Welcome to the Hamilton Martial Arts Academy Website!

Self Discipline - Self Confidence - Self Defense ________________________________________

Since 1999 Hamilton Martial Arts Academy and Family Fitness Center has been providing instruction in Karate and the martial arts in the San Francisco Bay Area. We teach adults and children in the karate style of Shotokan - combined with a variety of skills and techniques from many additional styles including: Goshi-Shun Jujitsu, Isshinryu Karate, Kickboxing and Wrestling. Located in Brentwood, California, our training programs are designed to instill strong values and character as well as help you forge the skills needed for effective self defense, fitness and sports. Our programs are conducted in a safe, family oriented environment, with respect for each individual students talents and abilities. We accept students of all ages and experience.

Our Founder and Chief Instructor, Sensei Roger B. Hamilton is currently a 6th Degree Master Black Belt, in the combined arts of Shotokan Karate and Goshi-Shun Jujitsu. Moreover, he is a member of the National Association of Professional Martial Artists (NAPMA), the Martial Arts Teachers Association (MATA), and was Inducted into the Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame in January, 2003. (This event is also labeled the "Academy Awards of Martial Arts".) We have developed this web site to allow you to get to know our school, programs and services a bit better, as well as make all of our information available to you 24 hours a day. We will continue to update our program and class information to this site on a weekly basis, so if you don't find what you're looking for please check back often.

LOCATION: 6271 Lone Tree Way, Suite K * Brentwood, CA 94513 * PHONE: (925) 884-3800

For immediate assistance you can send us an email at: HMAAcademy1@aol.com or give us a call toll free at: 1-(877) HMA-DOJO (462-3656) Local: (925) 884-3800; or use our super quick online request form . We invite you to read what other satisfied customers have had to say about us on our testimonials page or visit the web sites we suggest, with links to our affiliated schools and suppliers. For your additional information, feel free to read about the origin of Karate in the "What is Karate" section below. Read more about "Karate History" within the corresponding page.

HMA KARATE FIRST STEPS

1) If you are interested in learning more about HMA Karate in particular or Martial Arts in general, please contact us via e-mail or call us at the telephone numbers provided. We will arrange a personal interview to discuss your goals and answer any questions you have about our programs.

2) You may join-in one of our free introductory classes. This will give you an opportunity to discover first hand some of the positive energy and enthusiasm associated with HMA karate training.

3) Make arrangements for a personal meeting with Sensei Hamilton to discuss all aspects of joining the HMA karate family. We can help you get started steadily on your way to the worthwhile goal of becoming a Hamilton Martial Arts Academy Black Belt!

Call us toll free at: 1-(877) HMA-DOJO (462-3656)

It's as easy as 1-2-3!

We hope you enjoy our website and will stop by and visit us again. This site is designed to give you information about our NEW facility, our style of martial arts, our staff and provide you with information on how to contact us as well.

What Is Karate

"True karate is this: that in daily life one's mind and body be trained and developed in a spirit of humility, and that in critical times, one be devoted utterly to the cause of justice."
-- Gichin Funakoshi

Karate translated either means "Chinese hand" or "Empty hand" depending on which Japanese or Chinese characters you use to write it.

Okinawan Karate styles tend to be hard and external. In defense they tend to be circular, and in offense linear. Okinawan Karate styles tend to place more emphasis on rigorous physical conditioning than the Japanese styles. Japanese styles tend to have longer, more stylistic movements and to be higher commitment. They also tend to be linear in movement, offense, and defense.

Both tend to be high commitment, and tend to emphasize kicks and punches, blocks, strikes, evasions, throws, joint manipulations and a strong offense as a good defense. Karate techniques consist basically of hand and foot techniques. Hand techniques are divided into defensive or offensive moves. Foot techniques are divided into kicking techniques; snap and thrust kicks. Other important elements of Karate include stances, posture, body shifting, hip rotation, and breathing.

Training differs widely but most of the Karate styles emphasize a fairly equal measure of basic technique training (kihon), sparring (kumite), and forms (kata). Forms are stylized patterns of attacks and defenses done in sequence for training purposes.

An art of self-defense as well as a sport, Karate has in recent decades proliferated worldwide. It is one of the most widely practiced of the Asian martial arts, with a large following in the U.S., Japan and Europe.