Frequently Asked Questions
What do I Wear to Classes
When your child first joins SHMA, there is no need to purchase their uniform immediately. During their initial training, they are welcome to wear their school PE kit while they settle into classes and decide that martial arts is something they would like to continue. Most parents choose to purchase the SHMA Uniform and Protective Head Guard after around 3–4 weeks. This is often the point when children are becoming more settled and enjoy wearing the same martial arts uniform as the rest of their class. For us, it also lets SHMA know that your child is continuing their martial arts journey and we can start working more specifically towards their first Level or Gup Grading. How do I order the Uniform & Head Guard? The SHMA Uniform and Protective Head Guard can be ordered through our online shop. You don't need to worry about choosing the perfect uniform size yourself. We will bring suitable sizes to your child's class, and one of our Class Assistants will try a few sizes with them to find the best fit. We take into consideration both how the uniform fits now and your child's expected growth, so wherever possible there is some growing room without the uniform being too large or unsuitable for safe training. Once the correct size has been confirmed, your child will be ready to start wearing their SHMA Uniform to class. Why do I need to buy the Head Guard at the same time? The Protective Head Guard forms part of your child’s training equipment and is purchased with their SHMA Uniform. As their training develops, we gradually introduce additional skills. Having their own Head Guard means they can safely progress into the next stages of training, including increasing their ballistic stretching and kicking height, developing higher kicks and beginning to learn jumping kicks. Can I buy a second-hand SHMA Uniform? Yes. If you are able to obtain an SHMA uniform from a former student, you are welcome to use it, providing it is our current approved uniform. Please check that it has the updated SHMA logo and approved badges and is worn with the current black martial arts trousers. Some older SHMA uniforms are no longer part of our current uniform. You will still need to purchase your child’s Protective Head Guard when they begin wearing their SHMA Uniform. When does my child definitely need their uniform? All students must have their SHMA Uniform and Protective Head Guard before beginning their second term of training. Until then, their school PE kit is perfectly fine. We simply ask that students always arrive with the correct clothing for safe training. If your child forgets their PE kit or does not have suitable approved training clothing, they can still attend and learn, but they will observe the class from their designated seating area rather than physically participate. There is no pressure to purchase everything on day one. The first few weeks are about allowing your child to settle in, enjoy their training and begin to feel part of SHMA. When they are ready to continue, their uniform and protective equipment are a natural next step in their martial arts journey.
Snacks, Food & Drinks During After-School Classes
We know that students are coming to us straight from school, so depending on the length of their booked session, there are opportunities to have a snack & recharge before their training. To keep things simple and safe for everyone, SHMA has a strict food policy. Please only send the foods listed below. 🍎 First Snack — Arrival & Preparation Time Students attending: Monday: 3:00–4:30pm Tuesday: 3:00–4:30pm Friday: 2:15–4:00pm may bring one snack to eat during the 30-minute arrival and preparation period. This snack must be fresh fruit or fresh vegetables only. Popular choices include an apple, banana, carrot, cucumber, blueberries or a small orange. 🍊 Second Snack — Extended Training Students booked for the longer sessions: Monday: 3:00–5:00pm Tuesday: 3:00–5:00pm Friday: 2:15–4:30pm or 2:15–5:00pm may bring a second snack for their additional 10-minute break. This break comes before an additional 20 minutes of belt-grading-focused training — and our monthly Dodgeball! The second snack must also be fresh fruit or fresh vegetables only. 