MARTIAL ARTS
Martial Arts
FOR the start of the New Year it is appropriate to recap on the various club details for those who would like to join and help shed some of the festive excesses. There is no time like the present.
Shukokai Karate
THE OBAN classes take place in Oban High School from 6.30pm to 8pm on Thursday evenings with a mixture of traditional Shukokai karate and freestyle karate being taught. Beginners are welcome from the age of five with no upper age limit.
The instructors at the club are; Kenny Gray 4th dan, Flo McBurnie 4th dan, Andrew Lawson 2nd dan and Andrew Buchanan 2nd dan.
Contact details: Kenny Gray on 07884 183905 or kenni.gray@btinternet.com
Ladies Kickboxing
THE CLASSES cover self- defence and kickboxing and take place in the Oban Martial Arts Centre (above Stoddarts/Stove Centre).
Club instructor Sharon Dickison said: ‘ We decided to start a ladies only class because it can be really intimidating walking into a mixed class for the first time.
‘Most people think that they are going to get hurt but that is not the case, most of us have to go to work the next day. The class started in April last year and we have had a broad spectrum of ladies from ages 14 to 52 years and from 8 stone in weight to 18 stone.
We have ladies with very little fitness to ladies with lots of fitness. One thing we all share is we have a great time. We work to everyone’s own ability, and we work as a group to help each other.
As a result, six of the ladies that started at the class have now also joined Wullie Rodger’s kickboxing classes on Wednesdays which is fantastic as the ladies have gained so much confidence that they have started grading. Come and try it. The first class is free and if you like it, each class after that is £ 5 per class.’
Training is on Sunday afternoons from 2pm till 3.30pm.
Contact details: Sharon Dickison on 07508 726334 or go on Facebook and look for ‘Senshi Do Kickboxing for women’ for further information.
Kyokushinkai Karate
THE OBAN class takes place in the Oban Martial Arts Centre (above Stoddarts/Stove Centre).
The instructor is Iain Rodger a 5th dan in Kyokushinkai Karate and the chief instructor for Scotland for the IKKU.
He teaches traditional Kyokushinkai Karate to a syllabus recognised throughout the world.
Beginners are welcome from age eight upwards, with no upper age limit, the kids’ class is on Thursdays at 6 to 7pm and the adults from 7 to 8.30pm. The first class is free so trying it out won’t cost anything except time.
Contact details: Iain Rodger on 07584 166542 or iain@ikku.co.uk
MMA/BJJ
APART from the Thursday class, which is in Atlantis Leisure, all the other classes are in the Oban Martial Arts Centre.
Monday: BJJ fundamentals wearing a gi at 7.30pm, Tuesday: MMA beginners at 7.30pm, Thursday (Atlantis Leisure) no gi at 7.30pm for rolling and Friday 6- 6.45pm for kids BJJ & 7- 8 for Open Mat.
Kids are welcome from the age of five. Open Mat is for members to go over what they want or feel they need.
Contact details: Iain (Coogie) Potter on 07824 881271 or coogiepots@gmail.com
Kickboxing
SENSHI Do Kickboxing (SDKB); K1/Japanese style Kickboxing and real world self- defence. Senshi Do translates from the Japanese as the Warrior Way or Way of the Warrior, Senshi = Warrior, Do = Way.
The training is open to everyone who wants to get stronger, fitter and build confidence, the training is hard work but everyone starts at their own pace and progresses from there.
Wednesdays: juniors 6.30pm - 7.30pm, seniors 7.30pm - 9pm
Sundays: juniors 11am-12 noon, seniors 12 noon-1.30pm, Sharon’s Women Only Session 2pm-3pm.
Head coach Wullie Rodger 6th Dan.
Assistant coaches, Craig MacLachlan 2nd Dan, Colin Campbell 2nd Dan, Andrzej Dariusz Pytka 2nd Dan, Rory Fleming 2nd Dan, Sharon Dickison 1st Dan and Doug Craig 1st Dan.
Contact details: Wullie Rodger on 07588 513618 or shihanwill@gmail.com