FAQ/Fees/Testing

15 Thickson Road North, #10, Whitby, Ontario L1N 8W7

(905) 242-3298

Welcome to Whitby Karate - Karate in Whitby for kids, teens & adults. 6+

Frequently Asked Questions

Free Trial

We want you to be sure you like our dojo, so we offer your first two classes free.

Testimonials

Dave Pereira

Learning martial application of the arts from a dedicated and patient teacher is paramount to the safety of both the student and the public. Sensei Adrian, with his background in chiropractic and orthotics, brings forth a responsible and ethical approach to his training, which is true self defense.

Kay Kierstead
Dr. Robichaud is deeply passionate about karate and sharing its benefits with others. He is patient, thorough, and ensures that his audience understands the details of the concepts he is teaching. He enjoys getting questions and will work with students to ensure complete understanding.

Margaret Scora
I have been training with sensei Adrian for eight years. I find that his chiropractic knowledge has translated in a true understanding of body mechanics that makes my karate techniques more efficient and effective. His knowledge of other martial arts outside of Shorin Ryu has added to the depth and dimension of the classes. I am pleased to continue my studies with Sensei.

Joseph Kellerstein
Dr Robichaud is a great example of dedication and high values and compassion. He is truly someone we can all benefit in learning from.
Thank you!

Robert Burnett
Sensei Dr. Robichaud delivers a well-rounded karate program in a caring atmosphere. He is sensitive to the needs & progress of his students & helps them understand real-world situations, as well as their responsibilities. Serious learning in a positive, fun environment.

S Dufty
Dr. Adrian is a passionate teacher and is fantastic with children. He is dedicated, kind and knowledgeable in his style of teaching. I highly recommend attending his Karate classes.

Chris Maeder
Sensei Robichaud is a patient instructor teaching people from all ages. His deep knowledge and experience in this field shines through in his passion for teaching.

Jane Wlodek
Durham Shorin Ryu Karate has passionate instructors that are patient and dedicated to style, form and instruction; not just filling their classes. Their passion shows through in all that they do.

Amelia Yiu
Sensei Robichaud is a patient and calm teacher who takes a holistic approach to learning.

See our FaceBook page and Google page for more testimonials

Current Promotions

After your two free classes, you only have to sign up for one month before committing to a year. This way you can be really sure that you are comfortable with our training methods and facility.

FAQs

Why Should I Train With You? We teach traditional karate focused on improving the individual's skill, self confidence and self-esteem rather than winning trophies. We offer an effective martial art, have several high ranking instructors, our dojo is large, well-lit and clean, fully matted and has mirrors. We also offer separate children and adult classes and traditional weapons. We have ample free parking right in front of the club doors. We have videos on our website to help you improve faster.

How Old Must My Child Be to Join?

Your child must be four years of age or older.

Will My Child Become Violent Training In Karate? No, your child's self confidence and self-esteem will improve, reducing the likelihood of your child fighting or using violence as a way to assert himself/herself. We teach children to use their words rather than their fists and to use violence as a last resort.

Can I Try a Class Before Joining? You can try two classes for free. Contact us for details. Feel free to come observe us train before trying if you prefer.

How Long Does It Take To Get My Black Belt? For most adult students it takes between three and five years of regular training. For children it takes between five and ten years. The student must be 16 to obtain the rank of black belt, but may receive a black belt with white stripe (junior black belt) at a minimum age of 14 years of age.

Does having my black belt mean I am a master of karate? No. It means you have a thorough understanding and high skill level with the basics of karate and many of the kata (forms) in Shorin Ryu karate.

Are there joint locks in karate? Yes, they are not obvious in the katas or basics, but they are there and we will teach you them.

Do I have to have prior training to train at your dojo? No. We teach people of all fitness levels and skill levels. Our instructors know how to teach you and pace you at your level. Sensei Dr. Adrian Robichaud's knowledge and over twenty years of experience as a chiropractor and twelve years experience as a martial arts instructor make him uniquely and highly qualified to train you.

Do you train students for tournament fighting and demonstrations? No. Training for tournaments is quite different from training in traditional karate and for self defense and we train for self defense and the art form of karate. You are welcome to enter tournaments if you wish.

Are you a fight club or train people for mixed martial arts (MMA) full contact fights? No, If you want to do that kind of fighting I do recommend that you get a good base in one martial art before learning others and karate is a great way to do that.

Do You Spar? Yes. We spar at varying levels from non-contact to light and medium contact. We do this for safety and comfort reasons. Not everyone likes sparring, but working against an opponent in a random way helps to teach you things you cannot learn from per-arranged sparring and kata alone. Note that during the pandemic there is no sparring.

Why do you do kata? Kata are an excellent way to train internal body timing, speed, power, balance and co-ordination without the pressure of an opponent. Katas help you learn how to control yourself. I tell the my students that you must first learn to control yourself before you can control another.