🥪 Third Snack — Full Session & Social Time Students staying for the full: Monday: 3:00–6:00pm Tuesday: 3:00–6:00pm may bring a third snack for the social part of their afternoon. This is when students have an opportunity to relax together and enjoy activities such as board games, logic games and construction games. For this final snack, we allow a little more choice. Suitable examples include a sandwich, nutrition bar, two crackers or two plain biscuits. There is one important restriction with sandwiches and baked products. Butter and margarine cannot be brought into the class because the instructor has a severe intolerance to these products. Sandwiches should therefore use an alternative such as mayonnaise or salad cream, where appropriate. A jam sandwich without butter or margarine is a popular choice with our families. Please do not send products such as croissants, shortbread, butter biscuits or other foods containing butter or margarine. 🚫 A Few Important Food Rules To help us manage food safely, chocolate and nuts are not permitted in any snacks. This includes products containing nuts or nut-based spreads such as Nutella. Water is the only drink permitted. Please do not send juice or smoothies. If a student arrives with food that does not meet the SHMA food policy, we will keep it safely to one side for them to take home, but they will not be able to eat it during the session. If you're ever unsure whether a particular snack is suitable, just drop us an email before sending it in and we'll be happy to confirm it. Let us first examine the term “martial”. Though many stylised art forms have derived from the professional warriors, the majority of the arts still in practice today were developed by the civilian populations for the purpose of personal defence. However, the term ”martial” is still applicable not only in the militaristic approach with regard to instruction, but also in the warrior ethic developed within each practitioner. Besides conditioning the body and improving speed, strength and coordination, studying the martial arts increases one’s alertness and self - awareness. It also teaches confidence in one’s abilities to deal with the world around us. With deeper confidence comes calmness and a sense of inner peace; this can penetrate to the very depth of our being. Any form of self-expression or interpretation and be considered an art. But, the highest level of artistic freedom is found, not in reproduction but in creative expression. In martial arts this creativity may resonate in one’s resources and mental flexibility to formulate a response appropriate to the needs for any given situation. The term “do” is Japanese for “the way” or “the path”. The way to inner peace is through the control of outer disorder. The way of self-discipline is to self-control; and once in control of one’s self, one is better equipped to control one’s environment. Once properly directed and focused, “do” may be a source of unlimited creative energy. The coordination of body and mind produces great power, and with great power comes great responsibility. The roots of the Martial Arts pre-date any written history. Much of the information that has been compiled with the regard to the “warrior arts” of early civilisations has been found in the other art forms of its culture such as: statues, pottery and paintings on temple walls which depict combat between two or more warriors. For example, in ancient Egypt, artwork on the walls of Benihassan’s tomb depicts techniques similar to those found in Jiu Jitsu. In 2250 BCE (Before current era), during the Hsia Dynasty, Emperor Yu noticed that pond of water collected diseases, whereas a running stream stayed more pure. He then ordered that his people should exercise in sequenced patterns, and with this, first placed the emphasis on the prevention of disease rather than the cure. These movements may well have laid the groundwork for Tai Chi Chaun, many centuries later. During the Chou Dynasty early Taoist and Confucian texts, including the I Ching (Book of Changes), the Shin Ching (The Book of Poems) and much later, even the Li Chi (Book of Ceremonies and Rites) mentioned the martial arts and produced the Kung Fu Hexagram, or the symbol of “strong yielding”. The first organised school of combat seems to have been the Palaestra, a school of wrestling in Ancient Greece. Greek boxing experienced its classic era from the time of Homer to the close of the 5th century BCE, and may have been the first to utilise the open-hand as a weapon. The art Pankration (all powers), a mix of Greek boxing and wrestling was carried across the Himalayas into China by Alexander the Great in 326 BCE. Greek forms of wrestling and especially the art of Pankration are said to have directly influenced the Indian arts of Nata and Vajramushti. These early Indian arts, once coupled with buddhist teachings, gave birth to Yoga and later, Kalari Payet.Just pre-dating the appearance of Buddhism, in the early Han Dynasty in the 200’s CE (Current era), a famous Chinese surgeon named Hua-To imitated the movements of the deer, bear, tiger, monkey and birds for their health aspects.
