A lot of people are curious about the martial arts. But for every inquisitive face we see at the window of the sports centre or stood up in the balcony watching our martial art lessons at Brunel, maybe only one person out of every 20 will actually step forward and ask a question at the end of class.

Nine times out of ten, that question will be a variation of:

" If I start training, will I be able to smash ten boards at once/beat up anyone I want/kick really high/?"

To be fair, it's not a bad question to ask.

The 'martial arts' have become so glamorised through films and TV showing suspiciously photogenic 'martial artists' leaping through the air in slowed down bullet-time that people aren't sure what it is that is actually taught in a karate lesson.

In common with many other 'martial arts' clubs, in the karate and ju-jitsu lessons at Brunel a lot of time is spent on physical conditioning - i.e. running and jogging (sometimes around the university perimeter and across the grounds), push-ups, sit-up and other forms of exercise designed to improve fitness levels.

There are lots of repetitions of blocks, punches, kicks, throws and grappling techniques. These are especially important because throwing a simple punch is a lot more complicated than most people would imagine. In our federation, all strikes and movements must be bio-mechanically correct, which means that you will not damage yourself by putting strain on your joints through incorrect techniques. It is also important to drill the same movements over and over again, because it is only after ten thousand repetitions that an action will be fused into the muscles' memory, and allow a person to use it instinctively with speed in a dangerous situation.

Preparing for such situations is an integral part of training. A lot of students, especially girls, come to class the first time wanting to learn self-defence to help them feel just a little bit safer when having to walk alone, for example. In addition to simply teaching new techniques, such as escapes from being grabbed, at Brunel students are helped to understand the factors that can lead to an attack, and how to avoid becoming the victim of an assault before it even takes happens. It's all very well to know how to escape from being strangled from behind, but how much better to have never got into the situation in the first place?

What separates Brunel Kobu-Jitsu Karate Club from many other clubs, however, is the fact that Brunel is not just a club it is a dojo. Brunel in other words is a 'traditional' martial art school. Traditional martial art schools - which are increasingly rare in the modern world - aim to give students the opportunity to bring martial arts to all aspects of their life. This means that what you learn in class can be applied to your life outside of the training hall, and is especially important when you consider the moral implications of learning an art which is potentially lethal.

There is a deep, rooted morality at the club, and students are helped to understand the consequences that could follow from causing serious harm to another human being. All gradings that take place at Brunel include a written examination, for which there is required reading on the history and philosophy of karate, furthering students' knowledge of their growing art. Etiquette, respect and trust are the cornerstones of all learning at Brunel.

From the very first lesson, a student will learn how to bow and say please and thank you in Japanese. This may seem artificial at first, (after all, everyone speaks English just fine) but should you come to Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Japan or any of the many other countries where international seminars are held at least once a year, you may appreciate the ability to express your gratitude to a foreign teacher in a manner which is universally recognized throughout the whole of our federation. This is another point which many casual observers to a class may not appreciate at first: Brunel is only one club of a much wider, international organisation - the YKKF. The dojo is not only open to students of Brunel we also have a lecturers from the university, graduates, many professionals from all area as well as children that train with us and are members of the school.

YKKF stands for 'Yudansha Kobu-jitsu Karate-do Federation'. Roughly translated this means that it is an association teaching ancient, empty handed martial arts to black belts and those aspiring to become black belts. The Hombu (or 'Head dojo') is in Markham, Canada, and our chief instructor as well as senior students make regular trips there to receive and bring back lessons from some of the most experienced and dedicated teachers in the world.

If you are interested in finding out a little more about this school, you can take a look at more of the website, which contains a wealth of information on classes, articles, upcoming events, lineages, backgrounds of the teachers and history of some of the different styles taught for those who are interested.

Better still, you can simply turn up to any training session on a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday. You won't need anything other than some loose clothes and an open mind. Some water for after class might also be a good idea.

You should train at least twice a week in order to remember what you learned and make good progress. Train more often to progress much faster but remember to be patient. Higher ranks should try and train at least 4 times a week, plus extra training in your own time. What you gain from a training session is up to you. You can work hard, or look like you're working hard. There's nothing wrong with either but you will only progress if you put in some effort. For those of you that are university students. Don't forget your art over your holidays or exam periods. Find a local dojo. If you can't find a dojo, practice kata for 30 minutes or longer every day or come back to Brunel, lessons normally run throughout the summer and winter months.

Respect is the trait of a true martial artist. It is important that you respect the higher grades. They have walked the path before you and have been training longer than you. Give them the same respect you would give to a black belt and they will do likewise.

Martial Arts is endless. There is so much to learn. So study hard, and have patience. All karate-ka were once beginners, no different to you (and we still are beginners!) You can never perfect anything, but you can work towards perfection - This is the beauty of martial arts. Every time you practise, you improve. Every time you make a mistake, you learn. Coloured belts give you something to aim for, but if everyone needed a new belt every three months, we would run out of colours.

Watch the instructors study his/her position and movement. There are many details to notice, but you will learn these with time. You should start by noticing the position & movements of feet, hands, head, hips and shoulders. Copy the instructor as best you can. It's not beyond you. Then sense your own movement. Remember what you're told. Remember that martial arts without philosophy is no better than street fighting, therefore listen and note everything your Sensei and Sempai’s say. The three things that will lead to greater understanding are:

• Meticulous nature
• Discerning Eye
• Blessed / Implicit trust

Practice - if you are keen to advance, then try practicing your basic blocks every day. It only takes five minutes. Your body and mind become trained in these movements. So then you no longer need to think when performing them. Remember, you don't have to pay fees to practice at home.

Lastly remember that - Practice, practice, practice does NOT make perfect, but instead it makes a good practitioner."

Click here for animations of the Goju Katas