the senior class, as a brown belt for a minimum of 1 year may be much longer if necessary.

What is left to achieve once I have attained a black belt?

There is a misconception that being a black belt is the be-all and end-all, meaning there is no more to learn and all has been achieved. This could not be further from the truth. Being a black belt means you have proven yourself over a number of years within the lessons and in many grading situations, to be competent at choosing and applying a number of techniques that have been taught from the club syllabus, a black belt student should know all of the syllabus well and have attained a certain level of fitness, flexibility and dexterity. However to think this is the end of the road is extremely naive. Every black belt can always improve on every aspect of their physical condition, mental ability, execution of technique, discovery of new techniques and learning to pass their knowledge on to others.

Do you issue awards or similar incentives as well as the coloured belts through your normal grading system?

Are club has only been running a short time and so far no awards have been issued however we do have plans to organise a student of the month award for junior members on which a student will be given a certificate and their picture published on the club web site if they choose. We will also be organising a student of the year award for senior members on which a student will be given a certificate and their picture will be published on the club web site. There will also be an award given for dedication to the art; this will be given to one junior student and one senior student for attending the most sessions that year.

Is Genshin Ju-Jitsu an effective self-defence system?

Genshin Ju-Jitsu is very effective in a wide variety of situations that I cannot possibly list here, for a good explanation of what Genshin Ju-Jitsu is see: A Word From The Founder & Head Of Genshin Kai International: Grand Master Dennis Butler, 8th Dan, I.S.H.H. & UK Director Of The Cobra Martial Arts Association. On the What Is Ju-Jitsu page of this site.

How realistic is the training?

The emotions and chemical releases that the body experiences when you are faced with real violence can never be simulated in the Dojo. For example you can't say, "Stop" or "Can we do that again but a bit slower?" on the street. What we do offer is training in a safe and controlled environment that simulates real life and in turn gives you a fighting chance of controlling your emotions and actions if God forbid you ever have to use your skills.

How do I tie my belt?

Tying the belt is virtually impossible to explain in words so that it can be easily understood. This will be taught in class to junior and senior students, junior students usually find it particularly difficult and the instructor / instructors are fully prepared to offer assistance, parents of junior students are also welcome to be shown how this is done, don’t be afraid to ask! Here is a moving diagram that we hope you find helpful.

If there are any questions that have not been addressed here please contact us so we can answer your questions and update our site to make it more informative for the next person enquiring.