Dropoff and After Class Collection times
We want drop-off and collection to be simple and clear for parents, while making sure every student in our care is accounted for and collected safely. After-School Class Arrival For all SHMA After-School classes beginning at 3:00pm on Mondays and Tuesdays or 2:15pm on Fridays, students come to us directly from school. Younger students are brought to the SHMA class, while older students who have permission to do so make their own way to the class. At the beginning of every session, we check all booked students against our attendance register. If a child who is booked into the class has not arrived, we will make enquiries to establish where they are. If Your Child Will Be Absent This is why it is very important that you tell us if your child will not be attending. Please text SHMA on 07714 425883 before the class begins if your child is going to be absent that day. This prevents us from unnecessarily looking for a child who we are expecting to arrive from school. After-School Collection Times Every class has a 5–10 minute collection window. Please use the times below so you know when to arrive. Monday Booked ClassCollection 3:00–4:30pm4:35–4:40pm 3:00–5:00pm5:05–5:10pm 3:00–6:00pm6–6:10pm Students booked until 6:00pm may also be collected at 5:15pm or 5:30pm, but please text us in advance if you require one of these earlier collection times. Tuesday Booked ClassCollection 3:00–4:30pm4:35–4:40pm 3:00–5:00pm5:05–5:10pm 3:00–6:00pm6–6:10pm Students booked until 6:00pm may also be collected at 5:15pm or 5:30pm, but please text us in advance if you require one of these earlier collection times. Friday Booked ClassCollection 2:15–4:00pm4:00–4:10pm 2:15–4:30pm4:30–4:40pm 2:15–5:00pm5:00–5:10pm Evening & Saturday Classes For our regular evening and Saturday classes, students may be dropped off from 15 minutes before their booked class begins and have the same 5-10 minutes after class collection window. Please do not drop students off earlier than these times unless this has been specifically agreed with SHMA. Late Collections We understand that occasionally journeys take longer than expected. Our collection windows therefore already provide parents with 5–10 minutes after the scheduled class time to collect their child. Once the 10-minute collection window has passed, a late collection fee will apply. Time Late After Collection Window/Late Fee Up to 5 minutes/£1 6–10 minutes/£3 11–20 minutes/£5 21–30 minutes/£8 31–45 minutes/£12 46–60 minutes/£15 Late collection fees apply regardless of the reason for the late collection, except where SHMA determines that there have been exceptional circumstances. Any late collection fee must be paid in accordance with our Terms & Conditions before the student attends their next class. An Easy Way to Avoid a Late Collection Fee We recommend adding a Class Buddy when completing your booking. Your Class Buddy is another nominated parent/person who is authorised to collect your child if you are unexpectedly delayed. This means that if you realise you are not going to make the collection window, your Class Buddy may be able to collect your child for you. Changing Who Is Collecting Your Child For safeguarding reasons, we cannot simply release a student to somebody who was not included as an authorised collection person on their booking/application. If somebody different will be collecting your child, SHMA must receive the change in writing by text or email. For same-day changes, please text: 07714 425883 This is the same number used to notify us of a student's absence. Please include your child's name and the name of the person who will be collecting them. These procedures are in place so that we know which students we are expecting, where they should be, and who has permission to collect them. If a student has permision to leave the premises alone please let us know on the application form or by email.
