Independent Martial Arts
Training Since
1979
Karate-do – Karate-jutsu – Karate-jitsu One Style Many Directions
Classes at;
North Bridge Leisure Centre
North Bridge Street, Halifax
West Yorkshire HX3 6TE
Tel: +44 (0)1422 208600
Tel / Text +44 (0)7540 418200
Welcome 松 涛 館 空 手 Welcome
松 涛 館 空 手 Welcome to Independent Martial Arts 松 涛 館 空 手
Welcome to Independent Martial Arts (IMA) / Nightingale Shotokan Karate. We are a non-political democratic group with a professional approach to teaching traditional “old school style” Shotokan Karate-do, Karate-jitsu, Karate-jutsu classes for adults and children. The IMA operates from its home dojo from North Bridge Leisure Centre situated in Halifax, England where its chief instructor has trained and taught Martial Arts since 1989. We pride ourselves on being a modern thinking group built on traditional values and has been passionately driven forward by the same volunteering individuals and club seniors for many years. Find more about us.
The IMA senior members and its founding chief instructor and Andrew Nightingale (sensei) are dedicated to teaching and focusing as equally as possible on the core values and principles of traditional training whilst upholding the essences of the many different elements, principles and directions good Karate training involves i.e.; tournament style karate, promoting and maintaining the values of sport and good sporting character, general self-defence, practical application, personal and physical development taken from the formal exercises and practice routines of the shotokan style without losing the combative nature and devastating system which, when necessary, Karate can really be! How do you choose what style or club; whether it’s Karate, Ju-jitsu, Taekwondo, Judo, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Kung-fu or Karate-jitsu just to name a few different styles which you could be thinking about starting to learn and are not quite sure what is what, or what separates one from another, our advice would be to try more than one class and make your own mind up to see what suits you! Find more about our programs.
Over time we hope the student will come to learn, practice, and understand how to approach training while at the same time treating the thing itself and its technical content along with their fellow human beings with great respect. We would just like to say thank you and give a warm heartfelt note of appreciation right at the very top of this club website to those who do or have or volunteered so much of there time and efforts in order to allow the club to continue for so long. We are very lucky to have had or have such great qualities in so many people and it's nothing but a pleasure to be around and associate with. We would also like to thank our local business sponsor; Profile Driving School for their support over the years - Thank You.
Those people know who they are and on the behalf of everyone who has trodden our mats, hit the floor and gone home sore, only just do it again and again some more, only we all try to do a little better the next time and to gain more of an understanding in that peoples successes are not always the same and are measured differently from one person to the next. We learn, train and practice together and work out that the fight is your own and with yourself at the end of the day. To those people... we thank you dearly... and most sincerely! ~osu~
Independent Martial Arts-Halifax Karate Classes
You will find our all our martial arts classes for beginners, intermediate and advanced training at North Bridge Leisure Centre, which has great parking facilities and easy access from all major routes coming into Halifax with the town centre only a 5 minute walk away. Within the same parking complex Sainsbury’s supermarket, Pizza Hut, Next Store, DW Sports and Curry’s/PC World are all within a 2 minute walk.
If you are considering trying out a martial art class and live in or around Halifax, we have a range of programs for adults, single parents, teenagers and children which are designed with the complete beginner in mind giving them a dedicated space which is tailored to someone finding their way through the opening stages of training.
Beginner classes cover learning basic techniques and how to apply them in a training environment, understanding the correct use of equipment, simple fitness, flexibility and safety exercises to ready the body to gain the most from their practice. We also have classes to suit individuals who already have training experience training. Please contact us for information regarding IMA classes.
IMA/Nightingale Shotokan
Karate-do – Karate-jutsu – Karate-jitsu
One Style Many Directions.
Free Beginners Introduction
We have a 'complete martial arts beginner package' and program available to help encourage commitment to training from the outset at a reduced and reasonable cost, which contains everything a new student will need to start karate training as a beginner.
'A Positive Start' - Our purpose arranged Karate programs are designed to allow the opportunity for adults or children to develop a good foundation of basic techniques through simple core strength and flexibility exercises specially arranged with the beginner in mind focusing on structure, movement, involvement and communication.
Children Age 5+ Saturdays 1.30 - 2.30pm / Adults Age 14+ Saturdays 3.00 - 4.30pm in the Combat Room, North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax. Click for directions. Single Parents
IMA/Nightingale Shotokan
Karate-do – Karate-jutsu – Karate-jitsu
One Style Many Directions
NBLC Halifax Karate Class Timetable
Monday: No Karate-jutsu Classes Running.
