University Of Warwick Karate Club
Training sessions:
Monday: 20:00 - 22:00 - Kihon, Kata and bunkai (technique and application)
Tuesday: 17:00 - 19:00 - Kumite (sparring)
Friday: 19:30 - 21:00 - Coached Session (Kumite)
Saturday: 11:00 - 13:00 - Beginner to Intermediate Session
Sunday: 18:00 - 19:30 Women's and Non-binary Training
Please see Whatsapp for further details on any weekly updates or changes.
All trainings will be in the combat room in the Sports and Wellness Hub
Please book your session through Warwick Sport app
The club is open to Warwick students and non-student adult and the first two weeks are free.
Stay up to date by following our socials
What is karate?
Karate is a form of self-defense. The word Karate itself means ‘empty-hand’ symbolising that karate does not use weapons, only parts of our body to block and attack. Karate has three core elements: Kihon (basic movements), Kata (performed set patterns of moves) and Kumite (sparring). Karate works the mind and body and teaches you invaluable self-defence skills. With time you will gain flexibility, strength and discipline.
Warwick Karate Club History
The club was founded by Sensei Frankie Heydari in 1984. It has proven to be the most successful martial arts club at the university and has won The Cecil Angel Trophy for outstanding achievements on three occasions, the only martial arts club to do so. It has produced two World, as well as numerous national and regional champions. Last year we were awarded Bronze Accreditation by the Student Union for “providing an excellent experience for its members”. Martial artists of all styles have been and will always be welcome to train, compete or grade, irrespective of their present grade or affiliation.
Who will be teaching me?
Tulbir Dosanjh: Weekly coached sessions are led by Tubbs Dosanjh, a two-time Wadokai European Veteran Champion who has competed successfully since childhood across regional, national, and international tournaments throughout his karate journey. He continues to remain active both competitively and within the coaching environment. Alongside coaching at the University of Warwick Karate Club, Tubbs is also heavily involved in grassroots karate development through Black Sun Coventry Karate Club, mentoring students of all ages. He also continues to coach with Wado Kai England. Tubbs remains passionate about helping inspire and develop the next generation through karate, believing that many of the lessons learnt through martial arts, including discipline, resilience, and humility, transfer directly into everyday life.
Exec Team: Tommy, Jake, Aryan, Emily, Mani, Sophia, Alistair, Gwen, Dhiya and Amelia.
Our exec come from a variety of backgrounds, bringing their own specialties and knowledge to sessions. We have exec members from a variety of styles including Shotokan, Kyokushin, and Shito-ryu.
MEET THE EXEC
Special sessions will be held by guest instructors such as Jamaal Otto, European Kumite medallist focusing on sparring strategy.
I have done karate before!
Great! You may wear whatever belt you have obtained and train at Warwick. You can continue to be affiliated to your old association and grade at your old club, if you wish.
I have done a different style or martial art, can I still come?
Yes! All martial artists and styles are welcome. We have members who have practiced BJJ, Judo, Jiu Jitsu and Thai Boxing, and various Karate styles such as Shotokan, Kyokushin, Goju-Ryu, Wado-ryu and Shito-ryu.
I have never done karate before!
Whether you’re looking to pick up a new skill, improve your fitness, or are simply curious to give karate a go, we’d love to welcome you. Throughout term we offer dedicated beginner classes to supplement our regular sessions, helping you learn the fundamentals. The first two weeks of term are also free for all sessions, and your first session is always free at any point in the term.
Just come along in comfortable gym clothing to get started. If you decide to continue, you’ll have the option to purchase a karate gi through the club (full details are available in our welcome pack).
Are there competitions?
In the past, some of the competitions we have participated in are BUCS, KUGB, Varsity and inter-university competitions, such as the Birmingham Karate Open. You do not have to compete, but we encourage everyone to get involved. They are great fun, a way to form bonds with your teammates, and have goals to work towards alongside your studies.
Are there socials?
The entire termly social calendar can be found in our whatsapp or as a pinned post on our instagram. We run a variety of drinking and non-drinking socials every week. These range from circles, bar crawls and nights out to more relaxed study socials, coffee catch-ups, and movie nights. There are also annual events such as Sports Ball and tour. When you join us, you can choose to be placed into our family scheme, which aims to provide you with a few friendly faces around the team. As a club, we are committed to maintaining a positive atmosphere - and this is always evident through our socials!
Staff Member or not a Current Student at Warwick?
If you are not a current student at Warwick or are a member of staff, then you are still welcome to join! However, you will need to join as an associate member. You can find out more about joining as an associate member here.
What will it cost me?
All sessions are FREE for the first two weeks of every term, and your first session is always free at any point during the term.
All these fees are annual and are valid for the current academic year. The Sports Federation and Club Pass Membership only need to be purchased once across all sports clubs.
Sports Federation Student Membership £24 (Mandatory for all sports)
Club Pass Membership Fee (ON CAMPUS) £82 (Mandatory for all sports on campus)
£6 joining fee per club (Mandatory for all martial art sports)
The coaching fees are either a £5 drop in fee per session or can be per term or year (follow links to pay). These fees go towards expenses such as coaches, kit and competitions.
Fee for term 1: £45 Term 1 Fees - Karate
Fee for term 2: £45 Term 2 Fees - Karate
Fee for term 3: £30 Term 3 Fees - Karate
Discounted Fee for all terms: £100 Full Year Fees - Karate
We hope to see you there! Remember your first session is free.
Any queries do not hesitate to ask.
Main contact for 2026/27:
Club Email – su149@warwicksu.com
Club Constitution