SHMA Online Calendar & Class Updates
Our SHMA Online Calendar is the best place to check what is happening throughout the training year. You will find all of our important dates there, including: School Term & SHMA Training Dates, Belt Gradings, Holiday Camps. Workshops & Special Training, Competitions and SHMA Events. Class Changes & Cancellations 📅 Remember to Click the Calendar Box When looking at the calendar, please click on the individual calendar box/event to open it. This will display the full information, including any additional details or changes that may not be visible from the main calendar view. 🟠 Orange = Something Has Changed Once our advertised term classes have been scheduled, we use a simple colour system to help parents quickly spot any changes. If a class/day that would normally appear in its usual colour changes to ORANGE, this means: Something has changed to one or more of the classes taking place that day. Please click on the calendar box and read the information carefully to see which class is affected and what has changed. It does not necessarily mean that your child's class has been cancelled — it simply means there is an adjustment that you need to check. 🔴 Red = All Classes Cancelled If the calendar box for the day is RED, this means: All SHMA classes scheduled for that day have been cancelled. Check In Every Few Weeks We will continue to communicate important changes, but we also ask parents to have a quick look at the SHMA Calendar every few weeks. We all know what happens with emails — sometimes they disappear into the junk folder, sometimes we read them quickly and think “I'll come back to that later”... and then forget! A quick calendar check helps make sure you haven't missed anything and lets you see upcoming gradings, camps, workshops, competitions and other SHMA events at the same time. Evening & Weekend Students — Please Check on the Day Students attending our 5:45pm classes, 6:45pm classes and weekend classes are required to check the SHMA Online Calendar on the day they are training. Although we try to give as much notice as possible, occasionally a last-minute change simply cannot be avoided. For example, an instructor may become ill during the day, or there may be an unexpected problem with a the training venue. A quick calendar check before leaving home will confirm that your class is running as expected. Our Simple Calendar Rule Usual Colour — Class is running as advertised. 🟠 ORANGE — Something has changed — click and check the details. 🔴 RED — All classes that day are cancelled. Please don't rely solely on email notifications — make the SHMA Online Calendar your final check for class information. Please Follow the SHMA Training Calendar Please be aware that SHMA training dates may differ from your child's school term dates and from the training dates used by other clubs or activities. We plan the SHMA training calendar around the needs of our students and their martial arts development. This allows us to maintain the training time required for Level and Gup Gradings and to make the best use of the available training periods throughout the year. Martial arts skills develop through regular and consistent practice. Where possible, we therefore try to avoid unnecessarily long breaks in training, which can affect a student's strength, flexibility, fitness, technique and retention of their martial arts knowledge. For this reason, please do not assume that SHMA has finished for a holiday simply because your child's school or another activity has finished. Likewise, the start of a new school term does not necessarily mean that SHMA classes restart on exactly the same date. Always use the SHMA Online Calendar for our official training dates. Our calendar will show you when your child's classes are running, together with any class adjustments, Belt Gradings, Holiday Camps, workshops, competitions and other SHMA events. A quick check of the SHMA Calendar means you will always be working from our current training schedule rather than the school calendar.
Catch-Up Classes & SHMA Make-Up Vouchers
We understand that students occasionally miss a class. Illness happens, schools arrange trips, sports events clash, and sometimes there is a dentist appointment that simply can't be avoided! For this reason, SHMA provides opportunities for students to catch up classes they have missed. How this works depends on whether you attend an After-School Termly Class or pay by Monthly Membership. After-School Students — Termly Bookings Students attending our After-School classes and paying termly may catch up a class they have missed for their own reasons. This could include: Illness School trips or events Sports fixtures Medical or dental appointments Family commitments Other occasions when your child cannot attend their normal class A missed class may be caught up at any suitable SHMA class during the same training term, subject to the student's age, belt grade, class eligibility and available space. How to Arrange a Catch-Up Class Please use the Contact Us form on our website and let us know the day and class time you would like your child to attend. Before requesting a class, please check our Class Schedule to make sure your child is eligible for that particular session. Some classes have specific age, school-year or belt-grade requirements. Please wait for SHMA to confirm the requested catch-up class before attending. Catch-Ups Must Be Used During the Same Term Personal catch-up classes are available up to and including the final day of the SHMA training term. After the final training day, any unused personal catch-up classes are automatically void. They cannot be: Carried forward into the next