Karate Classes for Adults
We offer karate classes for adults with all kinds of bodies! We believe that karate is for every body, and also for everybody. We practice Jin Sei Ryu Karate-Do, a traditional martial art for the 21st century. We have a few beginners’ series every year, and also offer rolling admission.
The only requirement is that you start with in-person classes. After a few weeks, you’ll be able to also take remote classes. If you prefer a cohort, you can join our next beginners’ series, which will begin Tuesday, September 12th, and will continue through Saturday, Thursday, November 9th. Check out our class schedule, and start your journey to black belt today!
Choosing Between a Beginners’ Series and Rolling Admission
Benefits of Rolling Admission:
- Instant (or at least quick) gratification! You can start karate next Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday.
- Try Before You Buy Beginners who choose rolling admission can take a free trial class before signing up
- More Individual Attention Because may be one of the only beginners in the class, you’ll have the benefit of more individual attention
Benefits of Beginners’ Series
- There’s safety in numbers: It can feel hard to be the only new person in a group. The Beginners’ Series means you’ll be surrounded by other beginners, which can feel less intimidating
- Included uniform: The Beginners’ Series is 8 weeks, and towards the end of that 8 weeks, we’ll give you a free uniform (a $60 value)
- Time to Plan: By signing up now for the Beginners’ Series, you give yourself the opportunity to have something coming up to look forward to!
(Looking for classes for kids? Check out our Karate for Kids and Families page!)
An inclusive, welcoming environment
We know that no body is perfect and every body deserves to feel safe, strong, and self-confident. You can start karate classes with the body you have today. We want each person to discover the joy of karate in the body they have—not the body someone else tells them they should have, or the body they wish they had.
How to we make our classes welcoming to every body at Jin Sei Ryu Karate-Do Chicago?
- Using trauma-aware teaching practices
- Creating a trans-and-GNC-affirming space
- Working with people with a variety of abilities and a variety of fitness levels
- Offering tiered pricing – which allows those who can afford it the opportunity to support those less able
- Offering affordable one-on-one remote or in-person private lessons
What do you mean by karate for every body?
At Culture of Safety, we know that people come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities. We recognize that size is not necessarily an indicator of fitness; fitness looks different for each body.
As part of our commitment to inclusivity and diversity, we teach from a body-positive, trans-affirming, and trauma-aware perspective. Whatever your age, whatever your fitness level, we’re here to help you find your strongest, most confident, and most empowered self. Our head instructors are Sensei Amy Jones and Senpai Kyren Epperson. Sensei Amy Jones, LSW (she & they) is a 4th degree black belt and a licensed social worker, as well as a certified empowerment self-defense instructor. Senpai Kyren Epperson, PhD (they/them) is a 3rd degree black belt, a teacher of samatha meditation, and a practitioner of Zen Shiatsu massage (bodywork) as well as a certified empowerment self-defense instructor. With their blend of backgrounds, Sensei Amy and Senpai Kyren work to create an empowering environment where folks of all ages and stages can feel safe exploring something new.
What if I want to keep taking classes after the Beginners’ Series ends?
We hope you will! After completing the the series, you can join as a member at one of our monthly membership tiers to gain access to multi-level classes 5 days a week!
Ready to sign up?
Fill out the form below and we’ll contact you from there!