Nottingham KDF trains every week at the Rushcliffe Arena in West Bridgeford. Rushcliffe Arena
Rugby Road,
West Bridgford,
Nottingham,
NG2 7HY
Classes are on Tuesday from 20.00-22.00 and cost a fiver a time. First session is free and the club has some spare gear to lend out until you can get your own stuff to train with. When you know you love it you'll want to invest in your new hobby (addiction?), start with a fencing mask (around £50) and some gloves, then a training sword (about £150) and that will do for a while. For the free play you might want to invest in a padded fencing jacket (£100+) and then more and more weapons - but generally you can tailor your spend to your budget, modest or extravagant. Training is a mix of solo drills and partner drills, free fencing, light and very intentioned. It's easy to start with no skill, but experience in martial arts is an obvious bonus. Especially Chinese ones. This isn't re-enacting, although there are re-enactors who are members, this is a modern martial art. There is a lower age limit of 16 (at present), but strength is less of an issue than you might imagine, it is suitable for all ages over that minimum and we once boasted a 50/50 gender split, so ladies, this is as much for you as it is for the men. Come and give it a go - see what it is about in a freeby first session. Keep an eye on the page or drop us a message to see when we're taking new members (we get very full at times!)