term Exchanged for a refund Used as credit Deducted from the following term's fees So, if you know your child has missed a class or will miss a class, it's worth arranging their catch-up sooner rather than leaving it until the end of term. If SHMA Cancels Your Class We treat a class cancelled by SHMA differently from a class that a student misses themselves. If SHMA cancels one of your booked classes, we will issue a SHMA Make-Up Class Voucher. The voucher gives you 6 months to attend a suitable replacement class. If SHMA cancels a second class during the same term, we will extend the period by a further 6 months, giving you up to 12 months to use the applicable make-up entitlement. Once the relevant expiry date has passed, unused vouchers become void. Monthly Membership Students Students attending our evening and weekend classes pay by Monthly Membership. Your membership is based on the number of classes per week/month you have booked. If you miss one of your normal classes for your own reasons, you may catch it up by attending an additional suitable class. For Example If your membership is for 1 class per week and you miss this week's class, you may attend 2 suitable classes the following week to make up the missed session. Personal catch-up classes should normally be taken within the same monthly payment period. If your missed class falls during the final week of the month, we allow you to catch it up during the first week of the following month. Students Training Twice a Week Students paying for 2 classes per week have more classes to manage, so we allow additional time where necessary. If a second class needs to be caught up, you may have an additional month in which to arrange that session. All catch-up classes remain subject to the student's age, grade and eligibility for the requested class. End of the SHMA Payment Year For Monthly Membership students, all unused personal catch-up classes are void after 31 August, which is the end of our annual payment/training year. Personal catch-ups cannot be carried into the new payment year or exchanged for a refund, credit or reduction in membership fees. SHMA-Cancelled Classes for Monthly Students If SHMA cancels your regular evening or weekend class, the same SHMA cancellation periods applies. A cancelled class will have a 6-month make-up period, with the applicable extension to 12 months where a second SHMA cancellation occurs. These are SHMA-issued make-up entitlements and are therefore different from ordinary personal catch-up classes. Your Voucher Clock Continues if You Pause Your Membership If you have arranged to hold/pause your monthly training payments, the expiry period on any existing SHMA Make-Up Voucher continues to run. Putting your monthly payment on hold does not pause or extend the voucher expiry date. Please also remember that changes or cancellation of Monthly Membership require 20 days' written notice to SHMA, in accordance with our Terms & Conditions. Extra Holiday Camp Week Classes To give our Monthly Membership students additional opportunities to train and use catch-up sessions, SHMA will be adding one or two suitable classes during our Holiday Camp weeks. These classes may take place on a different day or at a different time from your student's normal weekly class, so please check the SHMA Online Calendar for the available sessions. The Easy Way to Remember It You miss your class: We'll give you opportunities to catch it up, but it needs to be used within the applicable term/month and catch-up period. SHMA cancels your class: We'll provide a Make-Up Class Voucher with a longer validity period, so you have plenty of opportunity to replace the cancelled training. Our catch-up system is designed to give families flexibility while still allowing SHMA to manage class numbers, staffing and the training programme fairly for everyone.
Vehicle Access for Drop-Off & Collection
For the safety of our students, families and the wider school community, vehicle access onto the school premises is strictly controlled. Only SHMA families who have completed and signed our Vehicle Access Application Form and have received permission may drive onto the school premises for student drop-off or collection. Applying for Vehicle Access If you require vehicle access, please contact SHMA and we will email you a PDF copy of the Vehicle Access Application Form. The form must be: Completed and signed Returned to SHMA as a hard copy Approved before you drive onto the school premises Submitting an application does not automatically give permission to enter the school grounds by vehicle. Please wait until your vehicle access has been confirmed. When Is Vehicle Access Permitted? Our permission to provide vehicle access is limited to specific times: Monday–Friday: Vehicle access is permitted after 6:00pm only Saturday & Sunday: Vehicle access is permitted after 8:30am only Outside of these times, parents should not drive onto the school premises, even if they have an approved Vehicle Access Application. Important Safety Requirement The school premises are used by children, pedestrians and other members of the school community. We therefore have strict safety protocols for every person authorised to bring a vehicle onto the grounds. These requirements apply to all authorised drivers and form part of the conditions under which SHMA is permitted vehicle access. No completed and approved Vehicle Access Application = no vehicle access to the school premises. If you are unsure whether you have current permission or would like to request a Vehicle Access Application Form, please contact SHMA before travelling onto the school grounds
What Basic Equipment Does My Child Need — and When?