Tuesday: Adults & Teenager Age 14+ 7.30-9.00pm
Wednesday: Children Girls & Boys 6-11yrs 6.30-8.00pm
Thursday: Teenager Girls & Boys 11-16yrs 6.00-7.30pm
Thursday: Senior Members Private Training 7.30-9.00pm
Saturday: Children Beginner Introduction 1.30-2.30pm
Saturday: Adult & Teenager Beginner 3.00-4.30pm
Sunday: No Classes Running
One Lovely Summer Evening Training Group Picture Just Before We Had to Close Down Our Sunday Night Practice. Hopefully We Will Have a Sunday Session Again Sometime in the Future. Picture Taken June 2015.
Re- Introduction of Our IMA Basic Weapons Training Program Summer 2017 Resonating With the Combat Staff Were (bo-jutsu); Mick, Tom Snr, Tom Jnr, Lewis, Angela, Harry, Louise, Ed, Jayden and Ernie.
IMA Combat Staff - Bo-jutsu
The summer of 2017 saw the 3rd re-introduction of bo-jutsu practice into the club and continues to go from strength to strength. The bo practice is definitely a positive training addition to anyone's study of karate, we cover many elements always leaving it at a suitable place and level of understanding for it to be built upon by the student. Read more about the re-introduction here.
'Remember if you have been practicing Karate you have been using a bo (staff), the only thing is that… you just didn’t have it in your hands!'
The ‘Bo’ on the surface is one of the most simplistic and unassuming weapons and is used in many different martial art styles and can be one of the most destructive and easily adaptive weapon available to the Karate-ka.
IMA Tuesday Night Adults Karate Class
The weekly adults dedicated class meets on a Tuesday evening at 7.30-9.00pm in the combat room at North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax. This class always has a more mature orientation regarding Karate practice and follows the functionality, and practical application of applied karate technique (karate-jutsu) and movement, it is generally a small but well focused class with a great attitude to training. There are no children in this class, but older teenagers are always encouraged to step up to this to keep forwarding their progression and understanding of their art and style.
On a regular monthly basis the class has a well organised, sometimes tough going and grueling conditioning session bringing together as many elements as possible in which the time allows. It is a challenging mile post lesson for the Karate-ka to test him or herself to acknowledge their own progress, which is essential. If you are interested in joining this adult applied Karate group with a more mature approach to training please get in touch. ~oss~
‘What a Handsome Bunch of karate-ka!’ Senior Grades of the Old Sunday Class 2014. From L to R, Andrew #1, James, Ed, Harry, Marcus, Tom C jnr, Andrew & Elsa-Mae, Tom C snr, Angela, Mick, Bev, Lewis, Jack. Another Great Picture Taken By Ed Bylina.
Ben and Harrison from the Thursday class taking their karate to the ground at the winter grade examinations Dec 2017
IMA Thursday Night Teenager Karate Class
The weekly teenager dedicated class meets on a Thursday evening at 6.00-7.30pm in the combat room at North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax. This class is usually quite busy with a range of different levels of grade and the age ranges from 11 to 15yrs on average.
Although, we do allow the more technically adapt younger members, who have a good concentration and understanding of what they are doing to use the class. We give this session over to teaching to suit ‘the teenager’, which is not quite adult themed and definitely not kids Karate, but we do try to guide and encourage them into learning and understanding better what their karate practice entails and how to look and adapt their basic Karate system and already gained skills into being more functional and practical through various training elements and principles around them.
We do take beginners into this class, but only one or two at a time please contact us if you would like to join this group or try it for free.
Two great things to read; (1) Shotokan Dojo kun (2) Shotokan Niju kun
"The ultimate aim of karate lies neither in victory nor defeat,
but in the perfection of the character of its participants"
~Gichin Funakoshi Sensei 1868 – 1957~
IMA Wednesday Night Childrens Karate Class
The weekly dedicated kid’s Karate class meets on a Wednesday evening at 6.30-8.00pm in the combat room at North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax. Generally this class is always busy and sometimes a little crazy (said affectionately), and the ages range from 6 to 11yrs and it is the class which follows on from the children’s Saturday beginner introduction.
We try our best to keep karate learning and practice its priority, but also keep the mind that it is a young children’s martial arts class and sometimes the way of learning and practice structure have to be moved around a little to gain the best long term results.
We like to think in the long term of things and no matter how long anyone stays in our classes there are nothing but positive all-round changes in the individual’s character and this is great to watch and be a part of. It is possible to start in this class if your child has had a little martial art class experience (particular style not a problem), but a little time spent in the smaller beginner class always helps in finding their feet. Please contact us if you would like to join the children’s class or try it for free.
Wednesday night kids group demonstrating their karate technique taking their first karate examination June 2017. Nicholas, Thomas, Joshua, Jacob, Ava, Mia, Carter, Namish.
