The YWCA of Pekin offers delightful community-oriented programs: Water Fitness and swimming, Land Fitness with yoga, fitness, and weight training, Karate and Self-Defense classes, with Adult Literacy, Early Learning Center, Coalition for Equality, and much more! 

Traditional Japanese Shotokan Karate and Self-defense classes at the Pekin YWCA have been helping students realize their true potential for over 30 years. Karate has long been a hallmark of living a healthy, safe, and productive lifestyle. Our karate classes teach fitness, personal safety and well-being, weaponless self-defense, productive positive values, and instill an unwavering sense of self-confidence.

Along with me, Ted Quinn is a lead instructor, a para-educator at Pekin Community High School, and a 7th Dan black belt. Instructor James Hartman is a 6th Dan black belt, a retired Peoria PD officer, and law enforcement unarmed self-defense expert. We have assistants John Garls and Tim Kerrn, who are 3rd degree black belts, that mentor and teach along with several others. With our quality karate instructors, mentors, and participants, we have much to offer! 

Our students are ordinary people from all walks of life who learn to achieve their own fitness goals with karate to feel more confident and safer. In general, karate classes accommodate students from ages 10 to 70. They develop an immense sense of pride enjoying a wide variety of activities including stretching and strengthening, karate techniques, practical self-defense, and elite fighting skills for self-defense. Participants enjoy the unique cultural aspect of karate learning Japanese karate etiquette and vocabulary used in classes. All together these are fascinating, fun, and rewarding sessions!  

Our typical class begins with warmups and includes a measured karate curriculum of basic karate skills taught by our certified black belts. Classes are formally structured for participants to learn how to perform techniques and then how to apply them. Preventative skills such as situational awareness, maintaining a safe personal space, being a good observer, home security, and vehicle defensive tactics, etc. are commonly discussed during class.

Classes always have a friendly and courteous atmosphere. We begin together in one group for announcements, warmups, or reviewing karate skills that everyone has learned. Classes are often broken down into smaller groups for instructors to offer individual help. Because true karate begins and ends with courtesy and mutual respect, we end classes by getting back together to summarize and then we formally bow to each other.

The benefits of studying karate are legendary and valuable in our modern world. Even if you have not exercised in years, there is hope! We start slowly and encourage participants to progress gradually at their own rate. Students often find that after a few weeks of karate training they sleep better, feel more energetic, and even notice a few pounds dropping off. Students acquire increased self-esteem, confidence, and peace of mind. 

Karate fitness is both aerobic and anaerobic. Practicing consists of coaxing muscles and joints to increase flexibility naturally and to increase muscle tone. This enables performing karate blocks, escapes, punching, and kicking more easily while preventing sore muscles or injury. After learning a skill, students learn how to apply those skills in self-defense. Classes are interesting and challenging because you always learn something new!   

Since karate is a combination of mental and physical skills, students say that classes help them be calmer. Stress management is a great benefit, especially for adults coping with the things that life puts on their plate. A few weeks of karate has a reassuring effect. We use traditional karate to teach productive attitudes such as self-discipline, motivation, confidence, and humility with a “can do” spirit!

Understanding how to be aware and in more control of our surroundings builds confidence and increases safety. For young people bullying is a problem in school, sports, and social gatherings or media. But it can also affect adults in the workplace, on the road, etc. We are a platform to discuss “social aggression” situations and strategies for non-violent solutions. Knowledge is power! 

Karate at the YWCA of Pekin is a delightful program teaching its participants authentic Shotokan style karate and weaponless self-defense. As an empty-hand method of self-defense, you always carry it with you! Take karate for a couple months to get back in shape for spring, or you might find that you are fascinated and decide to study karate regularly for a healthier, safer, and more productive lifestyle. If you think you might be interested, call the YWCA of Pekin at 309-347-2104!