You do not need to purchase all of your child's basic martial arts equipment when they first join SHMA. You do not need to purchase all of your child's martial arts equipment when they first join SHMA. Equipment is introduced gradually as your child progresses through their martial arts journey. We have put together this guide so you can see what they will need, when they will need it, and plan ahead to help you budget for future equipment costs. There should be no surprises — as your child progresses through their Levels and Gup Grades, you will know what the next equipment requirement will be and when it becomes necessary. Their equipment grows with their martial arts journey — allowing you to plan and budget along the way. Here is a simple guide to what they will need and when. 🥋 Starting SHMA When your child first starts, they may train in their school PE kit. There is no need to arrive at the first class with a full set of martial arts equipment. Most families purchase the SHMA Uniform and Protective Head Guard after approximately 3–4 weeks, once their child has settled into training. 🥋 SHMA Uniform & Protective Head Guard Required: Before starting your child's second term with SHMA. They will also need their SHMA Uniform and Protective Head Guard if they are going to Belt Grade during their first term. The Uniform and Head Guard are purchased together through our Online Shop. 🟡 10th Gup — Yellow Belt We recommend purchasing full sparring pads from this grade. Although they are not yet compulsory, having their own pads allows students to become familiar with wearing and using their protective equipment and to join in more fully with the other students during class sparring activities. Full sparring protection consists of: Hand protectors Foot protectors Shin protectors Groin guard for male students Sparring pads can be purchased through our Online Shop. 🟠 8th Gup — Full Sparring Pads Become Compulsory Once a student reaches 8th Gup, they are required to have their full set of sparring pads. Students who do not have their full sparring protection may continue to participate in our structured Sparring Focus training, including: 1/1, 2/2 and 3/3 turn-taking sparring. However, without full sparring pads they cannot join the Free Sparring group during their regular classes. Students must also have the required full sparring protection before they can enter SHMA competitions. Important for Grading Progression Free Sparring forms part of the syllabus requirements beyond 8th Gup Orange Belt. This means that although a student can continue attending and developing their other martial arts skills without sparring pads, they will not be able to grade beyond Orange Belt until they have the required protective equipment and can participate in Free Sparring training. This is why we recommend purchasing sparring pads earlier, from 10th Gup Yellow Belt. It gives students time to become comfortable wearing and training in their protective equipment before Free Sparring becomes an essential part of their syllabus and grading progression. 🟢 6th Gup — Green Belt / Intermediate From 6th Gup Green Belt, we strongly advise students to begin wearing a mouthguard for sparring. At this stage it is recommended rather than compulsory. This gives students plenty of time to become comfortable training with a mouthguard before it becomes a mandatory part of their protective equipment. 🔴 2nd Gup — Red Belt / Advanced From 2nd Gup Red Belt, a mouthguard is compulsory. Students at this level are Advanced Grade martial artists and must have the appropriate protective equipment to participate in their applicable sparring training. At a Glance New Student School PE Kit → Perfectly fine to begin training ⬇️ Within the First Term SHMA Uniform + Protective Head Guard → Most families purchase after 3–4 weeks ⬇️ Before Second Term / First Belt Grading SHMA Uniform + Protective Head Guard → Required ⬇️ 10th Gup — Yellow Belt Full Sparring Pads → Recommended ⬇️ 8th Gup Hand + Foot + Shin Protectors → Required Groin Guard → Required for male students ⬇️ 6th Gup — Green Belt / Intermediate Mouthguard → Recommended ⬇️ 2nd Gup — Red Belt / Advanced Mouthguard → Required Why Do We Recommend Sparring Pads Early? We recommend purchasing sparring pads once a student reaches 10th Gup Yellow Belt, rather than waiting until they become compulsory at 8th Gup. Having their own equipment allows students to become comfortable using it and means they can immerse themselves more fully in class alongside the other students as their sparring skills develop. There is no need to buy everything at once — your child's equipment develops with them as they progress through their SHMA journey.
More coming !!