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Monday 9am - 9pm Tuesday 9am - 9pm Wednesday 9am - 9pm Thursday 9am - 9pm Friday 9am - 9pm Saturday 9am - 9pm

Sugiura Rensei Karate

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Hedge End
Sugiura Rensei Karate

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Welcome to the UK branch of Sugiura Rensei Karate. Alex Wickens Sensei teaches traditional Wadokai Karate in Hedge End, Locks Heath & Whiteley, Hampshire.

All abilities welcome
Fully insured, enhanced DBS checked, Safeguarding in Martial Arts approved

02/11/2026

REMINDER - New Timetable for Tuesdays starts this week!

No changes to Mondays or Fridays.

We will be flexible with age groups especially with siblings or if a different time slot suits your family better, or if your child would do better in the other class, we’re happy to accommodate! Please talk to us if you have any questions or concerns!

(We are still working on splitting our Friday kids class so watch this space - we are struggling with our venue hire starting earlier, so if you have any ideas of other spaces let us know!)

Any questions let us know!
See you on the mat

Alex🥋

30/10/2026

We are pleased to confirm that we have successfully passed our annual Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts review.

Maintaining this national standard is essential to us as the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts independently verifies that our club meets strict safety guidelines—including background-checked instructors, up-to-date welfare training, and official protection protocols. We complete this annual check so you can guarantee that we prioritise a safe, responsible environment where every student can train with confidence.

Here’s to another year of training - can’t believe it’s been a year since we first did this!

Steph

25/10/2026

Happy World Karate Day!

While there are a few modern "karate days" on the calendar throughout the year, today—October 25th—is the original.

It dates back to October 25th, 1936, when the grandmasters sat down together in Naha, Okinawa (the birthplace of karate). In that meeting, they officially adopted the name "Karate," meaning Empty Hand.

In Japan, they mark the day in a big way. In Okinawa karate-ka perform ceremonial kata at the Karate Kaikan, local dojos take to the beaches for the "100 Kata Challenge," and thousands of practitioners later block off the main street in Naha for huge synchronized performances.

So today, here is to the Okinawan roots of what we do, and to all our members who bring great energy to the dojo every week.

See you on the mat
Alex & Steph 🥋

23/10/2026

Just a friendly reminder that we run all year round except two weeks over Christmas!

So classes are still on over half term don't forget to come to training!

Also for those that train on Tuesdays, it’s Alex’s birthday next Tuesday (27th) so don’t forget to give him some birthday beats… 42 to be precise.

See you on the mat

Steph

19/10/2026

Happy Monday everyone!

Just a little insight into what Alex and I have been up to lately.

We have been out and about delivering karate inputs during PE sessions across schools in Locks Heath and Hedge End, shaking up the usual PE class!

Next up on our tour: We’ve still got a few sessions left at Wildern School and then up next is Brookfield Community School. A few more schools also on the agenda and getting booked in all the way up to Spring half term (which sounds crazy). If you would like us at yours or your kids school send us a message!

See you on the mat!

Steph & Alex

16/10/2026

***Timetable update starting week commencing 3rd November (the week after half term)!***

Currently no change to Mondays and Fridays. We are still seeking to split the kids class on Fridays but having difficulty with venue hire for this so watch this space we are working on it.

For now, the update is for our Tuesdays at Burridge Village Hall -

Kids Karate Class (5-8yrs) 4:20-5:20pm

Junior Karate Class (9+yrs) 5:20-6:20pm

Adults Karate Class 6:20-7:20pm

Please be assured we will be flexible with age groups especially with siblings or if a different time slot suits your family better, or if your child would do better in the other class, we’re happy to accommodate! Please talk to us if you have any questions or concerns!

See you on the mat

Alex & Steph🥋

12/10/2026

Happy Monday everyone!

It’s benefits of wado-kai karate for kids time again! And I thought I would haul out my new word for the year - Proprioception.

Learning to sit or stand still is not just about obedience and patience, in karate, physical composure is actually an active neurological skill. It relies on proprioception - the brain’s internal GPS that senses exactly where the body is in space without having to look. (I did a post about proprioception a few months back in relation to benefits for adults so thought I would turn my attention to kids!)
Children are constantly bombarded with sensory distraction. Karate brings everything back to center. Through regular practice, kids make subtle micro-adjustments: balancing weight evenly, aligning their spine in a strong stance, and moving with focused intent.

They aren't just learning wado-kai karate techniques; they are fine-tuning their nervous system.

As a child enhances their body awareness this physical stability creates mental stability. Learning to quiet physical restlessness on the mat builds the exact same neural pathways needed to quiet a busy mind off it.

We see this developing and it’s fascinating - our little Leo pauses, corrects his stance before showing us his headblocks and punches. He’s got good at headblocking kisses out the way… not what we intended to teach him but a good example of this at work!

See you on the mat
Steph

09/10/2026

We’re growing! Help us shape the new timetable!

Our club has seen amazing growth over the last few months! With classes reaching over 20 students on Tuesdays and Fridays, Alex—our sole instructor—needs to ensure every student gets the focused attention they deserve, so we are proposing to divide our kids' classes by age.

Before making any final decisions, we want to hear from you! These changes depend on member feedback and venue availability, so please let us know your thoughts.

Proposed New Schedule:

Mondays (No change)

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Mixed Kids Class
6:15 PM – 7:15 PM: Adults Karate
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM: She Strikes

Tuesdays

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Kids (Ages 5–7)
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Kids (Ages 7–13)
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Adults Karate

Fridays

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Kids (Ages 5–7)
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Kids (Ages 7–13)
6:40 PM – 7:40 PM: Adults Karate
7:40 PM – 8:40 PM: Kumite/Fight Class

A note for families: We will not be overly strict about age limits. If you have siblings in different age brackets, they are welcome to train together in whichever class works best for your family setup.

Please comment, send us a message/e-mail or catch one of us at club - we really value and want your thoughts!

Thank you!!

Steph

05/10/2026

It’s World Mental Health Day on 10th October so I wanted to take our Monday post to highlight the benefits karate, in particular Wado-kai, have for your mental health.

Wado-Kai Karate focuses on harmony, efficient movement, and staying calm under pressure. Alex loves a bullet point so here are some of the other ways it helps you -

~Focus and Presence: Line work and katas demand total concentration, offering a natural break from daily stresses and overthinking. No time to think about anything other than where your arms and legs should be!

~ Stress Relief: Controlled, explosive movement combined with regulated breathing acts as a reset button for the nervous system. Burning off stored physical tension releases endorphins - which is always a win!

~ Resilience and Confidence: Wado-Kai teaches you to absorb pressure, adapt, and redirect force rather than clash with it. Overcoming technical challenges on the mat rewires how you handle setbacks off the mat, building quiet, lasting confidence.

~ Community: This one doesn’t need explaining - we have such an awesome group of people who train here at Sugiura Rensei.

So if you’re already training with us, give yourself a pat on the back for carving yourself some time not just physically but also mentally. If you’re thinking of coming, we can’t wait to meet you!

See you on the mat,
Steph

02/10/2026

Now the warmer weather has passed, full dogi (uniform) is required for training.

Thank you!

Alex 🥋

Address

Hedge End

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 9pm
Tuesday	9am - 9pm
Wednesday	9am - 9pm
Thursday	9am - 9pm
Friday	9am - 9pm
Saturday	9am - 9pm

Website

http://www.sugiura-rensei-karate.com/

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