From strength to strength

The Abu Dhabi-based Oriental Karate & Kobudo Club is an illustrious institute with over 34 years of martial arts expertise

Established in the year 1987, the Oriental Karate & Kobudo Club has focused on bringing martial arts to improve the health and fitness of its students in a scientific, safe, and fun environment. With nine branches in Abu Dhabi, over 1,500 active students, and more than 24,000 pupils trained at the centre over the years, Oriental Karate & Kobudo Club has emerged as a pioneer in the martial arts arena. The club brings years of experience to the table, with its professional instructors, well-maintained dojos (training areas) and a reputation to extract the best performance out of its students.

Oriental Karate & Kobudo Club's crowning glories are its chief instructor and assistant chief instructor "Kyoshi" Ali Mohammed and "Renshi" Yoosuf respectively. Ali, who believes "only dedicated students will benefit from training," currently holds an eighth-degree black belt in karate and a seventh-degree black belt in kobudo (weapon arts). He has also been trained chux, kalaripayattu, kung fu and taekwondo. The accomplished instructor has conducted seminars and training in more than 30 countries, having taught 25,000 students in the UAE, including 2,000 black belt students. He also currently trains 35 instructors. Yoosuf holds a sixth-degree black belt in karate and a fifth-degree black belt in kobudo. Highlighting how the institute moulds students, Yoosuf stated, "We motivate youngsters to stick to fitness and self-defence training as part of their daily life." Another skilled master is the club's supreme instructor "Hanshi" Chin Mok Sung, the Vice President of the Malaysian Karate Federation, holding a ninth-degree black belt in karate and an eight-degree black belt in Kobudo. Having undergone training and seminars in India, Malaysia, Thailand, Germany, Switzerland, London, Scotland and the US, the exemplary instructors possess vast experience in martial arts and are among the best in the business in the UAE.Â

The club provides a whole repertoire of classes and services. Some of these are:

Children's karate classes: It conducts classes twice a week. The institute's syllabus is tailored to suit beginners as well as serious tournament trainers. Many additional skills like somersault, tumbling, gymnastic stretching, front and back mid-air rolls, and other special skills are included to motivate students in all kinds of sports besides karate. Special classes are held on Tuesdays.

Renshi Yoosuf and Kyoshi Ali Mohammed

Adults' karate classes: The club conducts separate classes for males and females twice a week. Many yoga exercises are included in the training sessions, helping individuals lead a relaxed lifestyle.

Kobudo classes: The classes are conducted once a week. Kobudo is an ancient martial art that originated in Okinawa (Japan), the place known as the cradle of martial arts. It is taught in very few countries in the world due to the unavailability of proficient instructors. The club's chief instructor Ali Mohammed Kyoshi is a weapon expert and one of the few masters in the world. The academy teaches weapons like BO (long staff), nunchaku (the most useful handheld weapon in the world), sai (an ancient traditional weapon), tonfa (the weapon which police forces use in most developed countries) kama, chux, sanchako, etc., which truly challenge one's martial arts abilities.

With more than 35 instructors with several years of experience, the club applies a scientifically proven flair to its teaching and training sessions. Whether it be tournaments in the UAE or demonstrations, the centre maintains very high standards resulting in the outstanding performance of its students on various platforms.

• Metrolife