Karate in
Reservoir
Hills.

Training costs R150 per month for eight classes, with a once-off R50 registration fee. Your first lesson is free. Ask Anesh about uniform and grading costs. These are the published 2026 fees.

S.A. Budo Ryu Karate trains in Reservoir Hills, Durban, near Westville and Pinetown. Our students travel in from Westville, Pinetown, Queensburgh, New Germany and Cowies Hill. The full address and a directions link are in our location section.

Children can start karate with us from four years old in our Little Dragons class. Four to six year olds do shorter, play-based sessions focused on coordination and listening skills, then move into the main kids class at around seven. There is no upper age limit at the other end either, and we teach adults into their sixties.

No, you need neither a uniform nor any previous experience to start karate with us. Wear comfortable clothes and bring water to your first lesson. You only buy a gi once you have decided to carry on, and beginners are taught the basics separately before joining the main group.

Yes, your first karate lesson at S.A. Budo Ryu is free with no obligation to join. Call or WhatsApp 083 640 6320 to book a time, arrive ten minutes early, and we will introduce you to the instructor taking your group.

We teach traditional Japanese karate, Shito-Ryu, as handed to Kyoshi Roy Soodhoo by Sensei Frank Van Rensburg. Training covers kihon (basics), kata (forms) and kumite (controlled sparring), with a formal coloured-belt grading system.

Earning a black belt typically takes four to six years of consistent training for a dedicated student. Progress depends on how often you train and how you perform at gradings rather than on time served. We do not sell belts, and every grade at S.A. Budo Ryu has to be earned on the dojo floor.

Classes are organised by age and ability, with supervised training and controlled sparring. Tell the instructor about any injury or concern before taking part, so you can discuss suitable activities.

Yes, practical self-defence is part of our adult and teen karate classes in Reservoir Hills. Alongside traditional technique you will train situational awareness, distance control and effective responses under pressure. Many of our adult students join for self-defence and fitness rather than competition.

Our Reservoir Hills dojo trains on Monday and Wednesday. Junior classes (16 and under) run 4:30pm to 5:30pm, and Senior classes (17+) run 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Confirm your first visit with Anesh. School holidays can shift the schedule, so it is worth a quick WhatsApp to 083 640 6320 before your first visit.

No, competing is entirely optional at S.A. Budo Ryu. Students who want to compete are supported and prepared for tournaments, and those who train purely for fitness, discipline or self-defence are equally welcome. Gradings are also taken only when you and your instructor agree you are ready.

Yes, you do not need to be fit, flexible or young to start karate here. Most of our adult beginners arrive with no martial arts background at all, and fitness is something training builds rather than something you need first. Everyone works at their own level in a class graded by ability.

Karate practice gives children structured goals and opportunities to practise focus, respect and self-control. Speak to the instructor about your child’s needs and try a free lesson to see whether the class suits them.

We train in the hall at Resmount Primary School, 2 Magdelan Avenue, Reservoir Hills, Durban, and you can park in the school parking lot right alongside it. Use the Google Maps directions link in our location section, and call 083 640 6320 if you have any trouble finding us on the night.