Hertfordshire Martial Arts Association

18/07/2025

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆

Now, that sounds like an obvious statement, right? You'd be surprised how your natural ability to breathe is essential to your karate journey - your form, focus and strength.

💪🏼 STRENGTH
Controlled breathing is directly linked to your physical strength! This bio-mechanical necessity can be practiced and harnessed, and you can see such benefits as:
• 𝙏𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙨
• 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣
• 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙙𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨

🧠 MIND
Controlled breathing keeps you grounded and stops your body from panicking, allowing for a calm mind that can think, react, and move smarter. In high-stress situations, breathing helps regulate:
• 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚
• 𝘼𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙨
• 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮

There are many surprising lessons to be learnt from Goju Ryu, that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.

17/07/2025

Whilst our classes are adapted to 'street' self-defence and real-world application of techniques, the traditional teachings of Goju-Ryu are not lost on us.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧? — a state of awareness and readiness.
Karate isn't just about learning techniques and forms, your mindset is absolutely along for the ride!

𝗚𝗼𝗷𝘂 𝗥𝘆𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂:
- How to de-escalate a situation, first and foremost
- How to stay calm under pressure
- Read, interpret and react to body language

Join our sessions on Tuesdays, 7pm at Sarratt Town Hall WD3 6AS

16/07/2025

𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝘿𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 - 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣
𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚕𝚞𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙶𝚘𝚓𝚞 𝚁𝚢𝚞 𝙺𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚏𝚘𝚌𝚞𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚍𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕, 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.

- Open to all genders and ages - perfect for beginners
- Tuesdays - 7pm at Sarratt Town Hall, WD3 6AS
- First try-out session FREE
- Belts and Grading OPTIONAL
- 7th Dan BKA Instructor

15/07/2025

𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙮.
The real opponent isn’t standing across from you in the dojo or on the street.

It’s 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁 that tells you to quit.
It's 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿 telling you to stay in your comfort zone.
It's 𝗲𝗴𝗼 that distracts you from learning.
It's 𝗹𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 that convinces you to stay home.

Every time you show up and push through, you win. And that's no participation prize!

At our club, we don't practice competition based sport, and the grading and belt system is optional. Progress shouldn't be measured by how you stack up against others. It’s measured by how far you’ve come compared to the person you were yesterday.

Sessions on Tuesdays at 7pm, Sarratt Town Hall WD3 6AS

15/07/2025

Goju Ryu lends itself to self defence…

When people think of Karate, it's easy to picture crisp white gis and rituals steeped in tradition. Whilst all of that holds true for Goju-Ryu Karate, what’s often overlooked is how incredibly practical and adaptable this style is when it comes to real world self-defence.

Goju-Ryu isn’t just for the dojo - it’s a highly practical self defence system built with practicality in mind. Now that doesn't mean you should be picking fights on the street, of course! But the lasting effects of Goju is not only in the physical exercise - it will give you the confidence to face a variety of situations and the self assurance that you can handle anything life throws at you.

Come and train with us for FREE tonight!
Tuesdays at 7pm, Sarratt Town Hall WD3 6AS
7th Dan BKA Instructor

14/07/2025

𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪'𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗷𝘂 𝗥𝘆𝘂 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙂𝙤𝙟𝙪-𝙍𝙮𝙪 𝙆𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚?
Goju-Ryu means “Hard-Soft Style.” Goju blends 'hard' defence techniques with 'soft' circular movements. It emphasises both physical strength and internal energy, such as breathing and control.

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙟𝙪 𝙍𝙮𝙪?
We train every Tuesday at 7pm at Sarratt Town Hall, WD3 6AS.

𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙂𝙤𝙟𝙪-𝙍𝙮𝙪?
Goju-Ryu was founded by Chojun Miyagi, a renowned Okinawan martial artist, and was a student of Kanryo Higaonna.

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙂𝙤𝙟𝙪-𝙍𝙮𝙪 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙙?
Goju-Ryu was officially named in the 1930s by Miyagi. However, its roots can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙟𝙪-𝙍𝙮𝙪 𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝘿𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚?
- Practical techniques which are applicable in real life situations.
- Develop your mental focus and self-control.
- Improve your strength, flexibility in a practical environment.
- Invest in your personal growth, build confidence, and exercise mindfulness.

17/06/2025