‘Cheeky Bunch!’ The children’s Saturday beginners karate from summer 2017
IMA Saturday Childrens Beginner Karate
The weekly dedicated kid’s karate beginner class meets on a Saturday afternoons at 1.30-2.30pm in the combat room at North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax.
This class is where we direct all our new youngsters to try our classes for the first time and your first two weeks is always free and parents are welcome to sit in the class with their children and it is the class which precedes the Wednesday children’s basic Karate class.
The class’s main objective is simply to build a foundation of organised practice in order to function easier when they make the transition to the main children’s karate group. We find this approach works well. It gives the younger guys time to understand and cover the necessary exercises to enable them to get the best from the teaching structure.
How long the they stay in the beginner class varies from one person to the next, some children take to karate very quickly and some just need a little more space and time to find their feet and confidence in what and how they are doing.
The average time span for this class is an hour and we always like to build a little fun into the practice before we finish through training related activities. If you are interested in this class please let us know that you are coming.
~ Play - Train - Karate ~
IMA Saturday Adult & Teenager Beginner Introduction Karate
The weekly dedicated adults and teenager beginner class meets on a Saturday afternoon at 3.00-4.30pm in the combat room at North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax. This class is where we direct all our new adult or teenager beginners who are looking at starting martial arts training, although you can start in either of the other two suitable classes, adults or teenager.
The interested individual will always gain more by attending this class in the opening stages, even if you mix it with either one of the other two. The first two weeks are always free to see if our style and approach to training is what you are looking for. Single Parents Click Here.
Some of the Saturday guys on Vamsi’s last training session before moving down south with his family. Vamsi was a great member of the class and his enthusiastic approach will be much missed by us all. July 2018
While this is an ongoing regular class and also doubles up to be a second weekly class for some members, it will always lend itself to introducing a new beginner into the group. The atmosphere, energy and camaraderie of this class is usually excellent carried on the wave of the great enthusiasm of someone wanting to learn something new. There is no age limit at the higher end of knowledge and wisdom (older folk!) and it is always great to see… not just young people on the mat.
The class is also a great place for mums or dads to start training as a family activity together with their teenage children, which we have and see quite often.
If you are interested in this class as an individual or family please contact us for more information. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Saturday Karate class beginners group before giving their first demonstrations at the winter grade examinations - March 2017. Lily, Leo, Miriam, Vamsi, Chloe, Louise, Vinny, Sloka, Lisa, Nishita, Catherine, Hannah, Justin.
Welcome to Independent Martial Arts club community website, we will try our best to design our site with the intention of displaying the diverse community karate-jutsu group in Halifax of what we try to be, yet we do it ourselves via a professional web platform and please forgive us when the site isn’t up to scratch. As in all things and the training of martial arts, with a little practice we will get better and hopefully convey the message of who we are as a cumulative group of people who just love, practice and teach karate, welcoming any new member who would like to join us.
This site was started in August 2018 as a new project and we don’t really know where and how it will go. All artwork and images are at least 95% our own and written and co-ordinated by the senior members of the group, past and present . We believe that what you should see and feel when you first visit this site is what and who we are. All photographs we use tell a story right at that moment in time for the people who are in them and along with that, the 'clubs' website should really belong to and try to display its members.
We hope to get the balance right in our approach and be informative at the same time, yet display a true image, history and representation of ourselves as a Halifax based community karate-jitsu club without too much use of professional marketing media images or hard sell tactics. It might take us a while and things will probably change often, it might also be a long shot as far as interesting design, but hopefully we will get there in the end! Our number one objective is that once you have got to know us browsing through our site, when you do meet us in any of our karate classes we will openly be a display and representation of what you have already learned here. We look forward to meeting you soon. If you are a club member please check out the gallery page and find yourself there.
All our classes are in easy access and only a short local journey from the surrounding are areas of Halifax, Brighouse, Sowerby Bridge, Hipperholme, Elland, Shelf, Northowram, Southowram, Queensbury and Illingworth.
~Regards in the spirit of karate-do~
Pictured above was the Tuesday Adults Karate-jutsu brown belt presentation for our female members, Lisa & Louise after giving excellent demonstrations at the 2019 summer grade examinations. Pictured with senior members, Tom Snr, Tom Jnr and Lewis.
Pictured to the left was a special senior training course held for Aidy to welcome him back to the UK in April 2017. Aidy is one of the clubs founders who emigrated to live in New Zealand and while he was on a visit we ran a collection of training courses and lessons to remind him of home. We look forward to seeing him again soon! Pictured with him on this day is; Penny, Lewis, Ed, Andrew, John, Harry, Tom and Eva.
